Last week, South Carolinians in Georgetown County were devastated by accusations that leaders at Pawleys Island Community Church (PICC) and its affiliated Christian Academy (PICA) knowingly allowed a registered sex offender to serve at the church/academy in close proximity to children. Child sexual abuse is an abomination, a moral and theological aberration causing incalculable harm to children and families. When connected with a Christian leader or congregation, that abuse also brings reproach upon Christ and his church. While the redeeming grace of God is effectually extended to all people of genuine repentance from sin and faith in Jesus Christ, temporal consequences remain including restrictions regarding access to children. SCBaptists are thankful for those diligent and courageous PICA and PICC members who made their concerns known to church leadership and to local authorities.
Our prayers are first and foremost with Pawleys Island children and their families; we pray that the grace of God will calm every fear and comfort every disquieted soul (Psalm 46:1–11, Matthew 11:28–30). We also join in prayers for law enforcement officers who are charged by God and their community to execute the work of investigation, discovery, and enforcement of the law; may truth be unveiled and justice be swift (Romans 13:1–5, Ecclesiastes 8:11–13). And we pray for PICC and other churches in the area; may Christ’s people rise to this occasion for humility, integrity, reform, and Gospel hope (Jeremiah 29:7, Romans 12:9–18).
PICC is a cooperating church with the South Carolina Baptist Convention (SCBaptist). While the Convention has no control or authority over cooperating churches or their leaders, we do have resources to assist them in mission and ministry efforts including sexual abuse education, prevention, and response. In joint effort with Southern Baptist Convention personnel, we have been in touch with current church leadership and are now working with PICC, at their request.
We would like to take this opportunity to encourage all cooperating SCBaptist churches to review governing documents, policies, and procedures as they pertain to employment matters, sexual abuse awareness training, and safety protocols during gatherings on your campus(es). Every church should be a safe place for children to come learn about the God who loves them, within the fellowship of saints who embody that love responsibly. Correspondingly, every parent should be able to rest assured that church leaders are making wise decisions to facilitate this kind of care and safety for their children. We rejoice that in the vast majority of SCBaptist churches, this is the weekly reality; we lament with great sorrow wherever it is not.
If your church has not recently reviewed its policies and procedures, needs suggestions for sexual abuse awareness training or background checks, would like someone to assist you in reviewing and/or building protocols for child-friendly environments, or would like to offer counseling to abuse survivors or their families in response to recent events, please contact the SCBaptist Convention at wecare@scbaptist.org or visit our webpage for resource suggestions at https://www.scbaptist.org/abuse-prevention-and-survivor…/.
