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Survivors of sexual abuse in Southern Baptist churches and seminaries had pressed the denomination for years to compile and publicize a list of known offenders. Leaders insisted that because of its decentralized structure they had no ability to take action.

The new report revealed that the most recent list contained the names of suspected abusers, with hundreds believed to have been affiliated with the denomination at some point in time. Investigators found that nine people on the list appeared to have remained in active ministry, with two in Southern Baptist settings.

The decision to release the names is the first definitive step the denomination’s leadership has taken since the release of the report sent shock waves through all levels of Southern Baptist society. The committee anticipates the list will be made public on Thursday, according to a statement from the interim president and chief executive, Willie McLaurin.

“Promptly releasing that list is in our best interest, it’s important, it is of immediate concern to the public and to the survivor community, and we need to do it right away,” Gene Besen, the executive committee’s interim counsel, told committee members in a sometimes tense meeting on Tuesday. He said he was moving to release the list “as quickly as we can.”

Mr. Besen said in an interview that his team was in the process of redacting the names of survivors and sources, where appropriate, and redacting any claims that cannot be substantiated through news reports and other sources. “We’re going to err on the side of making the list public as quickly as we can,” he said, adding that researchers may go back and un-redact other names if claims against them prove substantiated later.