(Editor’s note: This commentary is a republished version of one of four content items, originally posted on ABPnews.com on Sept. 16, that were lost due to a hacker attack on our website later that evening.)
By Norman Jameson
Being a denominational journalist or any Baptist with a contrary opinion in the current era of Southern Baptist Convention upheaval sometimes feels a bit like a tick picker atop a rhino. It’s an important role, but the rhino is going to go where he will.
And nowadays, he gets there in secret.
In yet another insult to Southern Baptists, trustees of the SBC North American Mission Board Sept. 14 interviewed, discussed and voted on their new president behind closed doors. Kevin Ezell’s nomination had become controversial in the week leading up to his election when it was challenged by Louisiana Baptist Convention Executive Director David Hankins on the grounds that Ezell evidenced little support for the way Southern Baptists conduct business or do missions.
No vote total was released by NAMB, although several sources confirm it was 37-12.
In hiding business behind closed doors, like the fearful disciples after Jesus’ death, NAMB trustees passed on the opportunity to applaud their new president; to declare their allegiance; to freshen the air of questions about his commitment to NAMB and the SBC; to speak hope that NAMB is not broken (as so many said when the Great Commission Resurgence Task Force was deciding whether to kill it or give it a central role).
Behind closed doors they discussed and voted. The initial report of their decision gave more space to the one who brought the devotion than to Ezell himself, or to the discussion to which you are not privy.
Trustees can slip behind the protective oak walls when their discussion is about “a personnel matter.” Of course they can, but this discussion wasn’t to fire someone. It was to hire a good man they want to get off to a good start. Their actions were like holding a celebratory parade in a closet.
The NAMB board is familiar with closed-door discussions. They shut the door when they forced previous president Geoff Hammond to resign without hearing from him. They slipped the lock when they made it impossible for Bob Reccord to continue as NAMB president before Hammond.
But NAMB is not alone with its insults to you. The SBC Executive Committee held their discussions behind closed doors in June while they fought over whether to hire Frank Page.
The Great Commission Resurgence Task Force held its discussions behind closed doors, then locked up the record for 15 years.
There are appropriate times for closed-door executive sessions. But when will the rhino heed the tick pickers and realize this is Baptist business they are discussing, not their own business?
Most importantly, when will trustee boards realize that every closed door erodes confidence in the entity that shuts the door?
Baptists want to believe in the work of our institutions. We want to continue supporting them. Closed doors indicate a lack of trust in us. It is hard to support an organization that doesn’t trust you.
NAMB trustees gave Baptists a bag of questions with no answers and saddled their new president with a trust deficit out of which he must now dig.