In a letter addressed to the Southern Baptist Convention’s (SBC) Executive Committee (EC), a group of North Carolina Baptist leaders and pastors called on the EC today (Sept. 30) to abide by Southern Baptist messengers’ expressed will and waive attorney-client privilege for an investigation into its handling of sex abuse allegations.
“While we desire to assume the best of our brothers and sisters in Christ, each day this step is delayed erodes trust among us,” the letter read. “More importantly, the survivors of sexual abuse are waiting for their brothers and sisters to act in a way that not only honors Christ but also demonstrates love for them by doing what is right.”
Signatories include Micheal Pardue, president of the Baptist State Convention of North Carolina (BSC), Quintell Hill, BSC first vice president, Jason Miller, BSC second vice president, and Matt Capps, president of the BSC’s board of directors.
The EC voted 39-35 against waiving attorney-client privilege during a special called virtual meeting Tuesday. The meeting was a second attempt to negotiate an agreement between the EC, the Sexual Abuse Task Force appointed by SBC President Ed Litton to oversee the investigation, and Guidepost Solutions, the third-party firm the task force chose to conduct the review.
The task force previously asked for transparency and cooperation, specifically requesting the EC to waive attorney-client privilege to ensure “complete accountability and transparency” and to “properly assess steps for reform.”
Messengers to the SBC annual meeting overwhelmingly approved a motion initiating the independent investigation in June, following allegations that EC members defamed sex abuse survivors, bullied advocates and resisted reform efforts. By approving the motion, messengers had asked EC members and staff to waive attorney-client privilege.
“The only appropriate course of action is to follow the directive of the Convention as expressed in the votes of the messengers,” the signatories said. “In this case, it is not only appropriate in light of our polity, but it is also the only morally acceptable course of action.”
Todd Unzicker, BSC executive director-treasurer, also released a statement earlier today regarding the EC’s actions, saying the “resistance has damaged trust within our family of churches, and far worse, has devastated survivors of sexual abuse. These vulnerable men and women deserve the full truth. We grieve with them and pray for justice.”
As of Thursday afternoon, more than 40 pastors and leaders had signed the letter. The full text follows.
To the Executive Committee of the Southern Baptist Convention:
As Southern Baptist pastors and leaders from North Carolina, we unequivocally support the collective work of the churches in the Southern Baptist Convention as expressed in our financial support of the initiatives and institutions funded through Cooperative Program giving. Furthermore, we resolutely stand behind the voice of the overwhelming majority of messengers at the 2021 Southern Baptist Convention in Nashville who called for a thorough, transparent, and independent investigation into the Executive Committee regarding its handling of sexual abuse allegations.
In order to fulfill the will of the messengers as directed, we implore the Executive Committee to comply with the best standards and practices as recommended by the commissioned third party, including but not limited to waiving attorney-client privilege in order to ensure full access to information and accuracy in the review. While we desire to assume the best of our brothers and sisters in Christ, each day this step is delayed erodes trust among us. More importantly, the survivors of sexual abuse are waiting for their brothers and sisters to act in a way that not only honors Christ but also demonstrates love for them by doing what is right.
For these reasons, we stand behind Bruce Frank’s leadership and believe that the Sexual Abuse Task Force should have complete access to all records and information in order to conduct a full and effective investigation, as demanded by the messengers at the 2021 Southern Baptist Convention.
We disagree with the Executive Committee member who erroneously stated that 15,000 messengers cannot direct the Executive Committee. In fact, it is historically unprecedented for the Executive Committee to reject the expressed will of the messengers. The only appropriate course of action is to follow the directive of the Convention as expressed in the votes of the messengers. In this case, it is not only appropriate in light of our polity, but it is also the only morally acceptable course of action.
Therefore, we strongly petition that the Executive Committee staff and trustees abide by the stated will of the messengers. Refusal to comply with the will of the messengers will threaten the unity, identity, and polity of our Convention of churches and continue to harm our public witness.
Signed,
Matt Capps
Senior Pastor, Fairview Baptist Church in Apex, NC
President of the Board of Directors, The Baptist State Convention of North Carolina
Casey Norkett
Missions Pastor, Hickory Grove Baptist Church in Charlotte, NC
Vice-President (President-Elect) of the Board of Directors, The Baptist State Convention of North Carolina
Steven Wade
Lead Pastor, Faith Baptist Church in Youngsville, NC
Professor of Pastoral Theology, Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary
Board of Directors, The Baptist State Convention of North Carolina
Chris Griggs
Lead Pastor, Denver Baptist Church, NC
Board of Directors, The Baptist State Convention of North Carolina
Current Vice-Chair, Nominating Committee for the Southern Baptist Convention
J. Allen Murray
Senior Pastor, Centerville Baptist Church in Kelly, NC
Board of Directors, The Baptist State Convention of North Carolina
Micheal S. Pardue, Sr.
Senior Pastor, First Baptist Icard, NC
Current President, The Baptist State Convention of North Carolina
Quintell Hill
Lead Pastor, Multiply Community Church in Monroe, NC
Current Vice President, The Baptist State Convention of North Carolina
Jason Miller
Lead Pastor, Dutch Cove Baptist Church, Canton, NC
Current 2nd Vice President, The Baptist State Convention of North Carolina
Zeb A. Cook
Lead Pastor, Apex Baptist Church, NC
Board of Directors, The Baptist State Convention of North Carolina
Andrew Davis
Senior Pastor, First Baptist Church in Durham, NC
Steve Scoggins
Senior Pastor, First Baptist Church Hendersonville, NC
Former President of the Baptist State Convention of North Carolina
Clint Pressley
Senior Pastor, Hickory Grove Baptist Church in Charlotte, NC
Branton Burleson
Lead Pastor, Grace Baptist Church, West Asheville, NC
Dwayne Milioni
Lead Pastor, Open Door Church, Raleigh, NC
Will Toburen
Senior Pastor, Calvary Baptist Church, Winston-Salem, NC
Ronnie Parrott
Lead Pastor, Christ Community Church in Huntersville, NC
Nate Akin
Associate Director, The Pillar Network
Robert Welch
Senior Pastor, First Baptist Charlotte, NC
Jordon Willard
Senior Pastor, First Baptist Church of Weddington, NC
Board of Directors, The Baptist State Convention of North Carolina
Chris Hefner
Senior Pastor, Wilkesboro Baptist Church, Wilkesboro, NC
Chair, Board of Directors, Biblical Recorder
Spence Shelton
Lead Pastor, Mercy Church in Charlotte, NC
Daniel Dickard
Lead Pastor, Friendly Avenue Baptist Church, Greensboro, NC
Clint Darst
Lead Pastor, King’s Cross Church, Greensboro, NC
Board Member, The Pillar Network
Robert Hefner
Senior Pastor, Pleasant Garden Baptist Church, Pleasant Garden, NC
Barry Murry
Lead Pastor, Point Church Fort Bragg, Cameron, NC
Justin Deeter
Lead Pastor, Redemption Church, Wilson, NC
Justin Carmona
Lead Pastor, Redeemer Church, Cary, NC
Gerald Hodges
Lead Pastor, Westwood Baptist Church, Roxboro, NC
Jason Purdy
Lead Pastor, Christ Covenant Church, Rocky Mount, NC
Mark Etheridge
Lead Pastor, Resurrection Church, Statesville, NC
Ian Kitchen
Lead Pastor, Risen Church, Concord, NC
Aaron P. Swain
Pastor of Students & Operations, Freedom Church, Lincolnton, NC
Dale DuBose
Pastor, Main Street Baptist Church, Spindale, NC
Kelly Bullard
Senior Pastor, First Baptist Church Summerfield, Summerfield, NC
Board of Directors, Biblical Recorder
Kyle Smith
Pastor, Grace Baptist Church, Wake Forest, NC
Jonathan Homesley
Pastor, Lake Wylie Baptist Church, Charlotte, NC
Alex DiPrima
Senior Pastor, Emmanuel Church, Winston Salem, NC
Nathaniel Martin
Pastor, Hermon Baptist Church, Waxhaw, NC
Jonathan Brooks
Lead Pastor, Refuge Church, Raleigh, NC
Cody Evans
Pastor of Preaching & Vision, Covenant Hope Church, Wake Forest, NC
Michael White
Lead Pastor, Freedom Church, Lincolnton, NC
Joshua Yates
Pastor, Wakeminster Baptist Church, Raleigh, NC
Ben McRoy
Discipleship Pastor, Faith Baptist Church, Youngsville, NC
Jeremy Mahaffey
Senior Pastor, Mount Vernon Baptist Church, Vale, NC
