Southern Baptist Elite Kevin Ezell is a tyrant. The evidence in the treatment of Will McRaney, Bobby Gilstrap and others proves it. Now, Ezell faces an accounting for his arbitrary actions against McRaney (pictured above) thanks to the decision of federal appeals court. On Thursday, the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals revived the defamation suit against the Southern Baptist Convention’s North American Mission Board.
That is good news.
It is good news for innocent and brave men like McRaney who were targeted by SBC Elites for speaking the truth.
It is good news for the Southern Baptist Convention because if the trustees will not hold Kevin Ezell accountable, then perhaps the federal courts will.
The evidence clearly indicates Ezell utilized NAMB’s influence to push McRaney out as executive director of the Baptist Convention of Maryland/Delaware. That would be bad enough. However, there is significant evidence that Ezell or those acting on his behalf tried to keep McRaney from speaking at church conferences.
In other words, Ezell or NAMB or both attempted to keep McRaney from being able to earn a living—after they got McRaney fired.
It is a stunning display of petty, vindictive behavior.
How very Christian!
Of course, this is how SBC Elites act—more like the Devil than Jesus.
McRaney’s evidence posted online proves Ezell lied—multiple times.
Yet, SBC Elites seem unconcerned. And SBC Elites winked as Ezell used SBC resource to get McRaney out of BCMD, harass him after he was out and use SBC dollars to defend these actions in court.
Ezell lives by the Golden Rule. No, not the Biblical one—the secular one: He who has the gold makes the rules.[1]
Ezell is attacking state conventions and if they do not bow to his wishes, removing funding.
Randy Adams, executive director of the Northwest Baptist Convention revealed that Ezell intended to defund the convention following a series of essays written by Adams pointing out the failures of the NAMB strategies.
Adams said, “Since publishing those articles I’ve receive some pushback from leaders at the North American Mission Board (NAMB).More than pushback, and in spite of our growth in baptisms, churches, and CP giving from the churches in the Northwest, and even growth in Annie and Lottie giving, they informed me and our leadership at the Northwest Baptist Convention (NWBC) on March 9 that they will end our joint-funding agreement for evangelism and church planting, and will stop virtually all funding through the NWBC as of September 30, 2021.”
There were other reasons for Ezell to retaliate against Adams. Adams announced his intention to stand for SBC President against Al Mohler. Ezell and Mohler are close friends.
How very Deep State!
The future of the Southern Baptist Convention is at stake. Unfortunately, it refuses to hold its leaders accountable. Fortunately, the federal courts have the chance.
McRaney is hopeful that his name will be cleared and that as discovery unfolds NAMB will deal with its problems.
NAMB must proceed with caution here. Does it really want to appeal this decision to the Supreme Court and risk setting a negative national precedent for its claims?
Further, the appeals court telegraphed that NAMB’s claims are false. A footnote in the opinion is telling. The court writes, “NAMB argues that Marshall is distinguishable because this dispute ‘is rooted in and intertwined with the primary ministry strategies of various religious organizations.’ At least at this time, the record does not support NAMB’s view. The only derogatory information McRaney identifies in his complaint—statements by NAMB that McRaney refused to meet with Ezell—is not ecclesiastical in nature.”
In other words, NAMB tried to claim it was exempt from slander and libel laws because it was a church. The court rejected this nonsense.
Prediction: So will a jury.
And does anyone think Ezell on the witness stand would make the SBC look better?
Far more likely that Ezell’s lies (and as noted above McRaney has good evidence that Ezell is a liar) would bring shame on the Southern Baptist Convention.
So, it falls to NAMB trustees. Will they continue to enable bad behavior? Or, will they do their job and hold Ezell accountable for his sub-Christian behavior?
In one way or another, judgment looms for NAMB and Kevin Ezell.
[1] The provenance of this old joke is hard to determine. I first heard it from Disney’s Scrooge McDuck or the read it in the newspaper comic strip Wizard of Id. Though I suspect it dates back much further than the 1980s.