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Photo credit: A full immersion baptism, courtesy of Wikipedia.
Gareld Duane Rollins, the man whose lawsuit against prominent Southern Baptist leader Paul Pressler helped expose decades of institutional sexual abuse within the Southern Baptist Convention (SBC), died late last month, Religion News Service reported.
Rollins’ allegations—that Pressler sexually abused him for years while acting as a mentor and Bible study teacher—were dismissed by a lower court due to statute of limitations issues. But in 2022, the Texas Supreme Court allowed the case to proceed, recognizing that trauma can delay memory recall. His civil suit revealed that Pressler had once paid a $450,000 settlement in an earlier case brought by Rollins, and alleged that SBC leaders were aware of the abuse and covered it up.
Although Pressler, who died in 2024, had long been revered as a conservative architect of the SBC, Rollins’ suit revealed a troubling pattern: Pressler had previously been fired from a Texas Presbyterian church over abuse allegations and was later warned by a Houston church to cease inappropriate behavior with young men.
Rollins’ claims prompted widespread media attention and were a catalyst for the Abuse of Faith investigation by the Houston Chronicle and San Antonio Express-News, which uncovered hundreds of sexual abuse cases across the SBC. That reporting laid the groundwork for the 2022 Guidepost Solutions report, which found that SBC leaders had routinely minimized abuse reports and retraumatized survivors.
Despite a life marked by addiction, incarceration, and chronic illness, Rollins, who passed away May 23 fought to have his truth acknowledged. “His life was cut short just as he was freeing himself from the thing that had defined him for so long,” said journalist Robert Downen, who had documented Rollins’ legal journey since 2019.
Rollins’ lawsuit was settled in 2023, but his legacy continues to ripple through the SBC and beyond. His determination inspired reforms, public apologies from SBC leadership, and renewed momentum to support survivors.
“He did it at enormous personal cost and despite decades of unfathomable suffering,” wrote activist and survivor Christa Brown. “We all owe Duane a debt of gratitude.”
If you or someone you love is a survivor of sexual abuse within the Southern Baptist Convention, you are not alone—and legal options may still be available. Learn more about your rights and how to seek justice by visiting our SBC Lawsuit Guide.
