Southern Baptist Convention President Willy Rice, who previously argued the denomination’s sexual abuse crisis was overblown, called for constant vigilance against abuse in his first address to the SBC Executive Committee.

In Monday’s speech, Rice also urged churches to report abuse allegations immediately and announced a commission on women in pastoral ministry. He also proposed adding language on gender and sexuality to the Baptist Faith and Message, the SBC’s statement of faith.

The call for greater vigilance regarding abuse by the new president of the 12.7-million-member denomination marks something of a turnaround for Rice, the senior pastor of Calvary Baptist Church in Clearwater, Florida.

After Rice’s June election, Religion News Service reported that he had described the SBC abuse crisis as more “hoax than reality” and criticized the denomination’s response to abuse.

The news service also reported Rice withdrew from the 2022 SBC presidential race over concerns about past misconduct by a leader at his church. Rice has maintained that abuse allegations should be reported to police.

In his recent address, Rice described the past decade as challenging for Southern Baptists, citing COVID-era disputes, critical theory, political fragmentation, sexual abuse and internal divisions.

Rice said sexual abuse remains a serious threat requiring continued attention.

“Let us state clearly here again what we have stated before: that the tragic reality of sexual abuse was, is, and will remain a grievous wickedness and a threat that requires constant vigilance,” Rice said.

Rice pointed to abuse-prevention efforts across Southern Baptist institutions and churches.

MinistrySafe reports more than 5,200 Baptist churches have trained more than 250,000 staff members, volunteers and parents since 2021, he said. He also cited training by Lifeway, the North American Mission Board, Baptist seminaries, GuideStone and the International Mission Board.

He praised the Executive Committee’s office for sexual abuse prevention and response, led by Jeff Dalrymple, a former leader of the Evangelical Council for Abuse Prevention.

Rice said he invited Dalrymple and his team to Clearwater in January for a conference aimed at training local church leaders. He also urged churches to maintain training and protocols and respond immediately to abuse allegations.

“I call upon all of our churches to practice ongoing training, install proper protocols, and — when faced with an accusation of abuse in their ministries — to take those seriously, to report to law enforcement immediately, and to cooperate with all legal investigations fully,” Rice said.

Not everyone was impressed with Rice’s apparent turnaround on the issue. Christa Brown, a survivor of sexual abuse by an SBC pastor who now campaigns for reform within the denomination, had a different take.

“Feels like I’m watching Mr. Fox brag about his trainings on hen house maintenance,” she commented on X regarding the speech.

Rice then turned to the proposed Truth and Unity Amendment, saying he believes Southern Baptists should approve it next year in Indianapolis. The amendment decisively bans women’s ordination and was approved by three-quarters of the delegates at the June convention, but requires one more vote to take effect.

Rice also announced a presidential commission to study women in pastoral ministry and address questions surrounding the proposed amendment.

“My prayer is that this commission will bring clarity to this issue,” Rice said.

Rice also asked the Executive Committee to consider recommending a new article for the Baptist Faith and Message addressing gender and human sexuality.

He cited a statement adopted by First Baptist Church of Jacksonville for consideration.

“God creates people in His image, as either male or female, and this creation is a fixed matter of human biology, not individual choice. Marriage is instituted by God, not government. It is between one man and one woman, and is the only context for sexual desire and expression,” the statement says.

Rice said adopting such language as an article, rather than a resolution, would clarify the SBC’s position.

He also called for greater financial transparency and stronger trustee oversight of Southern Baptist entities.

“When trust is low, transparency should be high,” Rice said.

He warned that calls for financial transparency would continue and said stronger oversight could help restore trust in the denomination’s cooperative work.

Rice concluded by proposing what he called a “Great Commission 2000 vision” leading to 2033.

He said the initiative would seek to engage every person in the United States with a gospel witness.

A second goal would be reaching every “unengaged, unreached people group” worldwide during the next seven years.

“I refuse to believe that we must resign ourselves to be some kind of declining movement with diminishing impact,” Rice said.

Mark A. Kellner is a reporter based in Mesquite, Nevada. He most recently covered statewide elections for the New York Post and was for three years the Faith & Family Reporter for The Washington Times. Mark is a graduate of the University of the Cumberlands and also attended Boston University’s College of Communication.