FORT WORTH (BP) – Former Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary President Adam Greenway “engaged in a pattern of spending that … did not reflect proper stewardship of seminary resources” and was “without deference to financial controls and seminary financial policies,” according to a statement released by the school today (June 7).

The statement comes after a May 30 special called trustee meeting where officers were requested to publish a summary of expenditures “related to the President’s home, the President’s office, and any personal expenditures by the former President.”

Audited financials for SWBTS from 2002-2022 as well as a financial overview for that time period accompanied the report.

Baptist Press reached out to Greenway, who declined the opportunity to comment “at this time.”

Between 2019 and 2022, the report said, more than $1.5 million “was spent on renovations, furnishings and related expenses to the President’s home.”

A list of “improper expenses” charged by either Greenway and/or individuals he authorized to use a seminary credit card include $9,936.05 for first-class airline tickets for himself, his family and a family friend to Anaheim for last year’s SBC annual meeting, $4,850.51 for the framing of personal diplomas and $920 for a metal University of Florida Gator head decoration.

The report also lists major expenditures for the president’s home, including nearly $60,000 for Christmas decorations and more than $11,000 for an espresso machine. More than half a million dollars was spent on the president’s office, including renovations and furniture.

“We grieve the pattern of poor stewardship evident in this summary of the task force’s findings,” said the board’s officers. “We wish to express our gratitude to those seminary employees who sought to enforce existing policies and challenge the pattern of spending noted above, even as their efforts were met with resistance.”

(EDITOR’S NOTE – Scott Barkley is national correspondent for Baptist Press.)