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Jennifer Lyell, whose courage helped expose systemic abuse within the Southern Baptist Convention (SBC), has died following a reported massive stroke, Baptist News Global reported last week. Lyell was 47.
Lyell, a former executive at Lifeway Christian Resources, played a pivotal role in drawing national attention to the SBC’s mishandling of sexual abuse claims. Her allegations against Southern Baptist Theological Seminary professor David Sills triggered one of the most high-profile reckonings in the denomination’s history.
While some SBC officials attempted to frame the situation as a consensual relationship, Lyell consistently stated she had been groomed and abused. In 2022, the SBC Executive Committee formally apologized to Lyell and reached an undisclosed financial settlement after a 2019 Baptist Press article mischaracterized her experience.
Sills, who was fired in 2018 after admitting to an extramarital relationship with Lyell, later filed a defamation lawsuit in 2023. The ongoing legal action names multiple defendants, including the SBC, Southern Seminary, and Seminary President Al Mohler.
Lyell’s death comes just days before the SBC annual meeting in Dallas, where delegates are expected to vote on allocating additional Cooperative Program funds to cover legal fees tied to the growing number of abuse-related lawsuits. More than two dozen civil cases are currently pending against the denomination.
Her passing also follows closely on the death of Gareld Duane Rollins, another major figure in the SBC abuse crisis, whose own legal battle helped unravel decades of alleged institutional cover-ups.
“Jennifer Lyell’s death is tragic and heartbreaking. My heart goes out to everyone who loved and cared for her because of the magnitude of their loss today,” said Jeff Iorg, president of the SBC Executive Committee. “While her life was marked by much pain and turmoil, now she knows only peace and rest. The eternal good news of the gospel is our only source of hope today, and we are grateful for the sure hope it provides.”
To learn more about your rights and the SBC abuse lawsuits, visit SurvivorsRights.com/southern-baptist-sexual-abuse-lawsuit-guide.
