What many SBC leaders said would never happen, is now inside the halls of the US Supreme Court and yet the NAMB Trustees have not demanded public answers from Ezell. The SBC via an entity is now inside the SCOTUS after two defeats in the 5th Circuit Court of Appeals in spite of the efforts to deceive the courts. In light of the unthinkable threats to partnership with churches and other partners and the false claims of NAMB and ERLC to the US courts (District, Appellant, and Supreme), the SBC Executive Committee must address these matters in your meetings on Feb. 22-23 or a special called meeting.
Likely you know of the dangerous and trust destroying lies of the ERLC/Moore to further deceive the courts in their amicus brief. These were stacked on top of NAMB/Ezell’s previous false legal claims and filings of being a “Supporting Organization” with “absolute rights” and “absolute privileges“. If true, this would undercut autonomy and legal protections in legal claims against the SBC. I was told this week by an attorney that attorneys he knows are “foaming at the mouth” over the NAMB and ERLC claims.
Now, NAMB has presented two questions to the SCOTUS…
“1. Whether a secular court can, consistent with the First Amendment’s Religion Clauses, adjudicate a minister’s employment-related state law tort claims against a religious organization using neutral principles of tort law.”
“2. Whether the First Amendment precludes the adjudication of a minister’s employment-related state law tort claims only when brought against the legal entity that was the minister’s employer.”
NAMB is seeking to confuse these matters AND you may have been told these are state law issues. That is not what before SCOTUS. NAMB’s claim relates to wanting First Amendment privileges and protections afforded to employers over ministers and organizations who are not their own. NAMB is seeking to extend rights over all SBC partners, including State Conventions, Associations, churches and yes, likely the SBC Executive Committee. You can ask Jim Guenther and others about the dangers should NAMB prevails in its efforts to deceive the SCOTUS to keep Ezell from facing justice and coming under the laws of the land.
My summary take after careful reading and talking with several attorneys and reading all the previous filings…
1. I did not file a claim against my employer, Baptist Convention of Maryland/Delaware, over these matters. NAMB is seeking to avoid tort law violations under First Amendment protections, even though NAMB is not my employer nor are SBC voluntary partners. Partners are not tied together by the “SBC Church”, which does not exist according to SBC EC filings on Feb. 11, 2020 in VA lawsuit against SBC. Can you imagine the open doors for liabilities and violations of law if no religious organization can be held accountable for defamation, threats, bribes, payoffs and the like? These problems would extend beyond the SBC to other religious organizations and maybe religious like Islam.
2. NAMB wants the protections afforded to religious organizations with their own employees, which they already have, extended to have rights over ministers who DON’T work for them but in other religious organizations. They want protection from legal liabilities from defaming and tortious interference EVEN AMONG MINISTERS THEY DON’T EMPLOY. This too can extend beyond the SBC.
As a reminder when you get pushback or someone says there is nothing the EC can do, the EC acts on behalf of the SBC when it is not in session and if you don’t act in the numerous ways to maintain the integrity of the SBC, including THEIR entities, who will? This is your highest fiduciary duty as the Executive entity of the SBC.
I will be in and around your meetings the next two days. I would be pleased to engage with you if you have questions or concerns.
Will McRaney
[email protected]
NAMB’s Petition to SCOTUS
Will and Sandy McRaney on Facebook Live about NAMB’s petition
Article on NAMB’ Petition – Capstone Report
Article on NAMB Funding a Plant with Its Own Brewery- Capstone Report
Article on NAMB Scrubbing Evidence from their website – Capstone Report
Capstone has other reports on NAMB largely funded plants with women pastors and NAMB funding Assessors and Trainers who are communicating in ways to undercut the BF&M. According to NAMB employee’s doc, NAMB DOES NOT require those trainers to sign and abide by the NAMB Code of Conduct.