Five Entities: Southern Baptist Executive Committee (EC), Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary (SWBTS), International Mission Board (IMB), New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary (NOBTS), and Lifeway.
There are five questions that I plan to forward to five SBC entities (listed above), who have hired, or will be hiring a President for each entity, in the months ahead. If I get actual, specific answers to these questions in writing before the Annual Session of the Southern Baptist Convention in Birmingham, in June, I will not find it necessary to ask these questions during each of these five entities’ report to the Convention. If I don’t get answers to these questions, I will feel compelled to ask these questions on the floor of the Convention.
- Will you please share with me the total number of minority applicants for the Presidency of the IMB, SWBTS, EC, NOBTS and Lifeway, by the date of this letter?
- Will you please share with me the total number of minority applicants that made the list of the top three finalist for the presidency of each entity (IMB, SWBTS, EC, NOBTS and Lifeway)?
- Will you please share with me the total number of minority applicants who were interviewed at each entity (IMB, SWBTS, EC, NOBTS and Lifeway)?
- Will each entity give your answer to the question that was reportedly expressed by a retiring entity head (that hopefully was simply an innocuous, objective and pragmatic question, as opposed to a racist question): Do you believe that a minority entity head would adversely affect the donor base of the SBC and her entities?
- Will you give your answer to the question regarding your comfortability and compatibility with numerous resolutions of the SBC expressing the aspirational goal of minority inclusion and empowerment at every level of SBC life: If there are no minorities hired as entity heads between now and the near future, is that philosophically and pragmatically, a picture and a reality that your entity would be comfortable with?
Thanks for your consideration and contribution of the answers to each of these five questions. The answers to the questions will be very helpful in understanding the diversity pool of SBC potential leadership, who has expressed an openness to serve our Convention. The answers will also provide valuable information needed to be proactive in recruiting minorities to apply for future vacancies. Finally, it will give trustee board members a scientific, statistical analysis of what progress is being made toward the SBC Great Commission Council, reflecting the diversity of the scope of the Great Commission. I am really grateful for your anticipated response/answers to these questions.
For His Kingdom,
William Dwight McKissic, Sr.
