Resolutions adopted on integrity, financial transparency within SBC
Editor’s Note: Each of the submitted resolutions can be found below this article.
By Lonnie Wilkey
Editor, Baptist and Reflector
lwilkey@tnbaptist.org
BRENTWOOD — Tennessee Baptist Convention messengers adopted three resolutions during their annual meeting Nov. 17 at Brentwood Baptist Church, Brentwood.
The traditional Resolution on Gratitude was adopted as printed in the convention’s Book of Reports.
Two resolutions presented by messengers were discussed.
Shawn Allred, pastor of First Baptist Church, Kenton, presented a resolution on “Integrity in Teaching, Preaching and Leading.”
The resolution noted that “plagiarism is generally defined as the act of consciously using another person’s work without giving credit to that person and passing it off as your own.”
Though the resolution did not name names, one messenger who spoke — Don Edwards of First Baptist Church, Sunbright — referred to Ed Litton, who was elected president of the Southern Baptist Convention in June. Litton acknowledged he had used sermons from former convention president J.D. Greear without giving attribution. Though he had permission, he apologized for not giving Greear credit for the sermon.
Lane Self, pastor of First Baptist Church, Dyer, and chair of the Resolutions Committee, said the committee exercised caution and intentionally did not target any individual in “any shape, way or form.”
The resolution noted that pastors and church leaders “are held to a higher standard in handling the Holy Word of God.”
The resolution called for “co-laborers seeking to build the kingdom of God” to maintain “a spirit of humility concerning work we produce, knowing that all wisdom and knowledge are from God and should be shared rightly.”
Allred, who presented the resolution, spoke on its merits, noting that he wanted “to affirm the importance of the fidelity of those who handle God’s Word.”
Sam Nichols, a messenger from First Baptist Church, Collierville, spoke against the resolution, citing his desire to maintain the “great spirit” of the annual meeting. “We condemn plagiarism, but we don’t have to be in the headlines to say it.”
The resolution passed overwhelmingly with some dissenting votes.
The other resolution on “Financial Transparency Within Southern Baptist Entities” was presented by Joey Hufstedler, pastor of Poplar Grove Baptist Church, Trenton.
The resolution called for all SBC entities, but specifically addressed the North American Mission Board, to provide access to their salary structures when requested by members of cooperating Southern Baptist churches in accordance with the SBC Business and Financial Plan.
Huffstedler told messengers he tried to get the information several times from NAMB but to no avail. “We want trust through transparency,” he said.
Larry Robertson, pastor of Hilldale Baptist Church, Clarksville, spoke against the resolution, noting that it is an SBC matter, not a TBC matter.
“We, the TBC as a gathered body, have no authority to demand anything of another gathered body, the SBC,” said Robertson.
The result of a raised ballot vote could not determine the outcome so a ballot vote was held. The resolution was approved by six votes, according to TBC President Bruce Chesser. B&R
Resolution on Integrity in Teaching, Preaching, and Leading
WHEREAS, plagiarism is generally defined as the act of consciously using another person’s work without giving credit to that person, and passing it off as your own; and
WHEREAS, pastors, teachers, and other church leaders are held to a higher standard in handling the Holy Word of God (James 3:1); now
THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, that the messengers to The Tennessee Baptist Convention meeting at Brentwood Baptist Church in Brentwood, Tennessee, on November 16-17, 2021, acknowledge plagiarism as deception and/or stealing (Exodus 20:15) by using someone else’s work as your own without proper recognition given to the original author (Luke 10:7); and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that as pastors, teachers, and other church leaders charged with the handling of God’s Word, we will seek to honor our calling by sufficiently studying the Scriptures and seeking a fresh word from the Lord through the leading of His Holy Spirit (John 16:13, Colossians 3:16); and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that as co-laborers seeking to build the Kingdom of God, we will maintain a spirit of humility concerning work we produce, knowing that all wisdom and knowledge are from God and should be shared rightly; and
BE IT FINALLY RESOLVED, that we will hold ourselves accountable to Christ as we “rightly handle the Word of Truth.” (II Timothy 2:15; 4:1)
Originally submitted by Shawn Allred
Pastor / Messenger, First Baptist Church, Kenton
Resolution Regarding Financial Transparency Within Southern Baptist Entities
WHEREAS, The Tennessee Baptist Convention has maintained a cooperative, autonomous relationship for many years with the Southern Baptist Convention (SBC); and
WHEREAS, Southern Baptist Convention entities exist because of the sacrificial gifts of Southern Baptists through their churches in support of the Cooperative Program; and
WHEREAS, the Southern Baptist Convention has adopted a set of governing documents, including the SBC Business and Financial Plan, that all SBC entities are to follow; and
WHEREAS, the SBC Business and Financial Plan, Article 14, paragraph 2, was amended by the messengers of the Southern Baptist Convention while in session at the SBC annual meeting on June 15-17, 1993, in Houston, Texas, and has remained unchanged in the intervening 28 years; and
WHEREAS, Article 14, paragraph 2 (2021 SBC Annual, page 30) of the SBC Business and Financial Plan, states: “Members of cooperating Southern Baptist churches shall have access to information from the records of Southern Baptist Convention entities regarding income, expenditures, debts, reserves, operating balances, and salary structures.”; and
WHEREAS, the North American Mission Board has chosen not to comply with this provision of the SBC Business and Financial Plan to provide access to its salary structure when asked repeatedly by a member of a cooperating Southern Baptist church in Gibson County, Tennessee;
THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that the messengers to The Tennessee Baptist Convention meeting at Brentwood Baptist Church in Brentwood, Tennessee, on November 16-17, 2021, call on the North American Mission Board to demonstrate good faith with members of Southern Baptist churches by adhering to the SBC Business and Financial Plan; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that these same messengers call on the North American Mission Board and all Southern Baptist entities to be fully transparent in all financial activities that Southern Baptists give to so sacrificially by releasing the salary structure for staff of the respective entities upon request by members of cooperating Southern Baptist churches in accordance with the SBC Business and Financial Plan; and
BE IT FINALLY RESOLVED, that these same messengers call on the North American Mission Board’s leadership to restore relationships with members of cooperating Baptist churches by complying with the SBC Business and Financial Plan (Article 14, Paragraph 2) as set forth by messengers of the Southern Baptist Convention.
Originally submitted by Joey Hufstedler
Pastor of Poplar Grove Baptist Church, Trenton
