Initial Response Statement post SCOTUS

Sandy and I are grateful for the prayers and support as we have sought to defend the rights of Baptists.  While we are disappointed the Supreme Court did not choose to grant cert in this particular case, we trust that in time justice will be done and the rights of Baptist people and partners restored. This decision will have an impact on millions of Baptists and other religious groups.

The SBC and all of its entities won Pyrrhic victories today and in the September 2025 5th Circuit’s 2-1 ruling.  Today after 9 years in the courts, NAMB won and secured their right to do what God forbids, to defame and interfere with Baptist ministers, partners and financial supporters.  Over time, their victory will be seen as a historic loss in multiple ways.  NAMB has made clear in their statement that anyone who supports the mission efforts of the SBC can be defamed and their employment can be interfered with by SBC leaders without Baptist partners having the right to defend themselves in court.

As in other faith traditions like Catholics, now Baptist leaders, ministers and partners will know for certain that they have given up their personal legal rights with their voluntary partnering or contributing to the SBC.  Sadly, this can already be seen in the Garner vs SBC court case before the TN Supreme Court where SBC leaders also lied to the TN Supreme Court justices.

We pray the silence by those who tolerated the lies and deceptions to the courts will be broken and wrongdoings exposed.  We pray there will be forthcoming repentance by SBC entity leaders, trustees, and other Baptist leaders resulting in a surge of renewed commitment to righteousness and truth telling above all as an act of obedience to God’s  Word.

I will have a fuller statement in the next couple of days.  More information and links to articles will be available on my website.

Top article on the Consequences

“The Cooperative Program After McRaney: Give Money, Surrender Rights” – David Morrill, Feb. 23, 2026 

Amicus Brief to TN Supreme Court – Garner v SBC

Baptist Pastors and Leaders ask TN Supreme Court to not make the same mistake made in McRaney v NAMB in Amicus Brief filed March 13, 2026

“New Amicus Brief Takes Aim at Fifth Circuit’s McRaney v. NAMB decision, Warns SBC’s Legal Position could Create a ‘No-Resource Zone’ for Ministers”  The Baptist Report, March 15, 2026

Select Articles on the Case from various authors and sources

“SBC Leaders are Fighting for the “Religious Freedom” to Defame Baptist Pastors“– Baptist Religious Liberty Attorney, Jon Whitehead, Feb. 11, 2026

“No, Religious Liberty Doesn’t Depend “Protecting Defamation” – Baptist Religious Liberty Attorney Jon Whitehead, Feb. 18, 2026

“The Cooperative Program After McRaney: Give Money, Surrender Rights” – David Morill, Feb. 23, 2026

“The McRaney Case is a Disaster for Baptists – And Many Still Don’t See It” – David Morrill, Feb. 18, 2026

“McRaney Case Ends, but Debate Continues Over Implications for Baptist Cooperation” –  The Christian Index, Henry Durand,  March 5, 2026.

“Supreme Court Won’t Hear McRaney’s Appeal” – Mark Wingfield, Feb. 23, 2026

“New Analysis: Supreme Court’s Silence in McRaney vs. NAMB leaves Southern Baptists Facing an Unchartered legal Landscape” – The Baptist Report, Feb. 24, 2026

“Supreme Court declines McRaney case, ending lawsuit against NAMB” – SBC’s Baptist Press – Feb. 23, 2026

“Leaders Warn Foundation Principles of Baptist Polity and Religious Liberty are at Stake if the Fish Circuit Ruling McRaney v. North American Mission Board Stands” – The Baptist Report, Feb. 17, 2026

“Conservative Lawyer Warns of Legal Overreach by NAMB and SBC” – Mark Wingfield, Feb. 12, 2026

“Missouri Attorney Warns SBC Legal Strategy Could Create ‘Chilling Effect’ on Pastors’ Free Speech” – The Baptist Report, Feb. 12, 2026

“52 Baptist Leaders Sign Amicus Brief Supporting McRaney” – Mark Wingfield, Feb. 9, 2026

“Baptist Leaders Urge Supreme Court to Rein in Expansive Church Autonomy Ruling” – The Baptist Report, Feb. 9, 2026

“McRaney Appeals to SCOTUS in Lawsuit Against NAMB” – Will Hall, Jan. 13, 2026

“With Circuit Panel Rules 2-1 in Favor of NAMB and Against McRaney” – Mark Wingfiled, Sept. 9, 2025

“McRaney Hearing Explores Whether there are Any Times Courts May Decide ‘Religious’ Matters” – Mark Wingfield, April 4, 2024

“A Battle for Baptist Autonomy: The McRaney Case Against the North American Mission Board and Why It Should Matter to Southern Baptists” – The Baptist Report, April 1, 2024

“McRaney Warns Dismissal of His Case Against NAMB Raises Urgent Threat to Baptist Autonomy” – Mark Wingfield, Aug. 17, 2023

“U.S. District Judge Dismisses McRaney’s Case Against NAMB” – Mark Wingfield, Aug. 15, 2023

“Key Witness Offers Damning Testimony Against Ezell as NAMB gets McRaney Trial Delayed Two Months” – Mark Wingfield, March 6, 2023

“Seven Years Later, Will McRaney Might get His Day in Court Against NAMB – Maybe” – Mark Wingfield and Maina Mwara, August 29, 2022

In order to meet the need for people to read the key documents in the legal case against NAMB for the rights of Baptist churches, organization, and ministers, along with the McRaneys, the following links are provided to key documents.  This list will be updating as things progress and time allows.  For additional study, you can review the website for other related evidence.

Legal Complaint – McRaney v NAMB Complaint 12.7.22

SCOTUS…

26- Petition only SCOTUS McRaney vs NAMB 2026 – Filed January 6, 2026

5th Circuit…

Doc 21-1 Appeal Brief filed by McRaney Oct 31 2023

Doc 30-2 Re Amicus Brief filed by 61 Baptist Leaders including Drs. Morris Chapman, & Rady Adams on behalf of Baptists

200+ Baptist Leader’s Publish Open Letter to SBC & NAMB Leaders 2024

Doc 145 – Dissenting Opinion for McRaney 5th Circuit 2025

Doc 145 – Revised Opinion 5th Circuit 2025 — full opinion – majority and dissenting

quote from page 33 “It is obviously sufficient to trigger the church autonomy doctrine that a higher ecclesial body made a decision that binds an inferior ecclesial body.

Question– Are SBC entities “higher ecclesial” bodies than “inferior” bodies such as State Baptist Conventions or Associations or local church bodies?  Does the SBC set doctrine for any of those bodies or control them?

Other Key Documents by Baptist Leaders & Court Filing Highlights

Court and Baptist Expert Witness Report by Dr. Barry Hankins  – Supporting Religious Liberty on behalf of current and historical Baptist people and positions

ERLC amicus brief to 5th Circuit for NAMB seeking En Banc containing false statements by Russell Moore regarding the SBC, State Conventions and Baptists.  Moore, with NAMB’s initiative and documented knowledge prior to the filing, talked about the SBC as a hierarchy and the SBC being an umbrella organization for Baptists and Baptist bodies, which is completely false and dangerous.

         Privilege Log – Evidence showing NAMB initiated and had advance copy of ERLC filing falsely claiming SBC was umbrella organization and Baptists bodies and SBC was a hierarchy– court required and submitted log of communications between Thomas Moore Society, ERLC and NAMB representatives

Court Filed Quotes and Claims by NAMB and ERLC to SBC EC – from US District Court, 5th Circuit and Supreme Court of the United States.  NAMB Trustee chairman Jonathan Jarboe and 2nd Vice Chairman Josh Reavis publicly opposed the motion for a study to be done on NAMB’s filings to the courts at the SBC annual meeting in 2024.  Was this the information Jarboe and Reavis are afraid to both own as NAMB trustees and afraid a SBC appointed study group would discover?

A Few Related Articles

NAMB Asserts a Partnership Establishes an Ecclesiastical Governance

NAMB claims its partnership agreement establishes an ‘ecclesiastical’ governance

Morris Chapman joins in amicus brief against NAMB

Morris Chapman joins 60 signers of court brief arguing against Kevin Ezell and NAMB

Breaking: Morris Chapman, Mike Stone, Randy Adams & over 50 Baptists sign amicus against NAMB

Why did over 60 Bapt local, state & nat. leaders w/ SBC statesman & 20 year President/CEO Morris Chapman file an Amicus Brief in the NAMB case?

What are these leaders seeking to do?  What are they saying?

Are NAMB’s false statements in their filings a threat & attack on all Baptists and put at risk hundreds of millions in Baptist mission gifts?  Short article in Baptist News. 

Baptist historian and expert case witness Dr. Barry Hankins wrote… (1)  “If NAMB’s interpretation of the First Amendment prevailed, every Baptist entity that cooperates in any way with the SBC would be put at risk.” Dr. Hankins also wrote, (2) “It is my opinion as a scholar of Church-State relations in the US that NAMB’s First Amendment defense in this case, if accepted by courts, would actually undermine religious liberty rather than safeguard it.”

Appeal made to US 5th Circuit Court of Appeals – Link is to key court filings by NAMB, ERLC and McRaney along with a few short articles on the case.

It’s Not Just ERLC that made foolish and false statements to the Courts: Read NAMB’s own words

Read for yourself to discover what NAMB and ERLC wrote the courts and that will allow you to determine if they made statements that are false, intentionally deceptive, and put all Baptists for generations to come at risk.

Filed Quotes and Claims by NAMB and ERLC –  Read their own words

Select Summary Statements by NAMB and ERLC  –  Read several key statements, and then answer an obvious question around that NAMB or ERLC statement.

What will the SBC Executive Committee and NAMB Trustees do?  Neither group can claim they are blindsided.  The documents are public and both groups have fiduciary duties to all Baptist bodies, leaders and givers.

What will State Baptist Convention leaders, Associational leaders, and leaders of churches say and do?  Will they raise their voices and demand change at NAMB?

NAMB’s reply brief is due about November 30.  Will they intentionally deceive the courts again?  Will others file an amicus brief?  We will see.

One Baptist pastor stated that Baptist churches have been funding Goliath, and then asked, when will Baptist shift and begin funding David.  If you would like to consider financially supporting the defense of Baptist values and autonomy along with the First Amendment, you can contact me directly or give through this GoFundMe account for that purpose.

PS – On unrelated matter except as to veracity of NAMB President who was named in a fraud case in Sept. 2023.  One article on the case “Lawsuit Accuses NAMB President Kevin Ezell of Lying to Get Higher Price on Home“.

5th Circuit Matters in Process: McRaney v. NAMB

Related Quotes

Baptist Historian and court expert Dr. Barry Hankins of Baylor University

Related Court Documents

• Doc 21-1 Appeal Brief McRaney Oct 31 2023
  • Doc 21-2 Appeal Brief Record Excerpts McRaney Oct 31 2023
• Doc 24 Amicus Brief Current and Former Baptist Leaders
• Doc. 191 – Plaintiff’s Supplemental Pleading – FILED 12.7.22 – Operating Complaint

Summary of Key Statements by NAMB and ERLC to federal courts: docs provided to most current SBC Executive Committee members

• Filed Quotes and Claims by NAMB and ERLC to Federal Courts by behalf of Baptists
• Select Summary Statements by NAMB and ERLC with related questions

Related Articles

Baptist New Global – Morris Chapman joins 60 Signers of Court Brief Arguing against Kevin Ezell and NAMB

Baptist News Global  – Coalition of Baptist Leaders will File Amicus Brief Challenging NAMBs View of First Amendment

Capstone Report –  Join an Amicus Brief to Stop the Life of SBC Elites

Baptist Press – McRaney Files Appeal with Fifth Circuit

Video by Dr. Randy Adams – Executive Director of the Northwest Baptist Convention

NAMB Key Filings: District Court, US 5th Circuit Court of Appeals, & US Supreme Court

• NAMB court filing 11.2.18 Defenses Select Marking
• Doc 198 – NAMB’s Defense Answer to Supplemental Pleading
• NAMB Defendant’s Brief 5th Circuit
• NAMB Petition to SCOTUS
• NAMB Final Response to Opposition Brief SCOTUS

ERLC Key Filings:  US 5th Circuit Court of Appeals, & US Supreme Court

• ERLC amicus brief for NAMB Ezell En Banc marked
• 008 ERLC Correction Amicus Brief 5th Circuit filing re NAMB
• ERLC Muslim Mormons brief SCOTUS 20-1158ac NAMB select marked

Related Articles:

Breaking: NAMB Saw False ERLC Brief Before It was Filed with 5th Circuit

Court Filings June 1, 2023

Doc 272 – McRaney Response to NAMB Motion for Summary Judgment

Doc 273 McRaney Response in Opposition to NAMB’s Motion for Summary Judgment

Doc 272-8 NAMB, ERLS, TMS Communications Privilege Log

Doc 274 Plaintiffs Objection to NAMB’s Undisputed Facts [263] from NAMB’s MOTION for Summary Judgment

Related Exhibits from McRaney Response to NAMB’s motion for Summary Judgment

Doc 272 List of Exhibits Oppose Summary Judgement

272-1 Affidavit Declaration of Scott Gant

272-2 H NAMB’s Carlos Ferrer Depo Excerpts

272-3 I NAMB’s Steve Davis Depo Excerpts

272-4 J NAMB Trustee Danny de Armas Depo Exerpts

272-5 K NAMB’s Kevin Ezell Depo Exerpts

272-6 L Former NAMB  Bill Barker Depo Exerpts

272-7 M Danny Wood Depo Exerpts

272-8 N NAMB 30(b)(6) Transcript Kevin Ezell

272-9 O NAMB’s Tom Wigginton Depo Exerpts

272-10 P Sandy McRaney Depo Exerpts

272-11 Q Rob Paul Depo Exerpts

272-12 R Clint Scott Delaration

272-13 S Steve Wolverton Declaration

272-14 T Rick Wheeler Declaration

272-15 U Joel Breidenbaugh Declaration

272-16 V Plaintiff Interrogatory Responses

272-17 W Plaintiff Third Set of RFPs

272-18 X Discovery Documents

272

McRaney Motion for Summary Judgment on NAMB’s Claim to be a “Supporting Organization”

Doc 266 McRaney Motion Partial Summary Judgment on NAMB’s claim of Supporting Organization

Doc 265 Exhibits by McRaney on motion Supporting Organization

265

265-1 Affidavit Declaration of Scott Gant

265-2 Exhibit A NAMB’s Response to 2nd Set Interrogatories

265-3 Exhibit B Excerpts NAMB Kevin Ezell 30(b)(6) Depo Transcript

265-4 Exhibit C Excerpts NAMB Carlos Ferrer Depo Transcript

265-5 Exhibit D Excerpts from NAMB Steve Davis Depo Transcript

265-6 Exhibit E Exhibits 30 & 31 from NAMB Mike Ebert Depos

265-7 Exhibit F Excerpts from BCMD Bill Warren Depo

265-8 Exhibit G Excerpts from de Armas Depo Transcript

All court documents available in federal court Pacer system  –

• set up a free account
• log in to Pacer system
• Court to review – Northern District of Mississippi under US District Courts
• Select/Click on Norther District of Mississippi – Document Filing System
• Select Query
• Look for case under either Will McRaney or North American Mission Board or case number from document above and select Run Query
• Select an area such as History/Documents
• Select from newest or select from oldest

Baptist News:

• McRaney Trial Finally gets a Date and NAMB is Compelled to Expand the Scope of Its Documentation
• Six Years Later Will McRaney Might get His Day in Court Against NAMB Maybe

Baptist Message:

• McRaney v. NAMB: Newly Released Materials Appear to Show Intent to Harm
• Key Documents Filed in McRaney v. NAMB

Below are new court documents and articles on our case.

Judge’s Order – Doc 190 Order on Motion to Compel

Amended Complaint – Doc. 191 – Plaintiff’s Supplemental Pleading – FILED 12.7.22

Published Articles on 12.9.22

“McRaney trial finally gets a date, and NAMB is compelled to expand the scope of its documentation” – Baptist News

“NAMB corrects false legal filing; it is still misleading” – Capstone Report

“SBC CP giving crashed in November” – Capstone Report

GoFundMe “Help the McRaneys Fight for Religious Liberty“

Doc. 155 – Memo in Support of  Motion to Compel NAMB

Doc. 154 – Motion to Compel NAMB Production

Doc 153 NAMB petitions the court to add attorney

October 26, 2022 filings – Amended Complaint and related documents 

Doc. 148-1 – Amended Complaint against NAMB – actual 13 page amended complaint

Doc. 148-2 – Correspondence with Defendant’s Counsel and NAMB

Doc. 149 – Memo ISO Motion for Leave to Amend Complaint – Memo in support of McRaney’s request to amend complaint

Select recent court filings FYI…

NAMB’s filing for partial summary judgement – (see PACER electronic filing system)

Doc 86 McRaney response to NAMB’s request for partial summary judgement

Doc. 85-1 CPA Expert Report on Supporting Organization

Doc. 134 – Economist Expert Wage Damage Report

Doc. 133 – Religion Baptist History Expert Report

Doc. 136 – McRaney Response to NAMB Motion to Reconsider and Vacate

Related news articles on above docs

McRaney v. NAMB: Newly Released Materials Appear to Show Intent to Harm  – Louisiana Baptist Message

NAMB Engaged in ‘Egregious Misconduct’ Court Filing Claims   Capstone Report

“Will NAMB cost the SBC tens or hundreds of millions of dollars?” Capstone Report

“Expert: NAMB threatens religious liberty of every Southern Baptist” Capstone Report

“Separate filings accuse two SBC agencies of misleading courts to delay trial and avoid scrutiny” Baptist News Global

“Key Document filed in McRaney v. NAMB” Baptist Message (LA paper)

SHINE THE LIGHT, VOTE for motions seeking to bring light into NAMB and SBC entities with forensic and investigative audits.  This is good for the sacrificial givers to Cooperative Program (CP) and Annie Armstrong Easter Offering (AAEO).  This is good for the entity, organization that is seeking to do right and steward well.  AND, it is good for righteous operating Presidents and CFOs.  It is only bad for entity leaders who are seeking to keep wrong doings uncovered.  Naysayers may be people and ministry leaders who are on the receiving end of gifts, favors and payoffs for protecting of failed results and/or bad behaviors.

SHINE THE LIGHT on NAMB and the entire SBC.  It is your money.  It is all private donations for missions efforts from you, others like you and Baptist churches.

So many reasons to vote for more LIGHT and so very many questionable uses with your mission gifts.  NAMB assets increased $54 million in 2021.  Dismantled and now disgraced national evangelism staff.  Dismantled partnerships with State Conventions for joint evangelism staff to serve your Association and the churches in your Association.  Defunded Associations outside of the south (remember 2011-2014?).  Defunded vocational evangelists and local evangelistic efforts.  WHILE baptisms at 100 year lows and down over 150,000/yr. not just 2020 CoVid year, but also in 2021.  Baptisms numbers have CRASHED, like the number of SBC/NAMB church planting starts.

Houses & luxury homes for friends of NAMB leaders, $175,000 cashier’s grants to planters, VP giving his church large money, VP Hunt … so many potential conflicts of interests, special loan terms for friends, so many questions & possible payoffs, CP & AAEO put into home & loans that are then sold and put into over $250 million in reserves, violations of SBC rules & NAMB rules, direct fundraising from churches, over $600,000 lobbying US Congress, failed evangelism strategies, failed church planting strategies, failed partnerships, failed financial stewardship and so much more.  SHINE THE LIGHT.

See what an investigative forensic audit can find when James MacDonald and Harvest Bible were investigated.  Report from Investigative Forensic Audit of Harvest Bible & James MacDonald.  You will see what can be found upon further review.  Remember Enron and their normal accountant Arthur Andersen?  Disappeared!  Can’t find these one time powerhouse partners.

VOTE to SHINE THE LIGHT with motions at the SBC this week!

In 2019, the NAMB Trustees, including SBC 2022 Presidential Nominee Willy Rice along with Pastor Grant Gaines of Tennessee, received the following letter below regarding the actions of NAMB President Kevin Ezell and his NAMB PR Director Mike Ebert.  Also in 2019, 150 Baptist journalists of the Baptist Communicator Association were informed of the threat Ebert made against Hannigan.  Interestingly,  Ebert was the President of  BCA at that time  and its own code of ethics prohibit the very actions he took to protect Ezell.  Read below to know more in relation to 2003 when Ezell took clergy penitent privilege after civil authorities questioned him in a child molestation case.  Note:   The abuser was found guilty of 10 sexual abuse felonies against 7 boys.  Still another 150 Baptist national leaders including the NAMB Trustees and the SBC President, SBC EC President/CEO, the SBC Executive Committee members and several State Baptist Executive Directors were also informed.  COMPLICITY BY SILENCE THEN,….yet  WHAT NOW SAY RICE, GAINES, and ALL the NAMB TRUSTEES?

Who was Protected by the Threat?  Ezell, Mohler, Akin, Scroggins, Moore, others?

Why did Ezell direct or allow Ebert to threaten Mrs. Hannigan, herself a sexual abuse survivor?  Maybe it was became he was protecting not only himself, but other Highview Baptist leaders.  Among the leaders at Highview at the time were Southern Baptist Theological Seminary President Al Mohler, current Southeastern Theological Seminary President Danny Akin, SBTS Dean and later LifeWay President Tom Rainer, current Family Church Pastor and LifeWay Trustee Chairman Jimmy Scroggins (remember the $1 million gift to Rainer that Scroggins solely authorized?), SBTS Dean and former SBC Ethics and Religious Liberty President Russell Moore.  Was Ezell protecting himself and others when he misused the SBC trust, financial resources, and positional power to threaten Hannigan for just personal reasons or was he also covering for one or more of these men?  What did Mohler, Akin, Rainer, Scroggins, and Moore know about the claims of abuse by Maggard?  What was known in 1996 when Maggard mysteriously disappeared from his post as Principal of Highview School at virtually the same time Highview hired Ezell to be their pastor and how many of the above listed people knew about the situation?

What Now Rice, Gaines & Trustees?

What will Willy Rice now do as the NAMB Trustee Vice Chairman, member since June 2018?  What will Grant Gaines do as a NAMB Trustee since June 2019?  Will the NAMB Trustee body do their fiduciary duties for SBC and moral duty to Mrs. Hannigan  to discipline Ezell and Ebert AND make restitution to Mrs. Joni Hannigan?  The record is clear and documents available, so will there be justice? OR will this continue to be The Only Sexual Abuse Case NO ONE is allow to talk or write about?

—————————————————-

Now made public… Letter emailed to NAMB Trustees in Nov. 2019  

Let me get straight to the point.  Kevin Ezell’s unfounded threat through Mike Ebert in June 2018 of a libel lawsuit against female Baptist journalists Joni Hannigan was cowardly, deplorable and deserves an immediate personal apology, restitution and discipline of Ezell and Ebert.  Frankly, termination for Ezell’s punk, bullying behavior is in order for his silence inducing threat against a sexual abuse survivor.   Mrs. Hannigan’s offense was to publish what Ezell wanted to remain hidden in a child molestation case of 7 boys while he was the Pastor at Highview. (acts prior to his arrival)  He ashamedly misused the power and resources of NAMB and the trust of his position to further damage a former journalist trying to reengage in writing.  ABUSE of POWER, POSITION and TRUST!  Maybe it was because 5 other SBC entity heads were members of Highview and connected to SBTS.

Both Ezell and Ebert know that Mrs. Hannigan wrote straight-line truth in her 5 sentences on Ezell’s invoking clergy penitent privilege in a child molestation case in KY.  Her facts were from public information available through Louisville newspapers and legal filings.  Hannigan’s 5 sentences on Ezell were buried in a some 3,000 word article on the SBC Resolution on Reporting Sexual Abuse and MeToo.  She wrote this story less than a month after publishing her own sexual abuse by a deacon of a church cooperating with the SBC.  Within 4 hours of Hannigan’s publishing the article, Ebert sent his threatening text message. (see below)

The message sent to Mrs. Hannigan and all other journalists was LOUD and CLEAR, you will be punished professionally and threatened with a lawsuit if you publish what Ezell wants to remain hidden.  Sadly, Ezell’s threat not only worked temporarily against Mrs. Hannigan, but is still impacting other journalists today.  Mrs. Hannigan published the threat on her website some 8 months later, entitled ‘Kevin’ Ezell’s warning threatening to sue me for libel after my SBC story.

The attorneys representing your insurance company and the NAMB Trustees have demonstrated little regard for truth and demonstrated a win at the cost of justice or regard for the damages their lying defense claims by bring to the SBC.  These false claims by attorneys are under your fiduciary watch.

In spite of NAMB Trustees remaining publicly SILENT on false claims to federal courts, several journalists have recently chosen to speak to the issues.  Several notable articles have been published recently with notable repostings by Robert Downen of Houston Chronicle and former SBC CEO Morris Chapman.  (Links Below)

You have fiduciary duties to speak into these legal and financial threats, along with false claims filed by NAMB VP Carlos Ferrer via his affidavit.  You have a duty to demand Ezell obey Mt. 18 and also give an account for his actions under cross examination in keeping with Prov. 18:17.  Sounds like a broken record, but God’s Word is to be obeyed as we seek resolution inside or outside fo the courts.

If the NAMB Trustees and the EC ignore justice and willfully remains silent in the face of the false representation to the courts by attorneys, the SBC deserves whatever the legal fallout that may come as well, the loss of trust in the NAMB Trustees and SBC partnership.  If you let Ezell and Ebert threaten a female journalist for telling the truth and not seek to make things right with Mrs. Hannigan, you should remove yourself from your fiduciary responsibilities in service to Southern Baptists.

I am praying you act, lest you become complicit in Ezell’s behaviors and the false claims of your attorneys.  But if choose to remain silent, God still will not be mocked and what has been done in darkness will come into the light.

Will McRaney

• “Southern Baptist polity on trial in lawsuit appeal” – Bob Allen, Baptist News – former BP and ABP writer
• “Former state exec says arguments by NAMB attorneys increase SBC’s risk of liability for sexual abuse”  – Bob Allen, Baptist News – former BP and ABP writer
• “Concerns circulate that NAMB’s lawsuit response erodes historic SBC doctrine” – Will Hall LA Baptist Message and former SBC EC VP for Communications
• “Will McRaney ‘s Attorney Strikes at the *Achille’s Heel* of the Southern Baptist Convention: The Autonomy of Local Churches and State Associations“ – Dee Parsons of Wartburg Watch
• “North American Mission Board Perjures Itself to Win in Court” – April 2019  –  Pulpit and Pen

** Note:  This letter was before NAMB lost twice in 5th Circuit Court of Appeals and the US Supreme Court denied NAMB’s request to be heard by the court.