Last week, the Southern Baptist Convention’s Executive Committee met in Nashville to vote. This was supposed to clear the way for an investigation into sexual abuse within the SBC. So, what on earth happened? As Liz Evan, an attorney and SBC Sexual Abuse Task Force member so accurately stated, “They (The SBC Executive Committee) have flagrantly defied the overwhelming will of the Messengers. A few dozen folks in Nashville decided they know better than the 17,000 Messengers appointed by the churches. Waiver of privilege was not something the Messengers delegated to the EC to consider in … [Read more...] about Why the Executive Committee Didn’t Do the Right Thing (by Dave Pittman)
Q&A: Primary Issues Related to Executive Committee’s Handling of Guidepost Contract
At last week's Executive Committee meeting there were a lot of terms and concepts involved that represent unfamiliar territory for most of us as Southern Baptists. This Q&A is designed to address the most pressing questions we face as the EC Officers and SA Task Force work this week for an agreement on how to proceed. 1. Why is it important for the Executive Committee to waive privilege? Attorney-client privilege is a legal rule that allows the clients of attorneys to keep confidential any legal advice that their attorneys provide them. First, it is important because the motion that … [Read more...] about Q&A: Primary Issues Related to Executive Committee’s Handling of Guidepost Contract
The Future of Southern Baptists Hangs by a Thread (by Malcolm Yarnell)
I first noticed William Lane Craig refashion divine eternity and then adopt a heterodox Christology. Now Craig argues Genesis 1-11 is “mytho-history, not to be taken literally,” denies Genesis 3 records the first sin, and says cherubim are “fantasy.” He admits the genealogies give the early text an historical aura, but dismisses them as “artificial symmetry.” While there are certain denominations which allow for non-literal interpretations of Genesis 1-11, the Southern Baptist Convention has historically taken a strong stand against treating the Bible as “myth,” especially in the sense of … [Read more...] about The Future of Southern Baptists Hangs by a Thread (by Malcolm Yarnell)
Speaking Words That Build Up: A Dying Practice
Do you speak words that build up or tear down? In his letter to the church in Ephesus, the Apostle Paul wrote: Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear. (Ephesians 4:29) ESV Sadly, whether on social media, texts, phone calls, emails, or in personal conversations, too many of us speak words that tear down rather than build up. Our conversations are not salted with the grace of the gospel (Colossians 4:6). We do not represent the love, patience, gentleness, humility, and … [Read more...] about Speaking Words That Build Up: A Dying Practice
A Fascinating Twist: ONLY EC Officers Are Authorized to Negotiate with the Task Force
I was watching the machinations of the Executive Committee Tuesday as they tried to reach an agreement about how to proceed on the recommendations of the Sexual Abuse Task Force. There was a recommendation that was going to let the staff handle negotiations in coordination with the EC officers, working out an agreement with Guidepost and the Task Force. A series of amendments and substitute motions followed until finally one motion was adopted, cobbled from the floor from a recommendation by a woman (they did not identify themselves - I think her name was Melissa?). They made several changes … [Read more...] about A Fascinating Twist: ONLY EC Officers Are Authorized to Negotiate with the Task Force
It’s Time to Stone Achan: An Open Letter to Ronnie Floyd
I had a fairly horrendous typo in this article - basically substituted abusers for the abused in a sentence. Changed the meaning badly. Hopefully you didn't see it or just saw what I meant to say. Thanks to the friend who pointed it out. I was watching the Executive Committee meeting yesterday when in the middle of the confusing debate, Ronnie Floyd stood up and sought to get the trustees to vote down all the amendments that had been offered and go with the original motion to let the officers and staff hammer out an agreement on dealing with the task force. During his impassioned plea to the … [Read more...] about It’s Time to Stone Achan: An Open Letter to Ronnie Floyd
Should We Use the “Nuclear Option” at the EC?
After a tumultuous and disappointing Executive Committee meeting in Nashville, in which the EC failed to do what the messengers of the convention clearly and forcefully instructed them to do, what Ronnie Floyd said they should do, and what the Task Force asked them to do, the outcry on social media has been intense. Some have suggested the use of the nuclear option, to remove every EC Trustee who voted against Jared Wellman's motion to waive privilege. It was a frustrating meeting - the wranglings of the board, stalling moves by those whose actions do not buttress their verbal support of … [Read more...] about Should We Use the “Nuclear Option” at the EC?
A Call to Prayer for the SBC
Over the next week, the Sex Abuse Task Force will meet with officers of the SBC Executive Committee officers to come to an agreement on waiving attorney-client privilege as directed by the messengers of the 2021 SBC meeting. The authors of the original motion, Ronnie Parrot and Grant Gaines are entering into 7 days of prayer and fasting for these meetings and are asking others to join them. … [Read more...] about A Call to Prayer for the SBC
What we need is a little more optimism, a lot less doomsday
Here is the press release of the SATF: Today, the members of the Executive Committee of the Southern Baptist Convention voted to fully fund the third-party independent investigation by Guidepost Solutions as requested by the Sexual Abuse Task Force. It also encouraged the Executive Committee officers and Task Force to work toward a solution within 7 days regarding the waiving of attorney-client privilege as directed by the Messengers in their motion. While we are glad that the investigation can begin, we are disappointed that so far, the Executive Committee has not followed the … [Read more...] about What we need is a little more optimism, a lot less doomsday
Observations from a Task Force Member
If you are a Southern Baptist, you need to understand what has just happened in your Executive Committee. They have flagrantly defied the overwhelming will of the Messengers. A few dozen folks in Nashville decided they know better than the 17,000 Messengers appointed by the churches. Waiver of privilege was not something the Messengers delegated to the EC to consider in their discretion; waiver was a direct and specific command from the Messengers, and it was flouted. Please understand the implications of this. They have just opened up the SBC to MASSIVE liability. In every lawsuit against … [Read more...] about Observations from a Task Force Member