Jennifer Lyell, SBC Abuse Survivor, Dies at 47

Jennifer Lyell, a former vice president of Lifeway Christian Resources and a prominent figure in the Southern Baptist Convention's sexual abuse crisis, died at age 47 after suffering a series of massive strokes. Lyell accused Southern Baptist Theological Seminary professor David Sills of coercing her into nonconsensual sexual acts over 12 years, leading to his resignation in 2018. The SBC Executive Committee publicly apologized to Lyell in 2022 for mishandling her abuse allegations and made a financial settlement after a Baptist Press article inaccurately portrayed her relationship with Sills as consensual. Despite Sills admitting to an extramarital relationship, he and his wife filed a defamation lawsuit against Lyell, the SBC, Southern Seminary, and others, which is scheduled for trial in February 2026. Lyell's death comes shortly before the SBC's annual meeting, where a budget allocation to cover legal fees for multiple sexual abuse lawsuits will be considered, and just weeks after another key abuse survivor in the SBC crisis passed away. Her life and allegations highlighted systemic issues within the Southern Baptist Convention regarding the handling of sexual abuse claims.