Greear & Other Trustees Disqualified Themselves: Replaced by SBC Exec Committee?

The SBC governing documents declare that you are the executive entity of the SBC and are to act on behalf of the SBC between annual meetings.  The SBC may have never been in more peril than it is today.  Dismantled partnerships with State Conventions and Associations and churches, failed strategies, failed character, destroyed trust from multiple entities of the SBC, violations of US laws, lying to US federal justices, damaging violations of SBC governing documents by SBC entity leaders and Trustees, failed Trustee oversight, and rogue behaviors by several entity leaders and entity Trustees.  NW Exec. Dir. Dr. Randy Adams wrote a summary in the most statesman article written in at least 10 years.  Join the over 3,000 people to have read it.

Your EC officers and Floyd heard about Ezell directly from 12 State Executive Directors, yet nothing to date to show for it except Ezell is continuing to give away SBC mission funds to buy protection and silence.  Additionally, statistics, state papers, bloggers, the courts and communications from me and others are speaking truth clearly.  Rogue leadership has the SBC in CRISIS in seen ways and unseen apathy.  SBC faithful and concerned are watching celebrity leaders destroy the inherited SBC cooperative trust, spirit and mission.  The information is readily available to you as it is to others.

You are the last line of defense, have fiduciary duties to SBC messengers and partners and the power to act much beyond what you have done so to date.  From the communications of the ERLC and the NAMB Trustee officers and their actions, they have basically told you as the SBC Executive entity and the SBC people to “KISS OFF”.

The SBC and its entities are off the rails before God, the courts, and SBC partners & givers.  Today, I bring you just one of the many ways.  You are the only group with the assignment and power to act when Trustees and heads of SBC entities fail to follow the rules.  If the SBC leaders cannot be forced into the following their own and SBC governing documents, why would anyone or any church or partner want to work with or contribute to the SBC cooperative mission?

Based on the facts and based on the violations of SBC requirements for Trustees, I am requesting you replace at least the following SBC Trustees in keeping with the SBC Constitution Bylaw Article 15(F), 15(E) and (16) and SBC Constitution Article V Officers 3:  President JD Greear, LifeWay Trustee Jimmy Scroggins, and NAMB Trustee Officers Danny deArmas (Chairman), Eric Thomas (1^st Vice Chair) and Willy Rice (2^nd Vice Chair).  Of course, you can and should review the facts yourselves.  To help, I have provided relevant information below for your review and I have more evidence.

These leaders have violated SBC governing documents and as such article (15(F) states  “When such conditions become applicable, that person or that person’s spouse shall be considered as having resigned and such vacancy shall be filled in accordance with established Convention procedure.”  That is PAST tense and takes no action to remove.  Your job is to see they are replaced, ie – call 1st VP SBC President and inform him that he is NOW the SBC President & likewise for 2nd VP.  Then call Greear, Scroggins and the 3 NAMB Trustee officers to inquire and then inform they are no longer Trustees.  Your duty and assignments are clear according to SBC governing documents and are not up for debate or vote or delay.  Inexcusably, it took 150 days to get compliance from Floyd and EC leaders on the salary structure.

Please act in your fiduciary obligations to the SBC with courteous righteousness and without being a respecter of persons or delay.  Sadly, recently the boards of Bill Hybels, James MacDonald, Ravi Zacharias, Jerry Falwell Jr and others failed to act.  Don’t let that be you.  Revelations are likely to continue but regardless, you have duties.  This is no time for weak or failed leadership from the SBC EC.
Will McRaney

SBC Constitution speaks to requirements for anyone to serve as a Trustee

• SBC rule / requirement for Trustees
  • SBC Constitution Bylaw 15(F) – “No person and no person’s spouse shall be eligible to serve on the board of any one of the above entities (1) from which the person receives, directly or indirectly, any form of payment or financial benefit except for reimbursements for reasonable and authorized expenses incurred in the performance of the duties of a trustee, or, (2) which provides funds for which he/she has a duty of administration. When such conditions become applicable, that person or that person’s spouse shall be considered as having resigned and such vacancy shall be filled in accordance with established Convention procedure.”
  • SBC Constitution Bylaw 15(E) – “The committee shall recognize the principle that the persons it recommends shall represent the constituency of the Convention, rather than the staff of the entity.”
  • SBC Constitution Bylaw (16) – “Vacancies on Boards: All entities shall report all vacancies on the entities to the Committee on Nominations immediately on the occurrence of such vacancies. Any entity’s board may make interim appointments only when authorized by its charter. Any such appointment shall only be of a person who is eligible and qualified both to be elected by the Convention and to serve according to the Constitution and Bylaws of the Southern Baptist Convention.”
  • SBC Constitution Article V. Officers 3.  “The president shall be a member of the several boards and of the Executive Committee.”

Several seated current Trustees are in violation of the above Constitution Article and Bylaws.  Therefore, you must see them replaced in keeping with SBC governing procedures.  This includes JD Greear being replaced as SBC President since he has a dual role as a Trustee of all the SBC boards/entities. 

• Jimmy Scroggins – LifeWay
  • Scroggins had books published by LifeWay in at least 2016 (ISBN – 1462747841), 2020 (ISBN – 1535998822 & ISBN 1535998830), 2021 (ISBN – 1087713447).  We do not yet know the terms of the contracts, but one can assume there was compensation to Scroggins by LifeWay (Rainer), which is a direct benefit as well as publicity which is indirect benefit.
  • Combining the facts of his sole authorization of payment to Thom Rainer and the SBC Constitution & Bylaws, Scroggins was actually not a legitimate Trustee of LifeWay when he made the gift of $1 million to Rainer.  Rainer knew or is responsible to know that Scroggins was not a LifeWay Trustee because of 15(F) when he took the payment.  This fact and his position could bring a criminal investigation.  The Constitution appears to be seeking to prevent exactly what happened, but likely never imagined it would involve such large money nor that other (legitimate) Trustees would not be involved in the decision making.
• NAMB Trustee Officers – the three officers claimed in writing that their churches were benefiting from NAMB in undescribed ways.  The ways could include money for plants connected to those churches (re: published letter by the 3 officers) and/or money for speaking engagements or representing NAMB or some other contract.
  • Danny deArmas Chairman – NAMB – possible money for FBC Orlando plant/planter Ben Mandrell and Storyline Fellowship in Arvada, CO (personal knowledge) and any other benefits by deArmas or FBC Orlando by NAMB/Ezell.  If benefits received, that would be a violation of 15(F).
  • Eric Thomas First Vice Chairman – NAMB – FBC Norfolk is involved in church plants and partnerships (website).  Did any of these church plants or FBC Norfolk receiving any money from NAMB?  If so, that would be a violation of 15(F).  We want Trustees involved in planting, but the govern documents prohibit their receiving benefits directly or indirectly.  (If NAMB/Ezell were partnering through State Conventions as they have historically, this would not have occurred.
  • Willy Rice Second Vice Chairman – NAMB
    • Speaking engagements for NAMB training events which is an indirect benefit and possible payment for those events which would be a direct benefit  (published info)
    • Calvary Baptist in Clearwater has been engaged with church plants such as plant in partnership in Denver.  If SBC/NAMB money was given to the plant, another church plant or Calvary, that would be a violation of 15(F).
    • Calvary is NAMB Residency Program – (website) – if there is money going to Calvary for the program or people, that is a violation of 15(F)
• JD Greear – SBC President
  • Book giveaways by NAMB of Greear’s book.
  • NAMB owned houses under Summit/Greear control supposedly for planters.  Regardless of whether the house is occupied by planters or Summit staff, this is a benefit for ministry that falls under Greear’s administration.
  • Possible payment to Greear directly or indirectly by NAMB/Ezell for “Who’s Your One?” which is being used by and promoted by NAMB.
  • Possible speaking fees to Greear paid by NAMB, like Ezell paid David Platt and now has with agreements others.
  • Possible payment or gifts by NAMB for work done for NAMB as an Ambassador or representative for NAMB Send Network and/or Send Relief.  Greear and/or his staff.
  • NAMB website lists Summit Church as a NAMB Residency Program for planters. (website)  Is there any NAMB money going to that Residency Program or those involved?
  • Vertical Church Planting Network with James MacDonald, Ed Stetzer and JD Greear.  After MacDonald public troubles, now the network is called Summit Collaborative.  Is NAMB money going to the Summit Collaborative or planters from that Network?  ?? Summit Network   https://summitcollaborative.org/meet/ – 5 planters listed
    • Major Cities – 4
    • College Towns for Planting – 4

* more specific details available on properties and speaking and book deals

The SBC Executive Committee cannot allow agencies to operate as rogue SBC entities.

PDF Link of Trustee violations – https://willmcraney.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/SBC-Trustees-Violate-Requirements-SBC-EC-Must-Replace.pdf