NASHVILLE, Tenn. (ABP) — A former nominee for president of the Southern Baptist Convention will remain pastor of a prominent Southern Baptist church, the congregation decided Oct. 7.
Jerry Sutton, who for more than two decades has served Two Rivers Baptist Church in Nashville, Tenn., survived an ouster vote 1,101-286. He has been at the center of a controversy over his leadership since the summer. In September, a group of 54 church members sued Sutton and other church officials for alleged financial improprieties.
The suit charged Sutton with refusing to release church records to members and with using church funds on his daughter's wedding reception and other questionable expenses. Sutton has repeatedly denied the allegations.
In an Oct. 8 statement to church members, Sutton said he is encouraged that the church “spoke very clearly about its desire for me to remain as pastor.”
“All of this has been very trying on me, my family, our staff, their families, our leadership and our entire church family,” he said. “Please pray that the Lord will bring all of this to a conclusion as quickly as possible.”
After the lawsuit was filed, church officials retained legal counsel from the American Center for Law & Justice. Larry Crain, an attorney for Two Rivers, told church leaders the court had denied all of the plaintiffs' requests except for one: to release selective church records, including names and addresses of all church members.
According to reports, additional motions had included requests that the Davidson County Chancery Court remove Sutton as pastor; that church leaders hold a business meeting to discuss issues of governance; and that the defendants pay the plaintiffs' legal fees.
The plaintiffs also asked a local judge to stop the vote-of-confidence meeting, but she refused.
Sutton's written statement said church leaders would return to court Oct. 26 to hear additional rulings.
A one-time SBC first vice president and author of a book on the convention's so-called conservative resurgence, Sutton lost a three-way race for the SBC presidency last year. The current SBC president is Frank Page.
Many of the denomination's most prominent staffers attend Two Rivers. The SBC Executive Committee, news service, public-affairs agency and publishing house are all headquartered in Nashville.
— Robert Marus contributed to this story.
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