by Rod D. Martin
September 23, 2021

I was one of the large majority of SBC Executive Committee members who voted for the motion asking for further contract discussions over the next several days. I have a lot to say about that, but for now, this is the essence.

First, all of us (so far as I can tell) support the investigation, as we supported the one announced by Ronnie Floyd before the Annual Meeting. That was not the issue. Moreover, Guidepost suggested an estimated cost of up to $1.6 million. We fully funded the high end of that.

Second, the motion we voted for was introduced by a most impressive new member, Melissa Carlisle Golden, a licensed professional counselor nominated to the EC by JD Greear’s Nominating Committee. We supported her motion instead of the EC officers’ motion.

Third, our issue was not with the motion voted on by the messengers but with its implementation, and specifically the details of the proposed Guidepost contract. That is a long and complicated discussion, but here’s the essence of it.

The contract has several issues, some that are very technical in nature, some that go beyond the scope of the motion on which the messengers voted. Moreover, most (if not all) of us only had it a few days before the meeting, with no legal advice/explanation until Monday.

Under those circumstances, the broad majority of members thought it wise to get the EC officers, task force and Guidepost together to hash this out before making an irrevocable decision on a complex contract few understood, one that was far longer than the original motion.

It is 100% true that the messengers expressed their will in the motion, but the contract is not the motion.

It is also true that the motion does not repeal our fiduciary duty. We must take care not to harm the messengers’ interests while carrying out their will.

This is why the vast majority of EC members, new and old, voted for Melissa’s motion. None of us want this to drag any longer. But none of us want to do more harm that can’t be undone.

There’s been quite enough of that already.

I have a great deal more to say about the details of this, but I think this gives you the crux of it. And I do have confidence that a satisfactory conclusion will be reached, expeditiously. It absolutely must be, for the good of the survivors and of the SBC.

— For the Good of the Survivors and of the SBC originally appeared as a Facebook post by Rod D. Martin.