Annie Armstrong was a trailblazer. Her full throttle efforts went against the grain as she pioneered raising support for mission work. It did not matter if it was Native Americans, or African American women. It didn’t matter if the mission was for Jewish, or Italian, or if they were Chinese—Annie was their advocate. Her breathtaking efforts led the Women’s Missionary Union to recognize her lifetime of zealous self-sacrifice as they wrapped the Annual Easter offering with her persona. Her’s was an exemplary effort after all…as she traversed the country, her seemingly ubiquitous presence was all at her own expense. In fact, she refused to take a salary as she mused on King David’s words, “How can I give that to my Lord which cost me nothing.” With this year’s Annie Armstrong Easter offering in mind, Annie’s character seems far removed from the allegations swirling around the North American Mission Board. If Annie were with us, whether these accusations were true or not, she would surely weep.
If we are to faithfully fulfill our mission together in North America, we cannot continue to ignore the growing number of sirens calling our attention to questions of integrity, or excesses, the lack of transparency, questions of fidelity to God’s Word as represented in the BF&M, or any conduct that appears unbecoming of our mission and in contrast to the authority of God’s Word. If there is any grounds for scrutiny, there must be action on the part of local churches to investigate and to demand correction, or to shutdown the baseless chatter. Let the truth be told, and for the Gospel’s sake, and for Annie’s let’s faithfully put an end to the hostility, and honor Christ with open, honest truth.
Questions local churches should be asking their North American Mission Board
(As published at https://conservativebaptistnetwork.com/conservative-baptist-bulletin-april-5-2021/)
1. Women as pastors in church plants: 1 Timothy 2:12 | Article VI: The Church (BFM, 2000)
There are reports of church plants that openly declare women pastors as part of their pastoral leadership.1 As Southern Baptists, we have expressed biblical conviction about this issue,2 and cannot accept the sacrificial giving of our messengers going toward these activities. We are grateful for the recent clarity of the NAMB as Danny De Armas, Chairman of the trustees of NAMB communicated with the Conservative Resurgence Voices, and we agree wholeheartedly with the withdrawal of endorsement and funding of those churches that persist with these practices as he indicated. We also appreciate the compassion and charity shown in helping those churches find the biblical grounds for their ecclesiology.3 However, some questions remain.
The recent NAMB study mentioned in De Armas’ response indicated that six churches supported by the NAMB were clearly not practicing the complementarian position articulated in the BF&M. According to the response, these churches “have been addressed.” But is the statement suggesting that no NAMB representatives knew about any female pastor positions in any of these churches? This is not merely “confusing to constituency churches” and is far more than an issue of semantics over titles. This is a violation of biblical precedent, and would be concerning that it was unknown to any NAMB representatives.
In January 2021, Kevin Ezell has indicated in an email exchange that, although “senior pastor” positions are not open to women, anything else including associate pastors, teaching pastors, and other leader positions are not scrutinized at all.4 Likewise, De Armas’ response seems to put the responsibility on the sending churches, associations, and state conventions. Why would NAMB maintain the responsibility of upholding the standard for Pastors, but shift this responsibility to the other entities for these positions, and how is this communicated?
If the church(es) utilizing women in pastor positions was unseen, and/or unknown to NAMB leadership, what corrections have been made among NAMB leadership, and what adjustments have been made to the assessment, training, coaching, and accountability process to better ensure Southern Baptists are funding BF&M compliant churches in the future?
2. Echo Church and alcohol consumption: 1 Corinthians 3:10-15 | Wise Building
Echo Church in San Jose, CA is a church that has been partnered with the NAMB as a Church planting hub. They host church planter assessments, and have a residency program for church planters with significant investments from NAMB. Besides having female teaching pastors, the church apparently produced its own beer, and openly acknowledges their promotion of alcohol consumption.5
Is Echo church being used as a “model” church for prospective or current church planters?
If so, how can a church, which stands contrary to the BFM with it’s female teaching pastors, and encouragement of alcohol consumption serve as a model for Southern Baptist church plants?
Have these activities been addressed in keeping with the historic and consistent convictions of the convention about this issue, and the NAMB internal code of conduct? What measures have been taken to correct this, and to ensure future compliance?6
3. McRainey V. NAMB: 1 Corinthians 6:7 | Judging Angels vs Lawsuits
The current lawsuit McRaney V. NAMB is heading to the Supreme Court and is ultimately harmful to the name of Christ before the watching world. In this case, former Maryland/Delaware State executive Will McRaney alleged that NAMB officials defamed his character by orchestrating his firing and threatening to withhold one million dollars a year in their state convention funding if McRaney was not removed. Afterword, McRaney claimed, NAMB personnel tried to get him un-invited from speaking engagements, hindering his ability to earn income from honoraria and book sales, and then posted a defamatory photo of him at NAMB offices.7
Paul asked, “When one of you has a grievance against another, does he dare go to law before the unrighteous instead of the saints” (1 Corinthians 6:1)?
If this behavior is true, how has it been addressed by either NAMB leadership, or the trustees of NAMB?
Has every effort been made to resolve the “grievance” with McRaney in a manner outside of a lawsuit?
4. New State Convention Cooperative Agreements: John 13:14 | Servant Leadership
Randy Adams alleges with at least six state convention leaders that Kevin Ezell and NAMB leadership has engaged in strong-arm tactics to leverage control of funds, state convention leadership positions, and church planting strategy for their states.8
Has the NAMB tried leveraging control or attempted to leverage control over state conventions as is being alleged?
What is NAMB currently doing to resolve the perception of this conflict between state convention leadership?
Has NAMB leadership or trustees heard and considered recommendations from the Executive Committee of the SBC in fulfilling their responsibility to advise “on all questions of cooperation among the different entities of the Convention…whether state or national,” and “to maintain open channels of communication between the Executive Committee and the trustees of the entities of the Convention, to study and make recommendations to entities concerning adjustments required by ministry statements or by established Convention policies and practices…” in order to bring peace to the convention?9
Temptations to avoid.
“May integrity and uprightness preserve me, for I wait for you.” Psalm 25:21
Broad brush accusations of unchristian and anti-baptist behavior from denominational leadership are unhelpful at times like these. As concerned conservatives you must not act as, or accept dismissal as hateful opposition, or pharisaical dividers, nor can you accept honest inquiry being labelled as conspiracy theory or some kind of buffoonery from the wrong zip code. These provocative responses will ultimately end in an epic catastrophe that brings enormous reproach to the cause and mission of Christ.
We must as Southern Baptist call for complete transparency no matter the cost. If nothing else has emerged from the tragic Ravi Zacharias scandal, it should be supremely evident that accountability and transparency in dollars and decisions is essential for our general boards, institutions, and commissions to maintain their integrity, and thus ensure ongoing cooperation. As Spurgeon put it so plainly,
“I know that charity covereth a multitude of sins; but it does not call evil good, because a good man has done it; it does not excuse inconsistencies, because the inconsistent brother has a high name and a fervent spirit; crookedness and worldliness are still crookedness and worldliness, though exhibited in one who seems to have reached no common height of attainment.”
We must ask NAMB to directly, lovingly, and openly address these concerns remembering that we are the voice of the SBC. Failure to do so will only lead to drift from our mission, and profound discouragement settling in the heart of our faithful local churches. If we share Annie’s fervent pursuit of spreading the knowledge of Christ in North America, we cannot settle for anything less.
How do we respond?
As a conservative, Bible believing Southern Baptist, you are the voice of our convention. This bulletin will be an invaluable tool to help you communicate truthfully, fairly, and clearly as you preserve and promote biblical conservative distinctives in our churches and our convention. I encourage you to use this information for your own posts, articles, sermons, and addresses as we “take it to the churches” together.
Pray for truth to be made known, and for peace in our convention.
Make sure transparency and accountability is in order in your own church.
Present this information to your church so they understand what the questions are concerning the North American Mission Board so they can listen critically to the responses of SBC leadership, and act accordingly.
Support a candidate for President of the SBC that will appoint trustees to entity boards who will preserve, protect, and promote biblically conservative Baptist distinctives, and improve transparency and accountability.
Plan on taking all of the possible messengers from your church to the SBC annual meeting in Nashville, TN. https://sbcannualmeeting.net. You should not send money, nor should you criticize if you are not participating in the process.
Support any resolution that calls for more transparency, and accountability in decisions and dollars throughout the convention.
As a church, decide how you will respond.
Have your church members join the Conservative Baptist Network. This network is a grassroots movement of Southern Baptist across the country who love our convention and want to see better things. You are her voice!
Other Resources on topic.
NAMB Code of Conduct: http://www.namb.net/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/NAMB_CodeofConduct2017.pdf (The similar code of conduct for SBC Chaplains is here: https://www.namb.net/resource/sbc-code-of-conduct/)
Baptist Faith & Message 2000: https://bfm.sbc.net/bfm2000/#vi-the-church: The statement on the church says: “Its scriptural officers are pastors and deacons. While both men and women are gifted for service in the church, the office of pastor is limited to men as qualified by Scripture.” The office of Pastor cannot be minimized to the title description, but must be understood in its function.
SBC Bylaws: https://www.sbc.net/about/what-we-do/legal-documentation/bylaws/
Other: https://cbmw.org/2020/08/10/why-i-am-a-complementarian/; https://cbmw.org/about/danvers-statement/; https://www.ecfa.org/Documents/10_Foundations_Check_List.pd
SBC Resolution on women in ministry: https://www.sbc.net/resource-library/resolutions/resolution-on-ordination-and-the-role-of-women-in-ministry
Non-profit transparency: https://www.missionbox.com/article/131/financial-transparency-for-nonprofit-organizations-taxes-and-more
https://www.sbc.net/resource-library/resolutions/resolution-on-alcohol-7/
https://www.sbc.net/resource-library/resolutions/resolution-on-alcohol-5/
https://www.sbc.net/resource-library/resolutions/resolutions-concerning-the-liquor-flood/
http://www.namb.net/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/NAMB_CodeofConduct2017.pdf
https://www.sbc.net/about/what-we-do/legal-documentation/bylaws/ (Section 18, E, V & IX)