To the Executive Committee of the Southern Baptist Convention:

As Southern Baptist pastors and leaders from North Carolina, we unequivocally support the collective work of the churches in the Southern Baptist Convention as expressed in our financial support of the initiatives and institutions funded through Cooperative Program giving. Furthermore, we resolutely stand behind the voice of the overwhelming majority of messengers at the 2021 Southern Baptist Convention in Nashville who called for a thorough, transparent, and independent investigation into the Executive Committee regarding its handling of sexual abuse allegations.

In order to fulfill the will of the messengers as directed, we implore the Executive Committee to comply with the best standards and practices as recommended by the commissioned third party, including but not limited to waiving attorney-client privilege in order to ensure full access to information and accuracy in the review. While we desire to assume the best of our brothers and sisters in Christ, each day this step is delayed erodes trust among us. More importantly, the survivors of sexual abuse are waiting for their brothers and sisters to act in a way that not only honors Christ but also demonstrates love for them by doing what is right. 

For these reasons, we stand behind Bruce Frank’s leadership and believe that the Sexual Abuse Task Force should have complete access to all records and information in order to conduct a full and effective investigation, as demanded by the messengers at the 2021 Southern Baptist Convention. 

We disagree with the Executive Committee member who erroneously stated that 15,000 messengers cannot direct the Executive Committee. In fact, it is historically unprecedented for the Executive Committee to reject the expressed will of the messengers. The only appropriate course of action is to follow the directive of the Convention as expressed in the votes of the messengers. In this case, it is not only appropriate in light of our polity, but it is also the only morally acceptable course of action. 

Therefore, we strongly petition that the Executive Committee staff and trustees abide by the stated will of the messengers. Refusal to comply with the will of the messengers will threaten the unity, identity, and polity of our Convention of churches and continue to harm our public witness.