▁do ▁it , ▁to ▁do ▁it ." ▁ ▁One ▁of ▁the ▁key ▁internal ▁issues ▁that ▁the ▁leadership ▁of ▁the ▁Southern ▁Bapt ist ▁Convention ▁point ▁to ▁in ▁their ▁in ability ▁to ▁address ▁alleg ations ▁of ▁sexual ▁mis con duct ▁is ▁the ▁principle ▁of ▁local ▁church ▁aut onomy . ▁ ▁Un like ▁other ▁Christian ▁denomin ations , ▁the ▁S BC ▁does ▁not ▁nation ally ▁ord ain ▁or ▁license ▁cler gy ; ▁only ▁individual ▁con greg ations ▁have ▁that ▁authority ▁( which ▁includes ▁the ▁authority ▁to ▁re voke ▁such ). ▁ ▁As ▁such , ▁the ▁national ▁office ▁has ▁no ▁authority ▁to ▁force ▁churches ▁to ▁report ▁or ▁register ▁sexual ▁mis con duct ▁or ▁to ▁re voke ▁lic ensure ▁or ▁ord ination ▁of ▁a ▁guilty ▁party ▁( the ▁only ▁action ▁that ▁the ▁national ▁office ▁can ▁take ▁is ▁to ▁dis f ellow ship ▁a ▁con greg ation ). ▁ ▁When ▁Bur les on ▁lo bb ied ▁for ▁the ▁creation ▁of ▁a ▁sex - off ender ▁database ▁within ▁the ▁den om ination , ▁the ▁Executive ▁Committee ▁said ▁Bur les on ' s ▁recommendation ▁would ▁viol ate ▁the ▁aut onomy ▁of ▁Southern ▁Bapt ist ▁churches , ▁stating ▁the ▁convention ▁does ▁not ▁have ▁any ▁authority ▁to ▁require ▁local ▁churches ▁to ▁report ▁instances ▁of ▁alleg ed ▁sexual ▁ab use ▁to ▁their ▁local ▁association , ▁the ▁state ▁Bapt ist ▁convention , ▁or ▁the ▁national ▁convention . ▁ ▁An ▁additional ▁issue ▁revol ves ▁around ▁local ▁aut onomy ▁and ▁cler gy ▁themselves . ▁" M ost ▁past ors ▁are ▁ord ained ▁locally ▁after ▁they ' ve