Steve Gaines And His Pedophile Minister

NOTE: The link to the 'Internal' Investigative Report has been removed from the Bellevue Baptist Church website within the past few days. Strange. However, I have posted part of the 'Investigation findings' below.

Bellevue Baptist Church released the findings of the Internal Investigation= of it's pedophile minister of prayer, Paul Williams. The report is 19 pages of glaring holes you could drive a Mack truck through.

Just to recap the situation. Paul Williams has been on staff at Bellevue for 34 years. He has been minister of prayer until he was finally fired a few weeks ago. The report tells us that 17 years ago, Paul Williams, sodomized his own son repeatedly for 18 months. Well, here is part of the report:

"The actions of Paul Williams seventeen years ago relate to the sexual misconduct with his son and subsequent disclosures and lack of disclosure. Paul Williams engaged in egregious, perverse, sexual activity with his adolescent son over a period of twelve to eighteen months. Paul became convicted of his actions and he stopped. He asked for forgiveness from his son and never touched him inappropriately again. At that time Paul told no one else. Three years later, Paul told his wife and then sought counsel from a retired Bellevue staff member. There is no information to suggest that this retired staff member told anyone else, nor did Paul tell anyone else at that time. Paul felt that if he had gone to anyone else on the staff, he would have put his position at Bellevue in jeopardy.

Paul Williams never sought counsel for himself or his son until recently, and then only after that counseling was initiated by his son. Paul said he checked every year or so to make sure all was right between him and his son. Paul felt everything was fine between them until November 2005, when his son approached him saying that not everything had been resolved and the son and his family were going to take a separation in their relationship with Paul and his wife for a period of time.

At that point, the circle of knowledge about Paul’s sexual activities with his son started to grow. His son and daughter-in-law had sought counseling from a non-Bellevue psychologist. After November 2005, Paul and his wife, along with his son and daughter-in-law, were counseled as a group.

Throughout 2006, other people gained knowledge of the seventeen-year-old issue, beginning with another retired Bellevue staff member, Jamie Fish of the Biblical Guidance office, Pastor Steve Gaines, Webb Williams, and others within the church family. At least ten people, including Paul and his wife, had knowledge prior to December 7, 2006, when Paul’s son and two friends came to the Pastor about the seventeen-year-old issue and about Paul’s position on staff at Bellevue. Paul was out of town at that time. After he returned to the city, he was placed on a leave of absence December 15, 2006, pending the outcome of the current investigation. The announcement of that leave of absence was made to the congregation December 17. "

So the question becomes, when did senior pastor, Steve Gaines, find out and what did he do about it? The answer is shocking. Here is the report:

"Dr. Gaines—In June 2006, Mr. Williams, with his wife present, told Dr. Gaines about the incident. He also told Dr. Gaines that he had repented, confessed all to his family, asked for forgiveness, been forgiven, that there had been no further sexual misconduct in the ensuing seventeen years, and that he was receiving counseling. Dr. Gaines had only passing knowledge of what Mr. Williams’ job duties were. Based on his beliefs that Mr. Williams was telling the full truth and that the children of Bellevue Baptist Church were not exposed to any danger or threat, Dr. Gaines did not seek counsel in the matter. This was a mistake, one to which Dr. Gaines has admitted, in hindsight. At minimum, Dr. Gaines should have taken steps to learn exactly what Mr. Williams’ duties included, so he could ensure that there would be no harm to others. In fact, Dr. Gaines could have started investigating by asking Mr. Williams himself about his job duties, to ensure no unsafe exposure to children. In addition, he could have temporarily relieved Mr. Williams of his duties and put him on leave. He could have simply taken the matter to other ministers on staff with more experience in the matter than himself. "

Coulda woulda shoulda. So, there you have it. Gaines knew for 7 months and did NOTHING. He says he did not know what to do because he had never faced this before and Bellevue had no policies. Seriously? Gee, I have not been to seminary and I would know what to do without a written policy in front of me. I have read about what to do in scripture!

To make matters worse, Gaines acted only when Paul Williams' OWN SON came to see him and tell him all was not really well and wanted to know why Williams was still a minister on staff! The victim-son knows more scripture than Steve Gaines, Senior Pastor of Bellevue Baptist Church, flagship church of the Southern Baptist Convention.

Does this make sense to you? Does this SCARE you, too?

I am speechless that a pastor of 20 years did nothing for 7 months while a confessed pedophile, who is not even allowed alone with his own grandkids, freely 'ministered' at Bellevue Baptist Church. I have had a hard time putting into words my thoughts on this but someone did that for me.

On the Bellevue Bloggers site a commenter, who had been waiting for the report in order to confirm what the 'moral failure' really was about, expressed my thoughts exactly. I am publishing his comments with only a few edits that leave out names not affliliated with this situation. I have not edited any of the content germane to this issue. It is long and thought provoking, so go get a cup of coffee. If we were not Baptists, I would suggest a scotch or something similar. You are going to need it because this guy cuts through to the heart of this matter.

FriendinJax said...
Everyone: I think you all are missing the point here. I wasn't waiting for this committee report to find out but one thing, and one thing only (actually two facts): I wanted confirmation on WHAT it was that PW did to his son (we now know that he raped his son FOR MONTHS ON END - let's call it what it is; before the report I wasn't sure if it was something that involved physical contact - there were any number of things that it could have been), and I wanted confirmation that Paul Williams went to Steve Gaines in June and TOLD Steve Gaines EXACTLY WHAT HE DID TO HIS SON.

Here's the significance of the report: We now know WITH 100% CERTAINTY: STEVE GAINES KNEW THAT HE HAD A RAPIST, CHILD MOLESTER ON HIS STAFF, AND DIDN'T HAVE THE PRESENCE OF MIND TO KNOW WHAT TO DO.

This reminds me of the president in the 2005 series of 24 where the vice president "choked" at the precise moment he was needed to make a split second decision, and he put the entire nation at risk by letting the terrorist slip through Jack Bower's hands (sorry, I do watch that program).When I heard that Steve Gaines didn't report this for 6 months, my thought was "perhaps Paul Williams showed his son some pornography; perhaps his son walked in on him during a moment of indiscretion, maybe it was something not involving physical contact". BUT NOW WE KNOW!! Steve Gaines KNEW THAT PW RAPED HIS SON!

"So what" you say?Now that we know that Paul Williams in June went to Steve Gaines and told him EXACTLY what he did to his son, I now have to wonder if Steve Gaines is qualified to be the pastor of a Baptist church (any Baptist church).

Here's why:I'm trying to picture the scene where Paul Williams admitted this heinous act to Steve Gaines. I'm trying to think in my mind of one serious, grown, Christian man that has a family and sons and daughters, and WOULDN'T know what to do. I honestly can't think of one!! I honestly can't think of one serious Christian man (let alone a pastor) that wouldn't immediately be so repulsed and offended to his inner core to hear this man confess of his actions, that wouldn't know IMMEDIATELY, INSTINCTIVELY what to do.

I can't think of one serious Christian man I know that would have to pray about it, look it up in the Bible, ask someone else about. I can't think of a Christian man that would have to call another minister, would have to call a committee meeting to figure out what to do (let alone one that would wait 6 months).

All serious Christian men that have their own families immediately upon hearing this man describe what Paul Williams did to his son would jump into action. After restraining themselves from strangling this man, they would IMMEDIATELY call the police. They would immediately mobilize the forces of the church staff to jump into action to make sure this man is removed from the premises, not allowed back on the premises. They would immediately determine how to break the news to the congregation as soon as possible to find out the extent of the damage this monster had done to the congregation. They would JUMP INTO ACTION LIKE JACK BOWER KICKING THE SUICIDE BOMBER OUT OF THE BACK OF THE SUBWAY TRAIN JUST MOMENTS BEFORE HIS BOMB WENT OFF. He wouldn't stop to think how it would look, what damage he might cause himself, he would take action immediately.

This all would tell me one thing if I were a member at Bellevue Baptist Church. Steve Gaines CANNOT BE MY PASTOR. How can any man with a family and kids look up to this man? He is not MAN enough to be my pastor, I would have to go elsewhere.

Lastly, I have to say this: Imagine the scene: Paul Williams comes into Adrian Rogers' office and confesses that he raped his son repeatedly for 18 months. Come on people....HE RAPED HIS SON FOR MONTHS ON END...do you not think a REAL MAN like Adrian Rogers wouldn't know what to do? I dare say H___ L____, Jr. might end up in jail for what he would have done to this worm of a man for what he did to his son. But H___ L___, Jr. was a "man's man"...not a feminized preacher man who doesn't have the presence of mind to deal with a child rapist monster.

I wouldn't stay and fight to have Steve Gaines removed at Bellevue Baptist Church. Its too late for that. Not only is this pastor feminized, so must the congregation that isn't repulsed by Steve Gaines "choking" at the precise moment a MAN was needed to take action and protect the church.

Steve Gaines choked, and he couldn't be MY pastor. He might be able to be YOUR pastor, but not mine. I need to have a MAN'S MAN as a pastor who knows AT LEAST how to protect women and children from child rapist monsters. Sorry for sounding so angry, but you all have missed the point and significance of this church report.

You can have this feminized pastor; I sure wouldn't be able to have him as my pastor. This report makes me appreciate M_____B_____ all the more - no way would he not have known what to do (I think M___B____ might have ended up in jail also like H___ L____ had he been told by Paul Williams what Paul Williams did to his son).

Amen.

Now for the grand finale. The report gives no indication on what they plan to do with Gaines or others on staff that knew about this and did nothing. Why? Because they plan to do nothing...again.