October 1, 2026
The SBC Executive Committee has launched the Fortify Initiative, a new effort designed to bring abuse prevention and response training directly to churches through regional events and partnerships with state conventions.
This new initiative was announced during the Southern Baptist Conference of Associational Leaders annual meeting June 7. SBCAL president Ray Gentry encouraged associational missionaries to take this new resource back to their respective states and churches.
“The Fortify Initiative provides a roadmap for associations to make our churches safe places for all who attend, and to know how to deal with those who would or have caused harm to the vulnerable,” Gentry said.
All Fortify resources are free for host organizations.
Fortify is a training initiative focused on helping churches:
Fortify is intended for:
Churches and individuals can either attend a scheduled Fortify training event or host a customized event for their church, association or region.
Through the Fortify website, organizers can:
The website also provides planning and promotional resources, including:
Additional training and resource materials are available in both English and Spanish and can be requested through an online form.
The initiative is part of the SBC Executive Committee’s ongoing effort to equip churches with practical abuse prevention resources. SBC leaders have emphasized that abuse prevention is best carried out at the local church and state convention level, where leaders can address state-specific laws and ministry contexts.
Fortify training focuses on areas such as:
Church leaders can find event information, training topics, resources and registration details through the SBC Abuse Prevention & Response website.
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This story appeared in The Baptist Paper.
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