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At the June 2025 Southern Baptist Convention (SBC) annual meeting in Dallas, one of the most anticipated reforms failed to materialize: a national database of convicted and credibly accused sexual abusers. The delay has frustrated survivors, pastors, and advocates who say the tool is essential to prevent predators from moving undetected between churches, The Oklahoman reported last month.
The proposed database was first approved by SBC delegates—known as messengers—in 2022, following a wave of investigative reporting and an independent review that exposed systemic abuse and cover-ups within America’s largest Protestant denomination. The database was intended to track individuals credibly accused of sexual abuse, creating a central safeguard for churches nationwide. But three years later, it remains unfinished.
Former Task Force Member Sounds Alarm
Rev. Mike Keahbone, senior pastor of First Baptist Church in Lawton, OK, and a former member of the SBC’s Abuse Reform Implementation Task Force, criticized the denomination’s lack of urgency.
“Progress without a working database is not progress,” Keahbone said, following the Dallas meeting.
Keahbone, who resigned in protest from his SBC leadership roles shortly before the gathering over the lack of a database three years later, said he continues to advocate for the database’s launch, even if he’s no longer part of the official reform effort.
“The strongest voice in the SBC is still the voice of a pastor and their church,” he added.
A History of Promises, Delays, and Disbanded Committees
Since the initial vote in 2022, SBC leaders have extended task forces, cited legal complexities, and requested further reviews. When the Abuse Reform Implementation Task Force disbanded in 2024, the database was still unbuilt. Critics argue this amounts to avoidance.
The absence of the database looms especially large in light of the 2022 Guidepost Solutions report—a third-party investigation commissioned by the SBC after the Abuse of Faith exposé by the Houston Chronicle. The report detailed more than two decades of sexual abuse allegations that were ignored, silenced, or covered up by senior SBC leaders from 2000 to 2021. It specifically recommended a centralized “offender information system” as a primary solution.
Reform Steps Taken—But Are They Enough?
At the Dallas gathering, Executive Committee President Jeff Iorg outlined new initiatives, including:
- A $3 million budget request to cover legal costs related to ongoing abuse litigation.
- A free curriculum to help churches understand sex abuse prevention and state reporting laws.
- A new care team for churches handling allegations or survivor care.
While these moves were seen as a step forward, critics say they fall short of systemic change.
“Without a tool to stop serial abusers from cycling between churches, the rest is just window dressing,” said one survivor advocate.
A National Problem Demanding National Accountability
With more than 13 million members and 47,000 churches, the SBC’s policies—or lack thereof—have national ripple effects. Survivors, attorneys, and legislators alike are watching closely, warning that continued inaction may prompt calls for external intervention, including congressional oversight or state-level investigations, as seen in other major religious institutions.
Keahbone and others say the window for internal accountability is closing fast.
“We’ve been entrusted with people’s children, people’s safety,” he said. “The least we can do is make sure known abusers don’t get another chance.”
What Should You Do If You’ve Been Affected by Southern Baptist Sexual Abuse?
If you or someone you care about has been harmed by abuse within the Southern Baptist Convention, you are not alone. The Southern Baptist sex abuse scandal has revealed a disturbing pattern of cover-ups and institutional failure—but it has also opened the door for survivors to seek justice.
At SurvivorsRights.com, we’re committed to helping individuals impacted by Southern Baptist sexual abuse understand their legal rights and options. Whether your experience was ignored, silenced, or swept under the rug, you deserve to be heard.
You deserve answers. You deserve justice. You deserve to be heard.
Visit our SBC Sexual Abuse Lawsuit Guide to learn what steps to take and what your rights are. Additionally, you have the no-pressure and no-obligation option of filling out the brief, confidential form so that our intake team may help connect you with compassionate legal help.
