Maybe I wasn't at the same May TBC meeting that everyone else went to at Two Rivers Baptist Church, but I distinctly remember much being said about legal action against Belmont being a last resort. If what I hear is true about the minimal amount of contact by Clay Austin and the committee of 14 with the university, I believe there are some accountability questions than need to be answered. Mocking the convention's intentions by not actively engaging the university represents a gross failure of TBC leadership, in my opinion. Please prove me wrong. Soon.
To my TBC attorney friends (and I have known Tad Harris since he was a teenager), just who do you think you are suing? If you draw blood from Belmont (financially speaking) have you even thought about who you will be hurting? You may not like Bob Fisher, but he isn't going to write you a check for 50+ million dollars. If the track record of litigation against other Baptist colleges is a barometer, he may be retirement age before this is settled. If you think the trustees will write that check, just remember: you vacated their positions several months ago without ever bringing their original proposal for a new covenant to the convention. Do you really expect a board full of Baptist pastors and Christian lay people to write that check? You think the students will pay this bill...some 25% who happen to be Baptists? Would you like for me to pay this? Just so we are clear on that question: the monies that I gave personally to the cooperative program that ended up at Belmont were intended to be a GIFT. I do not take gifts back and I will not pay the TBC back money that I already gave the TBC to give to Belmont!
To my Belmont University friends responsible for negotiating this situation. I commend you for bringing forth THE document that now is forcing you into legal action (I still think the question is worth asking of our TBC stewards, "Where is your copy of such a critical document?") There are a few things in the way this issue reached a boiling point that make me wonder if the new generation of Belmont leadership learned as much as they needed from their esteemed Baptist statesman and Chancelor, Dr. Gabhart. I have heard the timeline regarding the submission of the new charter...say what you will, but filing that document without letting the people (not just the leaders) of the Tennessee Baptist Convention know of your intentions looks like spite. The university's leadership should accept their share of the responsibility for turning this situation into a crisis. The many good things you have done will be forgotten if this crisis ends up adversely affecting the students, staff, faculty, alumni, and community. You may be legally right, and you may not like the TBC leadership, but your institution is supported by individuals (including Baptists) who have higher expectations of their university leaders. I beg you at this juncture to negotiate in good faith with your TBC brothers. Demonstrate that you are not spiteful men playing chess with the future of the university.
Taking notes from how some of our "less-than-cooperative" churches give to the TBC, should this action move into litigation: I am fully prepared to go to my church and recommend that all future cooperative program funds going to the Tennessee Baptist Convention be designated exclusively for the missions and ministries of the convention, and that NO monies sent by our church are to be used to support the litigation against Belmont University... consider it my personal campaign to encourage the two sides to settle this "amicably".
Finally, I am disgusted that the TBC is already recommending that three quarters of a million dollars be diverted from missions and ministries
This is my first blog post, ever. I hate that it was on this topic. I have loved being a Baptist for over sixty years now and would prefer that we were celebrating victories over evil in the world than wasting precious time distracted from His kingdom's work. Thanks to friends who helped me tone down my first, angry draft.
6 comments:
I am a Belmont student, and I whole-heartedly agree with your sentiments. Please consider submitting a form of this to the editor of the Tennessean and the City Paper.
I am a Belmont alum and thank you for writing this - I agree with Matt's suggestion that you voice this even more publicly. It is, as you said, very important to look at both sides of the situation - I must admit my own bias towards the university that I love and believe deeply in leads me to anger and frustration. It is nice to see commentary that is balanced and yet still proactive...
Thank you. I am a Belmont student and a Christian, and I really appreciate that you are not just quietly and blindly agreeing with the actions of the organization that you belong to. We are all part of the body of Christ and it's a shame that pride and greed has caused both sides to take this issue to court. I pray that these actions do not turn away too many nonbelievers.
1 Corinthians 6:1-8
"1If any of you has a dispute with another, dare he take it before the ungodly for judgment instead of before the saints? 2Do you not know that the saints will judge the world? And if you are to judge the world, are you not competent to judge trivial cases? 3Do you not know that we will judge angels? How much more the things of this life! 4Therefore, if you have disputes about such matters, appoint as judges even men of little account in the church![a] 5I say this to shame you. Is it possible that there is nobody among you wise enough to judge a dispute between believers? 6But instead, one brother goes to law against another—and this in front of unbelievers!
7The very fact that you have lawsuits among you means you have been completely defeated already. Why not rather be wronged? Why not rather be cheated? 8Instead, you yourselves cheat and do wrong, and you do this to your brothers."
matt, kristine, allison,
Thank you for adding your comments. Let's hope and pray for the best outcome for all involved, in spite of the damage that has already been done.
Great post, also great blog. Belmont student here as well. Perhaps you heard about the protest by Belmont students at the TBC that took place today. Here is a recap by another student:
http://superkev.net/blog/index.php/2006/10/10/im-not-jesus/
As I stated in my other comment on a different blog post of yours, thank you. Have you considered sending any of these to the Tennessean for opinion republication?
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