Baptist News Global
Sections
  • News
  • Opinion
    • Opinion Writers
    • Letters to the Editor
  • Curated
  • Projects
    • Faith & Justice >
      • Charleston: Metanoia with Bill Stanfield
      • Charlotte: QC Family Tree with Greg and Helms Jarrell
    • Welcoming the Stranger >
      • Lost Boys of Sudan: St. John’s Baptist Charlotte
  • More
    • Contact
    • About
    • Donate
    • Advertising
    • Ministry Jobs and More
    • Transitions
    • Friends of BNG Dinner
We are reader supported Donate
Search Search this site

Former state exec sues NAMB for libel, interference in business relationships

NewsBob Allen  |  April 21, 2017

A former Baptist state convention leader who claimed last year his firing was orchestrated by the head of a Southern Baptist Convention agency has filed a defamation lawsuit alleging, among other things, his picture was displayed at the welcome desk of the agency’s headquarters in a manner similar to a most-wanted-criminal poster at a post office.

“What do you think of when you think of someone’s picture being posted some place, in a public place?” Will McRaney, former executive director of Baptist Convention of Maryland/Delaware, asked in an online video.

“What would you think of if your picture was posted at the welcome desk of the North American Mission Board?” he continued. “What would that mean in light of some of the difficulties and challenges that we’ve been experiencing lately, when the president, and/or people associated with him, takes your picture and posts it there?”

McRaney, a former seminary professor, said it happened to him. McRaney led the two-state convention also known as the Mid-Atlantic Baptist Network for just under two years before he says NAMB President Kevin Ezell pressured BCM/D leaders to fire him or risk losing $1 million a year in denominational funding.

McRaney displayed a photo reportedly taken by a friend that his wife, Sandy, described as a picture of her husband taped to the wall beneath a window inside the welcome desk at NAMB headquarters in Alpharetta, Ga.

“It sends some very negative signals, as if something is wrong with me, that I’ve done something,” Will McRaney said. “Actually, their attorneys have told us that they do this for security reasons.”

McRaney’s sudden departure from Maryland/Delaware in 2015 was originally reported as a resignation, but he said later he was terminated after resisting strategy changes consistent with recommendations of a Great Commission Task Force approved by the Southern Baptist Convention in 2010 giving the North American Mission Board more direct control of church planting in Baptist state conventions.

McRaney recently began a multi-part analysis on his blog, cross-posted at the group blog SBC Today, claiming the “New NAMB” strategy isn’t working.

Last June NAMB trustees signed off on a report saying that after “a thorough examination and review” of the agency’s interaction with the Mid-Atlantic Network, they were satisfied and considered the matter “concluded.”

McRaney questioned how “complete and thorough” the trustee investigation could have been without “a single conversation with the person bringing the accusations and actually the one who is the victim in these matters,” but said he had laid the matter to rest until he ran into people who told him Ezell tried to get him disinvited from speaking at events that are part of how he earns a living.

The lawsuit filed April 7 in Winston County, Miss., accuses the North American Mission Board of slander, libel, intentional interference with business relationships and intentional infliction of emotional distress.

McRaney, who now lives in Winter Park, Fla., claims last October he was uninvited to speak at a large mission emphasis in Louisville, Miss., “as a direct result of intentional interference” by NAMB employees, robbing him of an opportunity to promote and sell his books on mission strategy.

He says something similar happened in Florida, but he managed to keep that engagement.

McRaney claims the posted photo of him at NAMB headquarters “communicates he was not to be trusted and public enemy #1 of NAMB” and was “purposely designed to damage” his reputation and character.

He seeks unspecified amounts in actual and punitive damages.

NAMB officials denied McRaney’s accusations in comments to Baptist Press.

“No one from NAMB has attempted or will attempt to interfere with Dr. McRaney’s ministry efforts, and we have not asked anyone else to do so,” the SBC news service quoted statements reportedly received on April 12 and April 13.

McRaney said he turned to the courts as a last resort “since everyone else either wants to turn their head or act like it doesn’t exist or actually become an accessory.”

Sandy McRaney said in the video the couple decided to share their story with the public because “this is not something that’s been covered at all in our Baptist Press.”

“You should be able to trust your leaders,” she said. “You should be. That’s why this has been so hard for people to believe.”

She said she is sorry that she and her husband have to be the bearers of bad news.

“I’m sorry that it happened to us,” she said. “It’s been a 22-month nightmare in that regard, but God has been sovereign and he’ll continue to see us through, but it was up to us to do the speaking, and we are not going to be silent when God has told us to reveal the truth.”

Previous stories:

State Baptist exec blames firing on interference from SBC agency

State convention ‘saddened and disappointed’ by claims of former exec

Tags:Kevin EzellLitigationNAMBWill McRaney
Bob Allen
More by
Bob Allen
  • Embracing the power of story

    Our next Storytelling Project
    under the new topic of
    “Welcoming the Stranger”
    is a story about the
    Lost Boys of Sudan and St. John's Baptist Charlotte.
    Almost two decades ago, this church embraced the refugees who resettled in their neighborhood fulfilling their mission to be a servant church. In turn, they received love and life lessons from their Dinka friends and now celebrate the launch of a new Sudanese church on their campus.



    Decades of life with the ‘Lost Boys’ from South Sudan: Charlotte church loves their neighbors as themselves

    Photo Gallery: Lost Boys and St. John's in photos

    In the topic of "Welcoming the Stranger," we share the inspiring stories of the people and faith communities that are teaching us all to love our neighbor as ourselves.
  • Featured

    • Third Pressler accuser comes forward

      News

    • Is it time to divorce? A former TV religion reporter reconsiders her life as an evangelical

      Curated

    • The new soft charismatic cooperation

      Opinion

    • Consumer expert warns against smartphone, Bible-app use in worship

      News

    Get BNG headlines in your inbox

    Read Next:

    No prophets in today’s society? Maybe we’re just not listening.

    OpinionRuss Dean

    More Articles

    • All
    • News
    • Opinion
    • Curated
    • Churches make a drastic pledge in the name of social justice: To stop calling the police

      CuratedWashington Post

    • Special ‘Beyonce Mass’ to be held at San Francisco church

      CuratedMercury News

    • Former Miss America weds same-sex partner

      NewsBob Allen

    • CBF ministers participate in third national Baptist-Muslim dialogue

      Paid Promoted Content

    • Pastor/judge repeats controversial death penalty protest

      NewsBob Allen

    • Transitions for the week of 04.20.18

      NewsBarbara Francis

    • N.J. court cracks down on state grants to churches

      CuratedCourthouse News Service

    • CBF Church Starts leader, Podcast host accepts call to Louisiana church

      Paid Promoted Content

    • 25 years later, religious leaders reflect on how they might have helped prevent Branch Davidian tragedy

      NewsJeff Brumley

    • Baptist pastors among 8,500 released from prison in Myanmar

      NewsBob Allen

    • Billion-dollar blessings at Liberty University

      CuratedProPublica

    • CBF leaders protest annual gathering of payday lenders

      NewsBob Allen

    • Powerful words: A blessing or a curse?

      OpinionNora Lozano

    • Palabras poderosas: ¿bendición o maldición?

      OpinionNora O. Lozano

    • Third Pressler accuser comes forward

      NewsBob Allen

    • Is it time to divorce? A former TV religion reporter reconsiders her life as an evangelical

      CuratedPeggy Wehmeyer / Dallas Morning News

    • Ministry jobs and more

      NewsBarbara Francis

    • How the new estate tax rules could reduce charitable giving by billions

      CuratedThe Conversation

    • Cult leader? ‘Sinful Messiah’? 25 years later, interest in David Koresh still strong

      CuratedReligion News Service

    • Millennial’s message to churches: please stop trying to attract Millennials

      NewsJeff Brumley

    • The new soft charismatic cooperation

      OpinionJohn Chandler

    • Pope Francis admits ‘serious mistakes’ in handling of Chile abuse cases

      CuratedNational Catholic Reporter

    • Dozens of megachurch pastors meet With Mike Pence, White House staff during retreat

      CuratedChristian Post

    • Pastor/judge can sue justices, but not state Supreme Court, judge rules

      NewsBob Allen

    • No prophets in today’s society? Maybe we’re just not listening.

      OpinionRuss Dean

    • Former Miss America weds same-sex partner

      NewsBob Allen

    • Pastor/judge repeats controversial death penalty protest

      NewsBob Allen

    • Transitions for the week of 04.20.18

      NewsBarbara Francis

    • 25 years later, religious leaders reflect on how they might have helped prevent Branch Davidian tragedy

      NewsJeff Brumley

    • Baptist pastors among 8,500 released from prison in Myanmar

      NewsBob Allen

    • CBF leaders protest annual gathering of payday lenders

      NewsBob Allen

    • Third Pressler accuser comes forward

      NewsBob Allen

    • Ministry jobs and more

      NewsBarbara Francis

    • Millennial’s message to churches: please stop trying to attract Millennials

      NewsJeff Brumley

    • Pastor/judge can sue justices, but not state Supreme Court, judge rules

      NewsBob Allen

    • Transitions for the week of 04.13.18

      NewsBarbara Francis

    • Scholar says SBC leader sets different standards for MLK and Donald Trump

      NewsBob Allen

    • Former Baptist minister describes struggle of being both called and gay in new collection of stories told by LGBTQ Christians

      NewsBob Allen

    • Consumer expert warns against smartphone, Bible-app use in worship

      NewsJeff Brumley

    • Franklin Graham calls for boycott of Target after bathroom incident

      NewsBob Allen

    • Offering prayer, Christian activist threatened with jail

      NewsBob Allen

    • Southern Baptist association boots church for alleged racism

      NewsBob Allen

    • Campolo says ‘Red Letter Revival’ seeks to convert evangelicals to social activism

      NewsJeff Brumley

    • Millennials hit the exits when church culture conflicts with gospel

      NewsJeff Brumley

    • Affidavit alleges unwanted sexual encounter with former judge who led SBC to the right

      NewsBob Allen

    • SBC spokesman promises ‘due diligence’ regarding Frank Page’s unidentified ‘indiscretion’

      NewsBob Allen

    • Ministry jobs and more

      NewsBarbara Francis

    • What’s a Baptist? Seminary aims to help Baptists figure that out

      NewsJeff Brumley

    • Former Southern Baptist ‘third way’ pastor stepping down

      NewsBob Allen

    • Church at center of gun massacre to break ground for new building

      NewsBob Allen

    • Powerful words: A blessing or a curse?

      OpinionNora Lozano

    • Palabras poderosas: ¿bendición o maldición?

      OpinionNora O. Lozano

    • The new soft charismatic cooperation

      OpinionJohn Chandler

    • No prophets in today’s society? Maybe we’re just not listening.

      OpinionRuss Dean

    • ‘Give Me Jesus.’ (But which one?)

      OpinionBill Leonard

    • The life-changing magic of practicing redemption

      OpinionEric Minton

    • Easter jujutsu: A supple, flexible and pliable way to respond

      OpinionDoyle Sager

    • Martin Luther King Jr. called me to preach

      OpinionAlan Bean

    • When it comes to funding public education, don’t eat your seed corn

      OpinionMark Wingfield

    • Killing Jesus and killing MLK

      OpinionJonathan Davis

    • Court case highlights need for stronger Baptist voice on pro-life concerns

      OpinionJonathan Frank

    • My undelivered stand-up routine for those not likely to come back to church

      OpinionBrett Younger

    • What the Church needs is a new reformation

      OpinionChuck Queen

    • Palm branches and protest signs

      OpinionKristopher Norris

    • The costs of speaking truth to power

      OpinionAmy Butler

    • In narrating our lives, we know how they end. It’s the middle chapters that are missing.

      OpinionGreg Jarrell

    • A rebirth of compassion? 

      OpinionBill Leonard

    • Stormy Daniels, Donald Trump and the King David Defense 

      OpinionAlan Rudnick

    • It’s Holy Week — and time to confront scripture passages which vilify Jews

      OpinionJohn Michael “Mickey” Robertson

    • A white Jesus can’t save a brown child

      OpinionAlicia Reyes-Barriéntez

    • What we can learn from Chance the Rapper

      OpinionToya Richards

    • It’s a small world after all … and we need to survive together

      OpinionNora Lozano

    • Es un mundo pequeño después de todo … y necesitamos sobrevivir en conjunto

      OpinionNora O. Lozano

    • If character is ‘irrelevant’ in politics, eventually the Church will be, too

      OpinionRuss Dean

    • You CAN go home again

      OpinionDoyle Sager

    • Churches make a drastic pledge in the name of social justice: To stop calling the police

      CuratedWashington Post

    • Special ‘Beyonce Mass’ to be held at San Francisco church

      CuratedMercury News

    • N.J. court cracks down on state grants to churches

      CuratedCourthouse News Service

    • Billion-dollar blessings at Liberty University

      CuratedProPublica

    • Is it time to divorce? A former TV religion reporter reconsiders her life as an evangelical

      CuratedPeggy Wehmeyer / Dallas Morning News

    • How the new estate tax rules could reduce charitable giving by billions

      CuratedThe Conversation

    • Cult leader? ‘Sinful Messiah’? 25 years later, interest in David Koresh still strong

      CuratedReligion News Service

    • Pope Francis admits ‘serious mistakes’ in handling of Chile abuse cases

      CuratedNational Catholic Reporter

    • Dozens of megachurch pastors meet With Mike Pence, White House staff during retreat

      CuratedChristian Post

    • Why do evangelicals still support Scott Pruitt?

      CuratedAaron Weaver / Sojourners

    • N.C. Council of Churches posts billboard about gun violence

      CuratedNorth Carolina Council of Churches

    • US ‘Poor People’s Campaign’ to Begin 40 Days of Action Next Month

      CuratedVoice of America

    • Bill Hybels steps down from Willow Creek following allegations of misconduct

      CuratedChicago Tribune

    • Inside the White House Bible Study group

      CuratedBBC

    • At ‘Red Letter Revival,’ leaders give voice to evangelicals on the margins

      CuratedRNS

    • Christian women in the U.S. are more religious than their male counterparts

      CuratedPew Research Center

    • ‘Lynchburg Revival’ activists warn of rising Christian nationalism

      CuratedNPR

    • How the Christian movie series ‘God’s Not Dead’ fails to be Christian

      CuratedVox

    • First Nassar Accuser Denhollander Talks Justice, Forgiveness at Harvard

      CuratedThe Harvard Crimson

    • ‘You are on the side of justice’ – clergy host prayer event at Capitol

      CuratedThe Oklahoman

    • Art and faith converge at a hybrid church/community arts center

      CuratedFaith & Leadership

    • 50 years after Martin Luther King’s death, a ‘new King’ fights for justice

      CuratedThe Guardian

    • The little-known theology behind white evangelical support of Donald Trump

      CuratedTexas Observer

    • The Americanization of an ancient faith

      CuratedThe Atlantic

    • The Devil’s music: How Christians inspired, condemned and embraced rock ‘n’ roll

      CuratedReligion Dispatches

    Conversations that Matter.

    © 2018 Baptist News Global. All rights reserved.

    Want to share a story? We hope you will! Read our republishing, terms of use and privacy policies here.

    • Facebook
    • Twitter
    • Google+
    • LinkedIn
    • RSS