In light of the recent disclosure of discovery materials and an expert report in the defamation lawsuit against the Southern Baptist Convention, Guidepost Solutions, and others, people will again witness a negative behavioral trait common to many religious leaders. 

The inability to publicly acknowledge and apologize for their own failures. 

The Failure of Leadership

The SBC and its churches were severely damaged by the false narratives promoted within the SBC and documented in the Guidepost Solutions report.  SBC leaders were anxious to believe and promote something that was not true, or was at least dubious, in order to achieve ends that they had concluded were good. 

The SBC leaders were willing to believe false narratives, refused to genuinely consider countervailing information, pursued dangerous policies (against the advice of their own lawyers), and publicly rebuked anyone who questioned their advanced narrative. 

Now that the narrative has unraveled, we see the common human trait that is present in an overabundance in religious leaders, particularly my tribe, evangelicals: Religious leaders are often unable to repent for wrongdoing or publicly apologize for mistakes.

Physician, “Heal Thyself”

It is odd that people committed to a profession that calls others to publicly repent for wrongs they have committed are so incapable of doing that very thing. 

In this case, the SBC leadership’s actions resulted in devastating harm to their own denomination, both in reputation and the draining of financial reserves by $14M. This money had been donated by church-going people for missions and related work. Most importantly, the actions of SBC leadership resulted in harm to so many personal relationships. 

What should result in “I’m sorry. I acted foolishly,” will instead produce silence or deflection. Or worse – doubling down. Making the false narrative even more fantastic. 

We can understand social activists remaining silent. Regrouping and readying themselves for the continued assault on what they perceive as wrong in this world. They may even get paid for advancing falsehoods. 

But for people who are not activists for a social cause, but who are instead stewards over denominations, agencies, churches, congregations, and people, and genuinely committed to truth, it seems inconceivable that they would not have a significant moment of public reflection. A moment when they say, “I’m sorry. I was wrong. I failed to exercise good leadership. I will commit to doing better going forward.”

Confession is Central to Faith and Life

We urge people to seek forgiveness for wrongs they have committed, both in life and as part of the Christian faith.

Children are told early on to confess and apologize. “Say you’re sorry to your sister.” 

The Bible is filled with the language of confession. Pastors teach the great passages about confession in the Bible.  

“Forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us.”

“Confess your sins to God; He is faithful and just to forgive you.” 

“Confess your sins to one another and pray for one another that you might be healed.”

Religious leaders, pastors, and denominational leaders are the prophetic voices who carry the message of confession on behalf of Christ and His churches. Each week, our pastors urge us in church to confess our sins and to pray for forgiveness.

But what happens when pastors need to confess? History is not full of stories of confessions by religious leaders. It will be rare for most readers to remember many public confessions by pastors or other religious leaders in their lives. It appears to be difficult for many religious leaders to confess their public sins. 

What is the Cost?

What is the cost of this failure in public repentance? The cost is great.

It corrodes the soul.  David said that while he stayed silent about his sin, his “bones wasted away through my groaning all day long.” Psalm 32:3.  

It damages credibility. People who know don’t look at these leaders in the same way. It makes them wonder if religious leaders are filled with hate, anger, or simple insecurity, so that they are unable in their hearts to acknowledge wrongs and mistakes. People may wonder if there are other sins or errors religious leaders are hiding under their clerical robes. 

Most significantly, it erodes moral authority.  People stop listening to leaders who do not model humble repentance as Christ followers.  People no longer see them as role models. There is a loss of confidence.

This may be reflected in the loss of support. Financial support. Social media engagement. Personal engagement. Relocation of followers from one denomination or congregation to another.  These losses are all measurable in human terms.    

The greater losses, however, are not human. They are spiritual. And they may not be measurable. They may be seen only in the spiritual world.

The loss of blessing. The loss of power. The loss of favor. The loss of the close fellowship with the Spirit.

The Bible recounts such spiritual losses. Think of Sampson, Saul, Eli, and unidentified persons in the New Testament. Paul feared that after having preached to others, he would be disqualified.  

We are not privy to the workings of God in these matters. God is sovereign in these things, and we may never understand the full impact of these losses in the unseen spiritual world until eternity. 

Will SBC Leaders Confess Their Sin?

What are our expectations regarding how Southern Baptist leaders will respond to these recent revelations?  

Temper your expectations. Don’t hold your breath. Don’t expect results that are different from what we have seen before.   

Moderate Southern Baptist leaders never apologized for the theological decline they oversaw in the SBC’s agencies. 

Conservative Southern Baptist leaders never apologized for their destructive promotion of Social Justice, Critical Race Theory, or any number of poorly constructed and divisive resolutions filled with half-truths that were foisted on messengers at the annual meetings. 

Don’t expect any apologies in light of these recent bombshell revelations. There will be no apologies forthcoming. No honest public reflection.  No confessions. No public repentance.

It is as if we are standing before an impressive, well-dressed group of people. But they have dirt on their faces. They know they have dirt on their faces, but they won’t admit it or clean it off. We can see the dirt on their faces. They know we can see the dirt. Yet, there they stand, as if nothing is wrong.

That’s where we are.

Be Hopeful and Grateful 

None of this leaves us without hope. This is a time for those who are willing to look at facts, to take stock, and to pray for God’s protection in our own lives. We cannot force leaders to apologize.

We can be grateful that we live in a time and place where the truth can be unearthed through the crucible of the justice system (Note: here is a real-life demonstration of why religious leadership has an aversion to lawsuits). 

The secular justice system exists to disclose and punish evil. The secular justice system is a function of government that may exist in some instances to hold religious leadership accountable for crimes and civil wrongs.

I am not referencing the outcome of the Sills’ lawsuit. The Court or the jury may not show favor to the Sills. 

The justice that has been brought in this case is the disclosure of how the SBC leadership hired Guidepost Solutions to perform an “independent investigation” that was neither independent nor an investigation. The analysis of the Guidepost Report shows that it was not an investigation. It did not meet the bare minimum of investigatory standards.  It advanced a predetermined narrative. And it was not independent. It promoted a predetermined narrative, and it was influenced by people who had an agenda.

The Guidepost report was a political document that was designed to promote a narrative. The disclosure of that truth is a big win for Southern Baptists. That win is not dependent on a legal victory in court for the Sills.

We are seeing again why sunlight is the best disinfectant. 

This is a time to be grateful. We have lived to see the dismantling of a harmful, false narrative in a relatively short period of time. 

And on a larger point, these developments should remind us that real leadership in the Church is not vested in elected or appointed positions.  It resides in each and every Christian, whether positioned or not. The actions of a few credentialed leaders do not in any way tarnish the beauty of the Church in the eyes of Christ.

Regarding leaders, we should keep our expectations in check. Human nature hasn’t changed. Not in 2000 years. Sadly, we will see once again that it is almost impossible for religious leaders to repent for their sins publicly.

But that reminds me of another parable—the one about camels and the eye of a needle.

Editor’s Note: This is a lightly edited version of an article that was originally published at American Reformer.