Thanks to a reader for tipping me to this July 31st five-star review that was posted on the ChurchRater website. It’s about Bolivar Baptist in Sanger, Texas. Check it out.____________________
Bolivar Baptist Church
West Hwy 455
Sanger
Texas
76266
Senior Pastor: Dickie Amyx
Denomination: Baptist
"Wonderful, fun, inspiring, love God, fellowship of friends, great music, great people"
"I drive 25 miles to go to this church because it is the most wonderful
place. The people are that best you could meet anywhere. You will be welcomed with open arms - literally. The preacher is very down to earth and absolutely inspired of God. You will laugh, maybe cry. The musicians are amazing. For such a small place, there is an amazing amount of talent. Come join us!"
____________________________
So . . . do you remember the true story behind Baptist pastor Dickie Amyx? If you do, then you’re probably already gagging.
And “absolutely inspired of God” are not the words that come to mind.
This is the preacher who defended against clergy molestation allegations by claiming: “I didn’t have sex with her when she was 16 or under.” This is the preacher who excused his abusive conduct by saying, “I told her many times I never meant to hurt her.”
This is the preacher who admitted to having sex with Debbie Vasquez 20 to 40 times, and who impregnated Debbie when she was 18. This is the preacher against whom Debbie Vasquez had to go to court for a paternity judgment to get him to finally provide support for the child he fathered . . . who by then was 8 years old.
This is the preacher who Debbie Vasquez says began abusing her when she was 14, raped her when she was 15, and continued to abuse her for long after. Personally, I believe Debbie. But here’s the thing . . . even if you believe the preacher, you’ve still got a man who, by his own word, acknowledges the sexual abuse of a church kid and rationalizes it by claiming “I didn’t have sex with her when she was 16 or under.”
Yet, despite his own admissions, pastor Dickie Amyx remains a Southern Baptist minister. (That's Amyx in the photo.)
Apparently there was no one in his congregation who was capable of hearing the seriousness of his admissions.
No one else in Baptistland has been willing to hear those admissions either. That’s the problem.
There is no one in denominational leadership who will speak up and say that this man should not be in a position of pastoral trust.
There is no one in denominational leadership who will take a stand and say that this man should not be allowed to carry the Baptist brand as a pastor.
There is no one in denominational leadership who will assess this man’s admissions and speak the truth of the fact that they constitute admissions of sexual abuse which render him unfit for being a pastor.
There is no one in the Southern Baptist Convention nor anyone at the Baptist General Convention of Texas who will do diddly-squat.
This is the sort of pastor whom Baptist leaders quietly tolerate with their denominational do-nothingness.
This is the sort of pastor whose continued presence in the pulpit sends the message that Baptists don’t really give a hoot about clergy sex abuse.
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Prior related postings:
“Start with this one” and “Okay, so start with the admitted ones”
News sources on the story of Baptist pastor Dickie Amyx:
Denton Record-Chronicle
Nashville Scene
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Update 8/3/2010: The ChurchRater website has removed the review on Bolivar Baptist. Hooray!
Posts
11 comments:
I am happy that some of this has been taken out of the churches hand in the state I live in. Here it seems it would have fallen under sexual battery:
No person shall engage in sexual conduct with another, not the spouse of the offender, when any of the following apply:
(12) The other person is a minor, the offender is a cleric, and the other person is a member of, or attends, the church or congregation served by the cleric.
In one word, DISGUSTING!
Wait, wait, wait....do I understand you properly?
This is a pastor of an SBC church...and they are a church in good standing, which I assume is giving money to their state convention, and to the cooperative program?
And the SBC has NOT disfellowshipped this church? Did the state convention take any action against his church for hiring a man who admits to abusing a child?
Or am I reading this wrong?
So the SBC is quick to disfellowship with a church who calls a woman pastor, but we do NOT disfellowship a church who hires a confessed abuser?
What is wrong with this picture?
To my knowledge he is still the pastor of a SBC Baptist Church and I had given proof to the SBC
I have him on tape that proves I was 14 years old when he started.
On page 7 of the legally transcribed tape are the following:
Debbie -- Okay. But you know not to mess with any of these young girls, right?
Amyx -- Yes.
Debbie -- That didn’t stop you from messing with me so that’s what I’m asking
Amyx -- Debbie, but I was a young man when I met you.
Debbie -- Well, you wasn’t that young.
Amyx -- I wasn’t?
Debbie -- you were what, 29?
Amyx -- I thought I was 28
(As he is 14 years older than I – that makes me 14)
Amyx -- I thought I was 28 and I fell in love with you.
Before doing a lawsuit, I had tried to get the BGCT to do something – they did not. ( I can prove this as well )
When he told me about another child – I contacted both the police “ see documents from Sanger Police ” and the child protective services – But was told they could do nothing, unless I was able to get the name of that child from him. I tried, but could not get her name. From page 7 of the tape recording Amyx’s says “ if something happens between me and these kids I doubt she would be telling anybody.”
I had also contacted the SBC and they are fully aware
Debbie V
The Denton paper ran 2 articles and he is still to my knowledge the head pastor of this Baptist Church. When I asked who in the church heard all of the tape they acted like they did not know what I was talking about. I wonder how much do they really know. Have they read his deposition my deposition or listen to the tape or read the transcript from the tape.
I am nobody but there are too many lives hurt by men like him and rules need to be in place to help protect other young lives. We need a database to track people who abuse children so they are not allowed back in a position to hurt more young lives.
By the way this man, who says he is a man of God, put a gun to my head when I was 15
He raped me many times and is the father of my child
On page 133 of Amyx deposition he states "Well, I regretted it. I had gotten her pregnant. She was a teenager, young woman."
He continued to abuse me for many years so I tend to doubt he regretted anything too much or he would have stopped. By the way he was sent to therapy when they found about my pregnancy - which he continued to abuse during and after that therapy. Again he went to therapy when I got a lawyer. So when he told me that he had the best job as he could do whatever he wanted and then confess and they would have to forgive him, appears to be true as other than therapy and some money he has the same position. What he paid did not even cover all of my medical by the way. When I asked his church to get him out of the ministry and to do background screens before putting anyone else in that position this was the response I received. " I cannot advise my client to agree to the non-monetary condition in your offer. "
I have many documents to back up what I am saying
I know too many people who are victims of abuse and so it is not just me
I spent my money - to go to the SBC Executive Committee to try to get them to start a database in June 2008. I flew from Texas to Indianapolis by myself to a strange city and state to talk to these men who I already had negative dealings trying to get them to take steps to protect children. If I had known that this was just for show, I would not of spent so much money to go to talk to them ( I have proof of this stuff too ) I have problems trusting so I tend to keep evidence and documents. I guess when a minister rapes you and says no one would believe you - you tend to want to have proof at hand.
People need to speak up and get these leaders to take active steps to address this issue of ministers who abuse and rape children and just go church to church.
Thanks to Christa and others who have tried to bring this issue to light
Thanks for listening
Debbie V
sorry to repeat
I did not think it took it and did it again
Thanks Christa
Debbie V
Sorry I tend to talk too much
"I am happy that some of this has been taken out of the churches hand in the state I live in."
Many states have similar laws, and of course, most would say it's a sexual battery or worse, but the fact that laws are on the books doesn't mean it's "been taken out of the churches' hand." Almost all experts recognize that less than 10 percent of such cases can be criminally prosecuted. So, even if they can't throw such men in jail, most other major religious groups have established procedures by which they can at leat remove them from their positions of high trust as ministers. But Baptists do essentially nothing.
Debbie V says: "Sorry I tend to talk too much."
No way. Talk all you want. Keep talking.
Thanks Christa
Debbie V
The Bible warns us of wolves in sheep's clothing, and yet we always seem to be surprised when they appear.
Put another way: If the local police warns of cat burglars in the area, we take care to close and lock our windows and door. And even then we double check to make sure no one can get into our home to cause us harm.
Yet we are warned by the Holy Spirit that these types of people can and do come into our churches. We are to be vigilant to keep them out, yet we do nothing.
F Y I to all.....
I may be out of line for posting this before it actually is published and announced publicly but word has it.....
Purify the Minister dot com is on the way.
Stay Tuned
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