The Southern Baptist Convention (SBC) faces grave danger from a lawsuit that could be headed to the Supreme Court, according to SBC Presidential candidate Randy Adams.
“If NAMB prevails at SCOTUS it will mean that NAMB can interfere with any organization that cooperates with the SBC (Churches, Associations, State Conventions, etc.), including defaming the leaders of organizations that partner with the SBC, and they can do so with legal impunity,” Adams said. “Does the First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution allow NAMB to do and say whatever it chooses about any minister simply because they serve a church that cooperates with Southern Baptists? NO. And if SCOTUS rules otherwise, God help the SBC.”
The North American Mission Board (NAMB) of the SBC appealed a verdict of the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals to SCOTUS.
SCOTUS is now awaiting a brief in the case from Will McRaney. McRaney claims that NAMB President Kevin Ezell slandered and otherwise harmed him. McRaney was executive director of the Maryland-Delaware Baptist Convention at the time he alleges Ezell and NAMB retaliated against him. (Ezell faces other allegations not connected to the lawsuit about abusive conduct and behavior that was disgusting and un-Christian.)
NAMB claims it is protected from the slander claims and other allegations because of religious liberty. This defense was rejected by the Fifth Circuit which noted that so far, nothing in the lawsuit had anything to do with religion belief or religious practice.
Of particular concern to Southern Baptists is the fact that the Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission (ERLC) intervened in the case not once but twice with amicus briefs.
The first ERLC amicus brief was filled with lies. So many lies that when it was exposed, the ERLC was forced to file an apology with the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals.
Now, the ERLC filed a new amicus brief with the Supreme Court. This new brief has the ERLC joining Muslims and Mormons in a new attempt to mislead the courts about the nature of the lawsuit.
Adams highlights the latest ERLC attempt to mislead the Supreme Court. He writes, “The ERLC claims that ministries that serve churches who cooperate with SBC missions are not separate and autonomous when it comes to legal jeopardy regardless of the SBC bylaws and constitution. ERLC is basically saying we are just like the Methodists. This means that whoever has the money and the power can run roughshod over a church, association or state convention with absolute legal impunity, simply because we serve the same churches. That’s their argument.”
Adams says this is the most pressing issue for Southern Baptists.
“No current issue facing Southern Baptists is as important, and potentially dangerous, as NAMB’s appeal to SCOTUS. This could change Southern Baptists forever,” Adams said.
He then called for leaders to step forward to repudiate the false claims of the ERLC, led by progressive and lifelong Democrat Russell Moore, and Kevin Ezell’s NAMB.
Adams said, “It’s time for leaders to take a stand. Where are the voices of the Executive Committee of the SBC? Where are the voices of our entity leaders, SBC officers, pastors, and state executives?”
All of this I know about is just what I read above, but it is enough to leave me dismayed and ashamed of professing Christians to be involved in matters such as this. I am not a Southern Baptist but I am a Bible-believing and practicing Christian and yes, a Baptist. I find no need for your proceedings since Scripture already addresses it, specifically, pointedly, and authoritatively. If you cannot respect Scripture in this, perhaps the SBC should dissolve. “Dare any of you, having a matter against another, go to law before the unjust, and not before the saints? Do ye not know that the saints shall judge the world? and if the world shall be judged by you, are ye unworthy to judge the smallest matters? Know ye not that we shall judge angels? how much more things that pertain to this life? If then ye have judgments of things pertaining to this life, set them to judge who are least esteemed in the church. I speak to your shame. Is it so, that there is not a wise man among you? no, not one that shall be able to judge between his brethren? But brother goeth to law with brother, and that before the unbelievers. Now therefore there is utterly a fault among you, because ye go to law one with another. Why do ye not rather take wrong? why do ye not rather suffer yourselves to be defrauded? Nay, ye do wrong, and defraud, and that your brethren” (1 Corinthians 6:1-8 KJV-BRG). I’ll pray for a GODLY outcome.
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