NAMB Trustees in Open Letter,
In June 2016 and May 2017 Baptist Press printed false, damaging information provided to them by NAMB leaders. What the NAMB Trustees were told, what the NAMB Trustees approved in June 2016, what was subsequently reported in BP, and what really happened are not the same. That did not happen accidentally, but purposefully.
While I encourage current NAMB Trustees to examine the facts, today I share with you two public statements made by NAMB leaders (Ezell and Trustee representatives) published in BP that are blatantly and purposefully false. NAMB’s false statements under Ezell’s leadership misled Baptist Press readers, damaged me, and clearly violates the 9th Commandment to not bear false witness which is an abomination to God. I challenge Kevin Ezell or any NAMB Trustee to provide evidence to the contrary. Furthermore, I am calling on Baptist Press to provide a public retraction for printing NAMB’s deceptive and damaging false statements against me without taking the initiative to talk with me regarding discoverable facts.
1st False Statement via Baptist Press in June 20, 2016, NAMB Trustee leadership reported that they had completed a “thorough investigation” and review of the relevant complaints of NAMB’s leadership against the BCMD.
“NAMB trustees adopted a recommendation June 13 stating they have conducted a ‘thorough examination and review’ of the entity’s relationship with the BCMD and regard as “concluded” an investigation of complaints the convention, which is also known as the Mid-Atlantic Baptist Network, was mistreated.”
“Printed background material distributed by NAMB stated, ‘Representatives of this board have conducted a thorough examination and review of the dealings between NAMB leadership and the Mid-Atlantic Baptist Network [MABN] and have fully reported those findings to the full Board of Trustees, who discussed the findings at length and considered them when making this recommendation.’”
1st Factual Statement
At the time of NAMB Trustee’s vote to approve and publicly release their statements, NOT one NAMB Trustee met with me a single time to examine facts, nor required Kevin Ezell to be on the record with his statements and/or be accountable under any cross examination for his statements in keeping with Mt. 5, Mt. 18, or Prov. 18:17. (note: as of today, remarkably the NAMB Trustees have still not sat down with me and Kevin Ezell to examine the facts from written documents and unpublished related matters) No investigation is thorough or complete without talking with the victim or cross examining the accused.
1st Surrounding & Supporting Details
NAMB 3 Trustee officers (Chuck Herring, Mark Dyer and Spike Hogan) wrote or allowed NAMB Communication Director Mike Ebert to write a complete denial from NAMB Trustee officers within 20 hours of my initial Letter of Concern. The immediate denials by the NAMB Trustee officers, followed by the denial letter from NAMB attorneys, and then the ongoing refusal of NAMB Trustee’s to examine the facts in a mutually accountable environment. These actions created the necessity of my securing an attorney 12 months later to pursue restitution from civil authorities. If I were speaking falsely, Ezell would likely be crying out for a meeting and a setting to discredit me, just like a SBC minister Steve Gardner noted. BUT…Crickets.
2nd False Statement via Baptist Press on May 19, 2017 NAMB claimed that McRaney refused or ignored requests to meet biblically instead of filing a lawsuit. (one month after my lawsuit was filed)
NAMB told BP in a statement, “After [McRaney] rejected or ignored several offers to meet and discuss these matters biblically, we regret that Dr. McRaney has chosen to involve the courts, however, since he has chosen this venue, we will be good stewards of NAMB’s resources and defend the case vigorously.”
2nd Factual Statement
The documented facts are that I have not rejected or ignored a single request. In fact, Ezell refused numerous written requests to meet while I was Exec. Director of the Baptist Convention of Maryland/Delaware and still is refusing. Why? My ministry complaints and subsequent legal complaints were initially met with denials, then false claims to federal judges and now SILENCE while erroneously claiming that Ezell and NAMB cannot speak or meet. There is no court gag order and in fact, federal judges want these matters resolved outside of the courts.
Conclusion
While NAMB President Ezell is affable, has a powerful position and the financial resources to reward and punish, he is and the NAMB Trustees are accountable for the publishing of these false statements. NAMB leaders damaged me personally in numerous ways. NAMB leaders damaged my good name with their false statements in the press and before the courts. NAMB damaged my wife and family, the SBC and the mission of NAMB with their false statements. It’s time for public confession and apology. It’s time for righteous anger by Southern Baptists until there is accountability and biblical restitution by NAMB. It’s time for BP to do a correction. Truth matters!
Will McRaney
Read Baltimore Pastor Steve Wolverton’s short emails to Kevin Ezell and Chuck Herring after NAMB’s public release of having completed a “thorough investigation”. This pastor knows many facts. He calls the investigations claim a “charade“, but NAMB avoided talking with him.
Additional Articles re: deception and false statements of NAMB President Ezell …
NAMB’s Ezell’s Narrative: True or False? Evidence Clear
Truth and Responses to Questions Re: Ezell/NAMB
Is the New NAMB Really Working? Part 6 President’s Character & Leadership
Dr. Ezell’s Lies and False Statements
Live Videos related to deception by Ezell & NAMB leadership available on my Vimeo account: