The SBC Executive Committee Takes No Action to Address Churches That Cover Up Abuse, the Credentials Committee Takes No Action to Remove Sovereign Grace Church of Louisville (C.J. Mahaney), & the ARITF Is Silent in the Face of Corruption

To the Southern Baptist Convention, Et Al.

Three months ago, I sent a 291 page report comprised of 14 sections to the Abuse Reform Implementation Task Force (ARITF).  I copied Bart Barber, Will McLaurin, Jared Wellman, and Todd Benkert.  The report took months to write.  I didn’t heard back from anyone even though I kindly asked for a response (see Section 14).  

I did not publish the report hoping the ARITF would take action and the 2022-2023 Credentials Committee would recommend the removal of Sovereign Grace Church of Louisville (C.J. Mahaney) to the Executive Committee at their business meeting (Jun 11-12) before the Convention in New Orleans.  

In my last correspondence with the Credentials Committee, I laid out multiple counts for removal.  See Section 13 in the report which demonstrates SGCL does not meet four of the five criteria in the Constitution necessary to be deemed a church in friendly cooperation.  This is not a marginal case.  It is clear cut. 

That being the case, it is a great disgrace to the Southern Baptist Convention that SGCL remains a church in good standing.  It demonstrates how miserably the Credentials Committee has failed to apply their charter and follow the Constitution.  That is especially true of Stacy Bramlett, Mike Lawson, and Linda Cooper who have chaired the committee. 

I have attached the report.  It can also be read here.  It was sent to the ARITF on March 16.  Here is the Introduction from Section 1.  

To: Abuse Reform Implementation Task Force: 

Marshall Blalock (chair)
Kris Buckman
Mike Keahbone (vice-chair)
Melissa Bowen
Brad Eubank
Cyndi Lott
Jon Nelson
Jarrett Stephens
Gregory Wills 

Cc: Bart Barber, Willie McLaurin, Jared Wellman, Todd Benkert 

Over the past three years, I have been sending evidence to the successive Credentials Committees regarding the cover up of sexual abuse by C.J. Mahaney and his staff at Sovereign Grace Church of Louisville (SGCL).  It partners with the Southern Baptist Convention.  See  Sovereign Grace Church of Louisville > About (sgclouisville.org).  

C.J. was once my dear friend.  We started what is now called Sovereign Grace Churches, Inc. in 1982.  Please read My Story - Resume - (squarespace.com).  It provides an introduction to who I am and the work I’ve done.    

Despite the overwhelming evidence I provided the 2019-2020 Credentials Committee (Stacy Bramlett, chair), 2020-2021 Credentials Committee (Mike Lawson, chair), and 2021-2022 Credentials Committee (Linda Cooper, chair), each failed to do an official inquiry.  Moreover, each refused to interact with me over the evidence despite countless pleas.  

Therefore, I write to formally request you do an investigation of each Credentials Committee for their negligence in not applying The Baptist Faith and Message, the proposed amendment to the Constitution by the Executive Committee (Feb. 2019), the amendment to SBC Constitution (June 2021), and the SBC Resolutions on Sexual Abuse, to Sovereign Grace Church of Louisville.    

Each Credentials Committee should also be evaluated for their lack of integrity and charity.  I’ve been taken aback by their dishonesty and callous indifference.  I hope you will address them and direct them to make amends.  They have acted in a decidedly un-Christlike manner.  The evidence that follows will bear this out. 

Moreover, they have shown no respect for the innumerable victims of sexual abuse and assault covered up by C.J. Mahaney since 1980.  I know of what I speak, and I know of whom I speak, because I knew most of the parents and victims.  I did not know, however, about their abuse even though I was the number two leader in the ministry.  C.J. hid it from me.  

Rolland Slade was the exception to the above starting in June 2020 when he replaced Mike Stone as Executive Committee chair.  At that point, he automatically became a sitting member of the Credentials Committee.  Unfortunately, “His responsibilities with the Executive Committee often made it difficult for him to attend all or parts of our Credentials Committee meetings.”  That is according to the current Credentials Committee in correspondence with me dated October 13, 2022.  More later. 

Here is what I wrote Jared Wellman in relevant part back in June 2019. 

From: Brent Detwiler
Sent: Tuesday, June 18, 2019 8:05 AM
To: Jared Wellman
Subject: RE: An Update on Investigation of Sovereign Grace Churches, Inc. 

…From my perspective, C.J. and Sovereign Grace Church of Louisville is a crucial test case for the Southern Baptist Convention and Credentials Committee in terms of enforcement.  If they are not removed as an SBC church, with so much evidence against them, who will be removed?  

Here I what I wrote Stacy Bramlett in relevant part back in October 2019. 

From: Brent Detwiler
Sent: Thursday, October 31, 2019 2:25 PM
To: Stacy Bramlett
Cc: Christy Peters; Jared Wellman; Heather Bryant
Subject: The Investigation of C.J. Mahaney & Sovereign Grace Church of Louisville by Credentials Committee 

Hello Stacy, 

…You and the Credentials Committee are in my prayers.  Your assignment to investigate C.J. and SGCL is a very important one (see my email to Jared Wellman) [the one above].  If they remain in the SBC that sends a terrible message to the Body of Christ and all the victims.  If they are removed, it sends a loud message that the SBC is serious about compliance and stands with the many victims of abuse.  

That was over three years ago.  

It is a great reproach to the Southern Baptist Convention that C.J. and SGCL have been vindicated by the first and third Credentials Committees.  Each determined the “church to be in friendly cooperation with the Convention.”  The second CC totally ignore the evidence I sent without review. 

Under the “Statement of Assignment” for the Credentials Committee, it says, 

“The Credentials Committee bases its decisions regarding a church’s standing in the SBC based on who that church puts in a leadership role as either an employee or volunteer.”  

The pastors/elders of SGCL have “put in a leadership role” a man most of them know has covered up criminal activity for a very long time.  These too were once my friends.  

I am also sending you information regarding the conduct of Guidepost Solutions.  I worked closely with them, provided a lot of information, did two interviews, and made many recommendations.  I thought the May 2022 report was excellent in most respects.  

That said, they covered up for the Credentials Committees and especially for Stacy Bramlett.  That may sound over the top but bear with me.  I provide the evidence for this assertion in “Section 11: Correspondence with Guidepost Solutions After Report of the Independent Investigation.”  It points out how they were influenced and deterred from doing their work in a fully professional manner. 

Let me illustrate for the moment.  The excerpt below comes from their recent update.  The highlighting in bold italics is mine. 

SBC Sexual Abuse Hotline for Survivors - Guidepost Solutions
Updated: January 9, 2023 

On September 9, 2021, the Task Force announced that Guidepost Solutions was retained to conduct the independent assessment and investigation regarding the Executive Committee of the SBC, as commissioned by the Messengers of the Convention at the 2021 SBC annual meeting.  Pursuant to the Letter of Engagement, Guidepost’s mandate is as follows: 

Specifically, and as directed by the SBC Motion, Guidepost investigated: 

• Allegations of abuse by Executive Committee members
• Mishandling of abuse allegations by Executive Committee members between January 1, 2000, to June 14, 2021
• Allegations of mistreatment of sexual abuse victims by Executive Committee members from January 1, 2000, to June 14, 2021
• Patterns of intimidation of sexual abuse victims or advocates from January 1, 2000, to June 14, 2021
• Resistance to sexual abuse reform initiatives from January 1, 2000, to June 14, 2021 

In addition, Guidepost performed an audit of the procedures and actions of the Credentials Committee after its formation in mid-June 2019, using best standards and practices designed to ensure accountability, transparency, and care for the wellbeing of survivors of sexual abuse. 

In my second interview, Associate Director Sunny Lee told me Guidepost was not authorized to investigate the Credentials Committee.  That is true but Guidepost was authorized to investigate Executive Committee members on the Bylaws Workgroup and Credentials Committees through June 14, 2021.  That included Alan Ballard, Stacy Bramlett, Mike Lawson, and Linda Cooper. 

Furthermore, Guidepost was authorized to perform “an audit of the procedures and actions of the Credentials Committee.”  They failed to do so in relation to Sovereign Grace Church of Louisville or else they failed to report what they found in their audit.  More later. 

With this in mind, please forward this report in its entirety to the U.S. Department of Justice for their investigation.  It must include Guidepost Solutions. 

I would also recommend you ask to resign, or work to remove Stacy Bramlett from the Executive Committee and Linda Cooper as chair/member of the Credentials Committee.  They do not qualify.  This will become clear in the remainder of my report. 

In addition, I think the current Credentials Committee should publicly acknowledge the sins and faults of the previous committees.  That will be hard for Linda since she is the current chair and has been on all four Credentials Committees.  

After the Guidepost report came out, the third or 2021-2022 Credentials Committee denied all wrong doing and offered no apology, which I initially assumed they did.  Therefore, I wrote them. 

From: Brent Detwiler abrentdetwiler@gmail.com
Sent: Monday, May 23, 2022 5:37 PM
To: Credentials Committee credentials@sbc.net
Subject: Link to Apology 

Could you send me a link to your recent apology in response to the Guidepost report?  I don’t see it posted anywhere. 

Thanks
Brent 

From: credentials credentials@sbc.net
Sent: Thursday, June 2, 2022 2:39 PM
To: Brent Detwiler abrentdetwiler@gmail.com
Subject: RE: Link to Apology 

Mr. Detwiler, 

We apologize for the delayed response.  We believe your reference to a recent apology is regarding a statement by the SBC Executive Committee.  That can be found at this link: https://www.baptistpress.com/resource-library/news/%ef%bf%bcsbc-executive-committee-repents-vows-to-listen-to-survivors-release-hidden-list-of-alleged-abusers/ 

Please let us know if we can assist further. 

Sincerely,
SBC Credentials Committee 

After this I remembered their denial to Baptist Press of all advertent wrongdoing and their claim they were “prepared to repent for anything” they “inadvertently failed to do to alleviate the suffering of survivors.”  Yet, they never acknowledged or repented of any unintended sins.  

In other words, they did everything right.  The Credentials Committee committed no sins of commission or omission.  They did not fail survivors in the least.  That is not only false, it is arrogant.  It must be corrected. 

From: Brent Detwiler abrentdetwiler@gmail.com
Sent: Thursday, June 2, 2022 3:15 PM
To: credentials credentials@sbc.net
Subject: RE: Link to Apology 

Thank you but my reference was to the comments you provided Baptist Press for this article. 

SATF report shows EC pattern of resistance to addressing abuse claims | Baptist Press
By Brandon Porter, posted May 22, 2022 in Sexual Abuse 

“We receive this report with open minds and heavy hearts.  We grieve for those impacted by abuse, and we are prepared to repent for anything the Credentials Committee inadvertently failed to do to alleviate the suffering of survivors,” the statement said. 

“We are committed to listening and learning from this extensive report and its recommendations. We look forward to implementing recommendations and strengthening the Credentials Committee’s work.” 

Your response does answer my question.  The Credentials Committee has not posted anything online [by way of an apology] unlike the EC, NAMB, Task Force, SBC President, seminaries, et al.  In fact, your only comment denies wrong doing.  Any failure was inadvertent which necessitates no repentance because no wrong has been committed since your repurposing in June 2019.  

I would not share your self-assessment. 

I know you have chosen Guidepost Solutions to respond to the SBC hotline and to set up the Ministry Check website.  I’d advise you not to select them in the future to do fact finding inquiries for the Credentials Committee based upon my overall experience with them. 

I know it will take time to digest what I have written but I’d appreciate if you got back to me before the June Convention in New Orleans.  When you do, please specify the actions you are taking to address the issues I raise in this report concerning the successive Credentials Committees and Guidepost Solutions.  

This is necessary because it appears the Credentials Committee is accountable to no one and their work is unknown to anyone.  That needs to be rectified.  In Report of Independent Investigation, Guidepost recommends the ARITF have “oversight of CC actions.”  I hope you do.  That’s why I am writing. 

“Define Duties and Oversight: If a Commission is established it is important to strictly define the Commission’s duties and oversight. Consider including the following: … Oversight of CC actions.” (p. 260) 

Moreover, there is much you need to clarify and codify at the upcoming Convention.  For example, Brandon Porter recently cited “mishandling abuse claims” as “one reason among other” a church may be removed from the SBC.  

Sexual abuse hotline, ‘fully confidential,’ task force says | Baptist Press
By Brandon Porter, posted January 9, 2023 in Sexual Abuse

The Credentials Committee is a standing SBC committee tasked with determining whether or not a church is in friendly cooperation with the SBC.  Mishandling abuse claims is one reason among others that a church may be recommended by the CC to be disfellowshipped.  

I wish that were true but as it stands there is only one vague reason in the Constitution for removal as it pertains to abuse.  “Does not act in a manner inconsistent with the Convention’s beliefs regarding sexual abuse.”  It is completely undefined. 

Guidepost Solutions pointed this out in their report. 

“Except in cases where the church admits to employing a convicted sex offender, it can be difficult for the CC to determine whether the church engaged in conduct inconsistent with the Convention’s beliefs regarding sexual abuse.  Indeed, even the “Convention’s beliefs regarding sexual abuse” is not an explicitly defined term.”  (p. 197, ¶1) 

This needs to be addressed.  Please spell out the Convention’s beliefs and the reasons the Credentials Committee can recommend a church be disfellowshipped.  Then let the messengers approve the reasons at the Convention in New Orleans.  This is the great need of the moment! 

Consider this statement from the Guidepost report. 

“Rather, the CC broadly considered a number of factors in making these determinations, including whether a church employed a convicted sex offender; allowed a convicted sex offender to work as a volunteer in contact with minors; and/or continued to employ a person who unlawfully concealed from law enforcement information regarding the sexual abuse of any person by an employee or volunteer of the church.” (p. 255, ¶2) 

Of course, if the last factor was followed by the CC then SGCL would have been removed from the SBC in 2019.  C.J. Mahaney has “unlawfully concealed from law enforcement information regarding sexual abuse” for decades.  For example with convicted felon Nathaniel Morales in 1991.  He also concealed sexual assault with Charles Schmitt in 1980.  There is a long list of predators protected by him. 

This issue also needs to be addressed and changed. 

“Our audit revealed that when the submitter’s information was contradicted by the church’s inquiry response, no additional investigation would be permitted due to SBC polity.  Thus, the church would continue to be considered in friendly cooperation with the Convention and would not be recommended to the EC under these circumstances.” (p. 253, ¶2) 

SGCL never received an inquiry letter so they never responded to the Credentials Committee.  They did, however, respond in public and “contradicted” “the submitter’s information” whether that was me, J.D. Greear, Jared Wellman, Rolland Slade, Rachael Denhollander, Al Mohler, et al.  

It appears the CC accepted these public denials (i.e., lies) and concluded “no additional investigation would be permitted due to SBC polity.”  That is crazy.  All it takes to get off the hook is to contradict the submitter.  That needs to change.  An inquiry must include the freedom to ask hard follow-up questions with supporting evidence. 

And even if CC members think a church is lying in their response to an inquiry letter, they can do nothing about it. 

“Some CC members and EC Staff Member Liaisons indicated there were instances when they questioned the truthfulness of the information provided by the SBC Church, but they could only consider the information available through the inquiry, which was essentially information provided by the church in defense/response to the inquiry questions.⁷⁴⁴  The CC could not ask more questions of the submitter or witnesses from the church, as that would be considered an investigation and violating the autonomy of the church.” (p. 254, ¶1) 

This needs to be remedied.  If there is no remedy under Baptist polity than the Southern Baptist Convention should be told the Credentials Committee is relatively useless. 

As an aside, the fourth or 2022-2023 Credentials Committee has invited me to resubmit my evidence to them for review.  They wrote in part, “Should you make the decision to ask for the 2022-2023 committee to reconsider your submission,  please allow us to make a few suggestions….”  

I know you will take this report seriously and I hope you will benefit from its contents.  I write not only in regard to Sovereign Grace Church of Louisville but for the good of the Southern Baptist Convention.  

[End] 

Postscript 

There is no evidence the ARITF has taken anything I’ve written seriously.  Nor is there any evidence they have acted upon anything I recommended.  This doesn’t offend me.  It does concern me. 

All the ARITF has done is set up a prototype for a Ministry Check database on abusers (that is not yet functioning) and created a Toolbox of resources for churches.  This falls woefully short. 

For example, Guidepost Solutions published a “highly confidential” 205 page report 16 months ago that listed innumerable abusers.  Nothing has been done with it.  See FINAL+-+List+of+Alleged+Abusers+-+SBC+REDACTED.pdf (sbcec.s3.amazonaws.com). 

Furthermore, Guidepost Solutions told me on June 24, 2022 that there were 250 new cases of sexual abuse called into the hotline after their report was released on May 22, 2022.  That number has grown.  Last week, ARITF member Jarrett Stephens reported 300 cases are still open.  No one has been hired to investigate these reports of abuse that have been made through the hotline. 

That means sex abusers are at work in SBC churches and not being investigated by an independent law firm to find the facts.     

Three and half years ago I wrote this article. 

Will the Southern Baptist Convention Ever Remove C.J. Mahaney & Sovereign Grace Church of Louisville from Its Membership for Covering Up the Sexual Abuse of Children?
Friday, November 1, 2019 at 6:57PM 

I think we have our answer.  No, the SBC will never remove Mahaney and SGCL!  Nor will they address the issues raised in this report. 

I hope this report is read in entirety to understand the seriousness of the situation.  Then I hope the messengers to the 2024 Convention in Indianapolis take action to remove SGCL from the floor.  It is not going to come from the Executive Committee or the Credentials Committee.