Listed on the Sex Offender Registry. compiled by a former employee of the SBC Executive, details of alleged incidences of assault and abuse, and. This sentence will run concurrent prior sentence meaning he will serve 18 years total, with credit for three years sent in jail awaiting trial. He said the church has changed its tune. According to the report, D. August Boto, the committee's former vice president and general counsel, and former SBC spokesman Roger Oldham kept their own private list of abusive ministers. in prison when he pleaded guilty to 15 sex crimes against 7 boys between 1970-98. PREVIOUS STORY: Report alleges Southern Baptist Convention ignored sex abuse claims. The oldest charges documented in the list are those of Rev. In 2006, Kevin Ogle, 42, former pastor, Northgate Colonial Baptist Church, Camden, SC, was arrested for cyber sex with officer who he thought was 14 yr. old girl initiated in GA. Ogle pleaded guilty to 15 charges of sexual exploitation of children. The list followed a scathing 288-page report by Guidepost Solutions that detailed how the committee mishandled sex abuse allegations and stonewalled numerous survivors. 50,000 congregations and 13.7 million members, Your California Privacy Rights / Privacy Policy. To be sentenced November 13. There was an error processing your request. We'd love to hear eyewitness I went through a long decade-plus of self-medication and self-loathing. SNAP (Survivors Network of Those Abused by Priests) or 1-877-SNAP-HEALS (1-877-762-7432), Together We Heal (together-we-heal.org) or 754- 234-7975, Release of list follows independent investigation, Southern Baptists accused of covering up sexual abuse complaints, SBC removed Kennesaw church over LGBTQ inclusion, the Houston Chronicle published a series of articles about abuses cases in Southern Baptist churches around the nation, Survivors Network of Those Abused by Priests, SUCCESS STORY / Jaci Wright, 36, of McDonough, Goldbergs Fine Foods closing at Avalon in Alpharetta, ACC explains how Georgia Techs primary partners were determined, Atlanta group implicated in Russian influence scheme, Spain: Prosecutors to seek 8-year prison term for Shakira, From Cherokees and Creeks to MARTA and malls, new book examines Gwinnett, Children, driver injured in I-20 wreck involving school bus in Douglas, AJC Poll of Georgia voters, July 2022: See the questions we asked and voter answers, In Georgia Senate race, a historic faceoff between two Black men, AJC Podcast: What you need to know about Georgias abortion law. Pleaded guilty to two child molestation charges in May 2008 and sentenced to 10 years in prison; 10 years probation. Mark Kit Lucas, a youth minister atWoodlawn Baptist Church in Garden City who also taught at Savannah High School, was charged with aggravated sexual battery "on a youth" in 2009. Incarcerated in Georgia. Each entry in this list reminds us of the devastation and destruction brought about by sexual abuse. It has not been adequately researched. "This list is being made public for the first time as an initial, but important, step towards addressing the scourge of sexual abuse and implementing reform in the Convention," said two officials with the SBC committee. The incidents cover roughly 50 years, from at least 1968 to 2019. Survivors will be notified of options for care and will be put in touch with an advocate. Not listed as a registered sex offender in Georgia. "We feel like education is central. They had beenconvicted or accused of crimes ranging from child molestation and child pornography to domestic abuse. The SBC is made up of autonomous churches and does not have a hierarchical structure like the Roman Catholic Church. Sentenced to probation as a first offender. Among those were details of how D. August Boto, the Executive Committee's former vice president and general counsel, and former SBC spokesman Roger Oldham kept their own private list of abusive pastors. Choose wisely! This list is just the tip of the iceberg, said Brown, a retired attorney who lives in Colorado. At least six people who worked at Cobb County Baptist churches appeared on a previously secret list of sexual abusers maintained by the Southern Baptist Convention. An email message containing instructions on how to reset your password has been sent to the e-mail address listed on your account. It is incomplete. Said at the time to have been the largest list of molestation offenses in Cobb history, Fiek received a 90-year prison sentence. He will serve eight years of probation for sending illicit text messages and making sexually suggestive comments to male students. McGowan received a three-year sentence and 20 years on probation. Cobb Countys Local News Source Since 1866, Metro Marietta Kiwanis Club awards scholarships, Georgia teachers to receive back-to-school su, Poll finds Kemp, Abrams statistically tied, Ahead of school year, Marietta High School seniors add personality to their parking spaces, Cobb school board appoints first assistant super for school safety, 'A big step': Cobb elementary kids try out the school bus, Marietta man convicted in botched murder-suicide, Cobb code reform project advanced in party-line vote. OUTCOME: Convicted in 2017 on 11 felony charges, including child molestation, enticing a child for indecent purposes and violation of the oath of public office. The denomination hadabout 50,000 congregations and 13.7 million members as of 2021, a number that has declined steadily in recent years. The 205-page list was compiled by a former employee of the SBCs Executive Committee and was made public for the first time. accounts, the history behind an article. Sentenced to 20 years on the first charge, five years on the second charge and 10 years on the third charge. Grace Christian Fellowship Andalusia, AL, Carbon Hill First Baptist Carbon Hill, AL, Woodward Avenue Baptist Church Muscle Shoals, AL, Marquette Manor Baptist Church Bolingbrook, AL, Eden Westside Baptist Church Pell City, AL, El-Bethel Baptist Church Rock Stand, AL, Pearls of Promise Girls Academy Rock Stand Al, Highland Park Baptist Muscle Shoals, AL, East Memorial Baptist Church Prattville, AL, Seventh Street Baptist Church Cullman, AL, Bethlehem Baptist Church Hazel Green, AL, Prospect Baptist Church Wilsonville, AL, Dogwood Grove Baptist Church Monevallo, AL, Hillcrest Baptist Church Birmingham, AL, Sharon Heights Baptist Church Brookside, AL, Corinthian Baptist Church Fairbanks, AK, North Star Baptist Church Fairbanks, AK, Sylvan Hills First Baptist Church Arkansas, Danville First Baptist Church Danville, AR, South Texarkana Baptist Church Texarkana, AR, Miller Valley Baptist Church Prescott, AZ, East Tucson Baptist Church East Tucson, AZ, Arizona Avenue Baptist Church Chandler, AZ, Sierra Heights Baptist Church Fresno, CA, McCroskie Creek Baptist Church Carrollton, MO, Army Presidio day care center San Francisco, CA, Miracle Land Korean Baptist Church Cypress, CA, Pacific Coast Church (previously FBC San Clemente) San Clemente, CA, First Vietnamese Alliance Church San Jose, CA, Mountain View Community Church (dba The View Church) Temecula, CA, New Hope Missionary Baptist Church San Bernardino, CA, New Community Mission Church San Leandro, CA, Hilltop Baptist School (part of Hilltop Baptist Church) Colorado Springs, CO, Mountain View Baptist Church Lafayette, CO, El Calvario Baptist Church New Haven, CT, Central Baptist Community Ministries Lakeland, FL, Crossroads Baptist Church Fort Myers, FL, School run by Cedar Creek Baptist Church Jacksonville, FL, Old Plank Baptist Church (aka Old Plank Road) Jacksonville, FL, College Park Baptist Church Palatka, FL, Madison Street Baptist Church Starke, FL, Powers Drive Baptist Church Orlando, FL, Cornerstone Community Church Center, FL, Shiloh Metropolitan Baptist Church Jacksonville, FL, Concord Missionary Baptist Church Oak Cliff, TX, Trinity Baptist Church Jacksonville, FL, Clay Hill Baptist Church Jacksonville, FL, First Haitian Baptist Church of Jesus Christ Green Cove Springs, FL, Rocky Bayou Baptist Church Niceville, FL, Countryside Baptist Church Clearwater, FL, Concord Baptist Church Russellville, AL, Bayside Baptist Church Chesapeake Beach, MD, Springs Community Baptist Church Apopka, FL, Openwater Church Odessa, TX (incarcerated in FL), Lake Shore Baptist Church Jacksonville, FL, Western Hills Baptist Church Cobb County, GA, Cornerstone Community Church Forsyth County, GA, Brookwood Baptist Church Lawrenceville, GA, Bishop Baptist Church Oconee County, GA, Hebron Baptist Church Gwinnett County, GA, Good Shepherd Baptist Church Augusta, GA, First Jordan Grove Missionary Baptist Church Brunswick, GA, Woodlawn Baptist Church Garden City, GA, New Victoria Baptist Church Woodstock, GA, Greater Zion Hills Baptist Church Smyrna, GA, New Grace Baptist Church Powder Springs, GA, Merrywood Baptist Church Statesboro, GA, Arnoldsville Baptist Church Arnoldsville, GA, Grace Baptist Temple Church Statesboro, GA, Northway Church on Zebulon Road Macon, GA, (Name Unstated) Baptist Church Decatur, IL, Liberty Baptist Academy Lake Station, IL, Elm Street Baptist Church Murphysboro, IL, First Missionary Baptist church Elgin, IL, Averyville Baptist Church East Peoria, IL, Chicago North Side New Hope Missionary Baptist Church Humboldt Park Area, IL, Mount Pisgah Baptist Church Bloomington, IL, Olney Southern Baptist Church Onley, IL, New Hope Baptist Church Machesney Park, IL, Marquette Manor Baptist Church and Academy Downers Grove, IL, Ridge Missionary Baptist Church Chicago, IL, Zion Hill Baptist Church Springfield, IL, Old Faith Union Baptist Church Yorktown, IN, New Covenant Free Will Baptist Church Indianapolis, IN, Rock Point Baptist Church Crawfordsville, IN, Wheelwright Baptist Church Whitesburg, KY, Wing Avenue Baptist Church Owensboro, KY, Main Street Baptist Church Alexandria, KY, Freedom Baptist Church Campbellsville, KY, Chester Avenue Baptist Church Middlesboro, KY, Washington Avenue Baptist Church Evansville, KY, Grace Memorial Baptist Church Slidell, LA, Glorieta Conference Center Albuquerque, NM, Harris Baptist Conference Center Bienville, LA, Mount Calvary Baptist Church Boston, MA, Barnesville Baptist Church Walkersville, MD, Seat Pleasant Baptist Church Capitol Hill, MD, Pleasant Street Baptist Church Mechanic Falls, ME, Straight Street Baptist Church Detroit, MI, Warren Antioch Baptist Church Warren, MI, Greater Friendship Missionary Baptist Church South Minneapolis, MN, Faith Baptist Church Climax Springs, MO, Grandview Valley Independent Baptist Church Pineville, MO, Gateway Southern Baptist Church St. Louis, MO, Vinson General Baptist Church Malden, MO, Bay Springs Baptist Church Abbeville, MS, Dover Baptist Church 151 Washington Street, Dover, NH, Calvary Bible Baptist Church Bridgeton, NJ, Mount Pisgah Baptist Church Ashbury Park, NJ, Greater Saint James Baptist Church Las Vegas, NV, Community Baptist Church Lake Lavon, NV, First Centennial Baptist Church Buffalo, NY, Ostwegatchie First Baptist Church Ostwegatchie, NY, Thessalonia Baptist Church Morrisania, NY, Hedstrom Memorial Baptist Church Buffalo, NY, Tabernacle Baptist Church High Point, NC, Marquette Manor Baptist Church Downers Grove, NC, Jonas Ridge Baptist Church Avery County, NC, Avery County High School Avery County, NC, King James Baptist Church Bessemer City, NC, Olivers Grove Baptist Church Four Oaks, NC, Baptist State Convention of North Carlina, Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary Wake Forest, NC, Living in Favor Global Network Churches Goldsboro, NC, Pleasant Hill Baptist Church Bennetsville, SC, Matthews Missionary Baptist Church Parkton/Lumerton, NC, Cove Creek Baptist Church Waynesville, NC, North Carolina Baptist Assembly Fort Caswell, NC, Reeder Memorial Baptist Church Charlotte, NC, Heavenly View Baptist Church Iron Station, NC, Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary Fort Worth, TX, Immanuel Baptist Church Little Rock, AR, Central Baptist Church North Little Rock, AR, South Carolina Baptist Convention Columbia, SC, Teacher at High Point Academy Spartanburg, SC, Mount Tabor Baptist Church Anderson, SC, Abbeville Baptist Association Greenwood, SC, Cornerstone Community Church Orangeburg, SC, Branchville Baptist Church Branchville, SC, Harleyville Christian Church Summerville, SC, Northgate Colonial Baptist Church Camden, SC, Oak Grove Baptist Church Mount Carmel, TN, Springhill Baptist Church Dyersburg, TN, Spring Creek Baptist Church Clarksville, TN, Oak Street Baptist Church Soddy-Daisy, TN, Middle Valley Methodist Church Hixson, TN, North Springfield Baptist Church Springfield, TN, Walnut Grove Baptist Church Cordova, TN, Oak Grove Baptist Church Hernando, MS (Memphis area), Stonebridge Church (formerly Woodlands Parkway Baptist Church) The Woodlands, TX, Long Hollow Baptist Church Gallatin, TN, Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary Forth Worth, TX, Tyler Street Baptist Church Jacksonville, TX, Willow Creek Baptist Church Forth Worth, TX, Grace Family Baptist Church Houston, TX, Sienna Ranch Baptist Church Missouri City, TX, Greater Hills Baptist Church Austin, TX, San Marcos Baptist Academy (or San Marcos Academy) San Marcos, TX, Arapaho Road Baptist Church Garland, TX, Black Deaf Association of Houston Houston, TX, Fifth Street Baptist Church Levelland, TX, Second Baptist Church of Houston Houston, TX, Community First Baptist Church Dallas, TX, Stockyards Community Church Alvarado, TX, South Garland Baptist Church Garland, TX, Haltom Road Baptist Church Fort Worth, TX, Morrison Heights Baptist Church Clinton, MS, Trinity Life Baptist Church Garland, TX, Mount Bethel Baptist Church Big Springs, TX, Highland Hills Baptist Church San Antonio, TX, Sunset Lane Baptist Church Bessemer City, TX, San Marcos Baptist Academy San Marcos, TX, River Oaks Baptist Church River Oaks, TX, Westside Victory Baptist Church Fort Worth, TX, Pacific Coast Church (previously FBC) San Clemente, TX, George W. Truett Theological Seminary at Baylor University Waco, TX, West Side Baptist Church Sharpsville, PA (disfellowshipped by SBC In 2021), Southwood Baptist Church Fort Worth, TX, Ranchland Heights Baptist Church Midland, TX (disfellowshipped in 2020), Westoak Woods Baptist Church Austin, TX, Fairfield Missionary Baptist Church Fairfield, TX, Valley Ranch Baptist Church Coppell, TX, Pleasant Grove Baptist Church Texarkana, TX, Thalia Lynn Baptist Church Virginia Beach, VA, Battery Park Baptist Church Battery Park, VA, Shiloh Missionary Baptist Church Moss Point, MS, Liberty University (in partnership with Southern Baptist Conservatives of Virginia) Lynchburg, VA, Pleasant Hill Missionary Baptist Church Puyallup, WA, North Charleston Baptist Church Charleston, WV, Wharton Missionary Baptist Church Wharton, WV. This story includes reporting from Associated Press reporter Deepa Bharath and Gannett Georgia Go editor Donnie Fetter. Notifications can be turned off anytime in the browser settings. There are many redactions or blacked-out sections on the list and it notes: The information is largely pulled from news articles complied from 2007 until 2022. For Dougherty, each story is a reminder of his own as he was abused by clergymen in his own church as a child. DeRosa pleaded guilty to molesting six boys between 1992 and 1993, when he moved to New Jersey. probation and 5 yrs. On the statutory rape guilty plea, Blackmon was given 120 days in jail and 15 years on probation. The release of the names is a public repudiation of the way leaders at the nation's largest Protestant denomination have responded to allegations of sexual abuse in the past. The SBC is a Christian denomination based in the United States. Please disable your ad blocker, whitelist our site, or purchase a subscription, Invalid password or account does not exist. He fled to Knoxville, TN, where he volunteered at a local Baptist church. OUTCOME: Registered sex offender in Georgia. There are problems in the SBC," Griffin said. Blackmon did not admit guilt but pleaded to a statutory rape charge rather than face a jury on charges of child molestation and rape. Thomas McGowan, who was convicted in 1989 of molesting three former congregation members, two of them underage, while he was pastor of New Grace Baptist Church in Powder Springs. Southern Baptist Convention releases list of accused sexual abusers, Georgia family wants answers after woman dies in police custody, Gov. Be Proactive. Our prayer is that the survivors of these heinous acts find hope and healing, and that churches will utilize this list proactively to protect and care for the most vulnerable among us.". He was Sentenced to 20 years on Oct. 21, 2016, after pleading guilty to four charges including two counts of aggravated sexual battery, aggravated sodomy and exploitation of a disabled adult, according to Cherokee County records. 2022 www.augustachronicle.com. Most of the information has been redacted or blacked-out and notes: "The information is largely pulled from news articles compiled from 2007 until 2022. The list of Cobb County offenders is rounded out by three men who were convicted of sex crimes while working at Eastside Baptist Church in east Cobb. Notifications from this discussion will be disabled. Incarcerated in Georgia. "I see that in the report and I can just tell you categorically its very disturbing," said Mike Griffin, who leads the Georgia Baptist Mission Board's child protection program. Norman Anthony Pugh, youth minister, Arnoldsville Baptist Church, Arnoldsville, GA, pleaded guilty and was sentenced to 13 years in prison with another seven years on probation for inappropriately touching a 13 year old girl. The list includes about 750 names with details of the alleged abuses and news story links to the coverage of some of the cases. Southern Baptist Church List of Alleged Abusers. Sentenced in 2012 to 12 years confinement years, three years probation on first charge and 15 years probation on remaining three charges. David Pittman, a survivor who said he was sexually abused by his churchs youth minister for three years, beginning when he was 12, had mixed emotions about the list. Phillip Glenn Terrell, youth pastor, Emmanuel Baptist Church, Gainsville, FL, pleaded guilty to molesting two teenage boys. Griffin said Georgia Baptists have trained more than 7,000 church volunteers in recent years to recognize abuse, and to report it effectively. Pleaded guilty to aggravated child molestation and two counts of child molestation. He only had to serve 30 days in jail and the remaining 11 months of the sentence will be spent on probation. Incarcerated in Georgia. stonewalled and denigrated sexual abuse victims. In addition to the 34 named suspected abusers in Georgia churches, the identities of six people in Georgia were redacted. Henry Bazil Waters, 49, position unstated, Grace Baptist Temple Church, Statesboro, GA Waters was convicted for sexually abusing 3 boys in 1989. The Southern Baptist Convention was founded in Augustaat the First Baptist Church in 1845andlists 92 churches in Georgia. Compiled internally by a staffer of the conventions executive committee, the list includes a disclaimer that it is incomplete and inadequately researched. Get up-to-the-minute news sent straight to your device. The name of the church is unknown. Registered sex offender in Georgia. The Southern Baptist Convention said in a statement last week the lists release was an important, step towards addressing the scourge of sexual abuse and implementing reform in the Convention. In a high-profile case from 2001, Sunday school teacher and sports instructor Gunter Fiek was found guilty of nearly two dozen child molestation charges. The church said Humphrey was not a youth leader, but was in the process of being checked out and interviewed for the position. Use the 'Report' link on "Each entry in this list reminds us of the devastation and destruction brought about by sexual abuse. Please avoid obscene, vulgar, lewd, Previously, he was acquitted in November 2006 on charges of molesting another teenage church member, Leon Rankins, III, 35, pastor, Restoration Full Gospel Baptist Church, 900 W. Cervantes St., Pensacola, FL, was charged in 1989 when Rankin was 17. OUTCOME: Convicted, following guilty pleas, of three counts of child molestation and one of enticing a child for indecent purposes in Gwinnett County, Ga. In 2010, he pleaded guilty to molesting teenage boy and was sentenced to 15 years in prison. Southern Baptists secret list of sex abusers includes at least six from Cobb, Get an email notification whenever someone contributes to the discussion. OUTCOME: Convicted of two counts of sexual battery against a child under 16 in 2017 in Cobb County. At 15, Christa Brown said the grooming was started by her churchs youth and education minister with the sexual assaults beginning when she was 16. In 2007, he was charged with having sex with a 13 yr. old boy . I attempted I have a failed suicide attempt when I was in my 20s, he told CBS46. SNAP is calling on the Southern Baptist Church to publish the timeline of each accused persons work history and education and also detail when each person came to the church. In 2009, he was caught. Our prayer is that the survivors of these heinous acts find hope and healing, and that churches will utilize this list proactively to protect and care for the most vulnerable among us, the convention added. "Our investigation revealed that, for many years, a few senior EC leaders, along with outside counsel, largely controlled the EC's response to these reports of abuse and were singularly focused on avoiding liability for the SBC," the report said, continuing: "In service of this goal, survivors and others who reported abuse were ignored, disbelieved, or met with the constant refrain that the SBC could take no action due to its policy regarding church autonomy even if it meant that convicted molesters continued in ministry with no notice or warning to their current church or congregation.". In doing so, the SBC's top leaders said they're committed to listening more attentively to survivors of clergy sexual abuse. It is incomplete. "It's important, it is of immediate concern to the public and to the survivor committee, and we need to do it right away," he said. John Samuel Stafford, janitor, Eastside Baptist Church, Marietta, GA, pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor sexual battery conviction and received a 12-month jail sentence. It is not Southern Baptist specific.. Being victim centric is central," Griffin said. The 205-page list, labeled "highly confidential," comes after a bombshell report Sunday from an independent investigator that said the top leaders of the Southern Baptist Convention stonewalled and denigrated sexual abuse victims for two decades to protect their own reputations and remained "singularly focused on avoiding liability" for the church. Thelistwhichspans decades andnumerousstatescontainsdetails of alleged incidences of assault and abuse, andthe namesof ministers and other church workerswho have beencredibly accused ofperpetratingabuse, as reported by the New York Times. Copyright 2022 WGCL. The report details how survivors of sexual abuse have been contacting the Southern Baptist Convention (SBC) Executive Committee (EC) to report child molesters and abusers for decades, but their concerns have been ignored. The list was compiled by a former employee of the SBC's Executive Committee and was made public for the first time to place a "spotlight on truth and transparency.". It is incumbent on our attorneys general, district attorneys, and local police and prosecutors to find the truth and share it with the American public., The list includes roughly 750 names with details of abuses they are alleged to have committed and links to news stories covering some of the cases. Keep it Clean. Be Nice. An independent investigative report said the Southern Baptist Convention stonewalled, with some describing the allegations as a satanic scheme to completely distract us from evangelism.. that is degrading to another person. of probation. Sentenced to 10 years in prison and 15 years probation. In 2002 he fled Douglasville, GA, violating his probation and failing to register as a sex offender. Griffin said the Georgia Baptist Mission Board formed a sexual abuse committee months ago and said it will be a priority at upcoming state and national meetings later this year. Contact our legal team for a free and confidential case review. Both retired in 2019. In 1998, John Montgomery Eatman, 50s, deacon, South Cherokee Baptist Church, Woodstock, GA, was convicted for sexually abusing a 14 and 10 yr. old girl (1998 and 1984). The list includes 38 people in Georgia, as well as others who had worked in the state. He later moved back to Cobb and was subsequently charged. It has not been adequately researched. The Associated Press contributed reporting. In 1999, Robert Smith Dorsett, 65, former youth minister and training director, FBC, Augusta, GA, was sentenced to 30 yrs. OUTCOME: Registered as a sex offender in South Carolina for a sexual exploitation of children conviction from Georgia. It has not been proofed. The existence of the list was not widely known within the committee and its staff. He was convicted of eight counts of child molestation in Hall County (all related to 2006 offenses) and two counts of aggravated sodomy and one count of aggravated sexual battery in Douglas County for 2009 offenses. The report released by the Southern Baptist convention outlines hundreds of such cases in churches across north America including 40 of them in Georgia. OUTCOME: Registered sex offender in Georgia. Thirty-four people who pastored, worked in or volunteered at churches in Georgia are named on a list of alleged abusers released late Thursday by the Southern Baptist Conventions top leadership. Michael Lee Krug, 35, associate pastor, Calvary Baptist Church, Columbus, GA, pleaded guilty and was sentenced to 10 years in prison. Humphrey pleaded guilty to two counts of child molestation and was sentenced to 20 years. Sex Offender Registry He must register. ATLANTA The Southern Baptist Convention has released a list of alleged abuse cases linked to Baptist churches across America. The Guidepost report was released after a seven-month investigation. He was accused of sexual abusing an 11-yr-old boy. Derek Gillett, pastor, Cornerstone Community Church, Forsyth County, GA, and previously youth director, Midway United Methodist Church, Alpharetta, GA, pleaded guilty to two child molestation charges in May 2008 and sentenced to 10 years in prison; 10 years probation. It angers him that the name of his alleged abuser, whom he said still works with a church in Georgia, was not included. The report said that the executive council of the Southern Baptist Convention resisted and even reacted with hostility to reports of child molestation and sexual abuse within the church.