NASHVILLE (BP) — An Aug. 2 statement from the Executive Committee (EC) of the Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission (ERLC) affirms the group’s support of Brent Leatherwood as president and leader of the Southern Baptist Convention (SBC) entity, saying their work is more important now than ever.

“In light of ongoing questions surrounding the recent events at the ERLC, the executive board of the trustees wishes to affirm our support for Brent Leatherwood as president and his leadership of the organization. Our goal is to do everything within our power to set up the ERLC and its staff for success,” the statement said.

The committee members are interim Chairman Tony Beam, Amy Pettway, Nathan Lugbill and Anthony Cox.

Former Chairman Kevin Smith resigned last week following a confusing series of events announcing Leatherwood’s removal July 22 before a statement from the other committee members announcing that Smith acted outside of EC Bylaws and Leatherwood had not been removed was released in the early morning hours of July 23.

“There was no meeting of the executive committee with a vote taken or any permission given for the actions taken by then-Chair Kevin Smith. None of us, as executive committee members, were aware that Kevin was planning to drive to Nashville to meet with Brent on July 22,” said the statement.

In a statement to Baptist Press Aug. 2, Smith confirmed there were conversations — both group and individual ones — that had taken place since the SBC annual meeting in Indianapolis.

“I believed I had the consensus of the executive committee based on conversations since Indy, as a group and one-on-ones,” Smith said.

A motion from Texas messenger Michael Borghese requesting Brent Leatherwood’s resignation was ruled out of order, as was a motion from Tennessee messenger Kenny Cody to reallocate the ERLC’s Cooperative Program allocation to the International Mission Board. A motion made by Florida messenger Tom Ascol to abolish the ERLC failed after a floor vote.

Smith takes responsibility for not having official records of the conversations. “That’s on me,” he said. “The consensus I believed I had had no official form,” he said.

Smith said, “The EC are fine trustees and I was happy to serve with them.”

The existing committee members say they did not have “interactions or discussions with the ERLC staff about the press release sent on July 22. We did not know about it until it was published.”

The group says they are “taking seriously the good faith questions raised by those outside the organization.”

The statement says the leadership group is focusing on two tasks:

• “First, we are committed to operating transparently knowing that all we do is visible to our God, before whom we ultimately must give an account.”
• “Second, we want to make sure that every vital decision concerning the present and future success of the ERLC should be made by the full board of trustees.”

In addition to the committee’s quote, an ERLC spokesperson said in written comments, “The staff at the ERLC serves Southern Baptist churches under our president Brent Leatherwood and fulfills our ministry assignment as our board directs us.” 

The full ERLC trustee board is set to meet Sept. 10-11.

The release says they will “provide more information at that time.”

The full statement is below:

“In light of ongoing questions surrounding the recent events at the ERLC, the executive board of the trustees wishes to affirm our support for Brent Leatherwood as president and his leadership of the organization. Our goal is to do everything within our power to set up the ERLC and its staff for success. In our current cultural context, the ministry of the ERLC given to it by Southern Baptists is more important now than ever.

“There was no meeting of the executive committee with a vote taken or any permission given for the actions taken by then-chair Kevin Smith. None of us, as executive committee members, were aware that Kevin was planning to drive to Nashville to meet with Brent on July 22. 

“In addition, none of the executive committee members (other than Kevin Smith) had interactions or discussions with the ERLC staff about the press release sent on July 22. We did not know about it until it was published. 

“The board is taking seriously the good faith questions raised by those outside the organization about recent events. As we move forward, the executive committee is operating with two priorities in mind. First, we are committed to operating transparently knowing that all we do is visible to our God, before whom we ultimately must give an account.

“Second, we want to make sure that every vital decision concerning the present and future success of the ERLC should be made by the full board of trustees. Therefore, the board will meet during our regularly scheduled September trustee meeting, and we hope to provide more information at that time.”

Tony Beam, Interim Chair 

Amy Pettway 

Nathan Lugbill 

Anthony Cox

(EDITOR’S NOTE — Brandon Porter serves as associate vice president for convention news at the SBC Executive Committee.)