We hope that anyone who may have knowledge or who may have been harmed by Douglas W. Myers, will have the courage to contact the police, not the church officials. The law enforcement are the proper officials to be investigating sex crimes against kids.

Also keep in mind your silence only hurts, and by speaking up there is a chance for healing, exposing the truth, and therefore protecting others.
Judy Jones, SNAP Midwest Associate Director, 636-433-2511
snapjudy@gmail.com
(SNAP, the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests, is the world's oldest and largest support group for clergy abuse victims.
SNAP was founded in 1988 and has more than 12,000 members. Despite the word "priest" in our title, we have members who were molested by religious figures of all denominations, including nuns, rabbis, bishops, and Protestant ministers and increasingly, victims who were assaulted in a wide range of institutional settings like summer camps, athletic programs, Boy Scouts, etc. Our website is SNAPnetwork.org).

What a sad situation for all involved. My prayers for the victim and the convention both. Mr. Myers needs not only prayer...but help for his behavior-- he is sick.
May he find forgiveness and the help he needs.

What a shame for the SBC to be painted as responsible for what a sinful man decided to do on his own.

My heart goes out to the parents of the molested boy. I pray that God will give them strength. However, I think it was ill-advised to have sued the SBC. The SBC is an organization that has helped many with their various ministries. A background search had been done and nothing was found. In this litigious society, employers and former employers have to be careful what they say. To sully the SBC in search of monetary gain, regardless of the reason, is unbiblical in my opinion. Secular society and atheists like nothing more than to watch Christians sue each other. The parents of this unfortunate young man have played into anti-Christian's hands. The answer should have been prayer first and I am POSITIVE that after seeking the Lord's guidance, they would never had filed suit. The motivation here seems to be revenge and monetary gain (someone must pay mentality)....always spiritually destructive. Separately, Mr. Myers, the boy and his parents need prayer for healing and forgiveness.

The most "anti-Christian" hands in this case are the ones of the minister who abused those under his care. For all the good the SBC (and more germane to this case, the Florida Baptist Convention - state conventions cooperate with but are not under the authority of the SBC) has done, significant negative events cannot be ignored for the greater good. When we forget that care for those who are "overlooked or ignored" (Matt. 25, The Message) - and sadly, we Baptists are earning a reputation in this area - is essential to our task as ministers and parishioners, we deserve to be sued, and we ought to be defrocked. We conflate "ignoring the past" with "forgiving the offender" too often. I can guarantee (with no connection to the people involved) that this young man's parents have prayed unceasingly. Sadly, their minister has sullied their image of God more than any lawsuit could ever do.

Employers will no longer give the truth on an employee when another business calls or writes and asks what kind of a worker the employee was. Why, because of lawsuits of former employees against their former employer claiming the employees reputation was ruined and keeping the employee from getting employment. When we are asked, we have been instructed by our bosses to say "Yes, they were employed here (dates) or are employed here but we cannot give out any more information than that due to the possibility of future lawsuits." Yes, that's what we say and that's why you can't get a true background search on any one these days due to juries and judges siding with the employee. Unfortunately, the kids in these cases are the ones hurt but the courts and juries don't care. Call the police and bring charges against the molester or rapist. That arrest record will show up in police record searches.

Judy Jones is so right. Jesus in Matt. 18:6 used very strong words when He said that one who caused the downfall of a child it would be better if a millstone was hung around the neck and drowned. Background checks are good but references must be followed up,also, there must be honesty and transparency at all levels. A rule in our church is 'two adults present with children under 18 and everyone's prints on file with the sheriff. FORGIVENESS? Comes AFTER therapy and counseling for the child and family.