A Call for Repentence and Public Apology

When we get to Greensboro in June there should be an outcry for a public apology from the IMB BOT for the hurtful way they have treated Dr. Burleson, his wife and children. Mr. Hatley and Mr. Corebaley besmurched and berated Dr Burelson's character as if he constituted less then the personhood of the image of God which he is.

Dr. Burleson stood for up for Dr. Rankin when obviously no one else would.
The IMB BOT also owes Dr. Burleson's church an apology for they have surely laid hands on God's annointed.

The IMB BOT owes the SBC an apology for they have truly treated us as if we are little children without capability to understand information pertaining to the IMB and insulting our intelligence by issuing new guidelines that suggest we have no ability to discern right from wrong. It seems that they have annointed themselves as guardians over us and the mission program of which we as the SBC finance in total. The IMB belongs to the members of the Southern Baptist Convention which is made up of members of Southern Baptist churches. We send trustees to represent us to the IMB.

Trustee Bill Hudgins from Alabama was quoted as saying "Many people think that we are a representative for our state at the IMB, but that is not the case. We are trustees for the IMB we are not delegates for the state."

Obviously Mr. Hudgins is poorly versed in the ways of the SBC. Let me illustrate:

1- First of all it is correct that trustees do not represent state conventions but they do represent every co-operating church within state conventions because those churches make up the entirety of the SBC.

2- There is no such thing as a Trustee "for" the IMB. Trustees are voted upon and appointed "to" the IMB by the messengers in session during the annual Convention. It may help Mr. Hudgins to look up the word Trustee and study it's meaning carefully.

3- No knowledgeable Southern Baptist ever uses the word "delegate" in reference to the trusteeship of any Board, Agency or Institution within the SBC now or any time in its history.
We should give the IMB BOTs an opportunity in Greensboro to make the proper apologies that they so obviously owe to Dr. Burleson, Dr. Rankin, their families, Dr. Burleson's church, and the SBC as a whole.

If they refuse to do this it may be time to consider Pastor's Cole's motion to vacate the Board and declare an election from the floor using the guidelines which are in order to elect the proper number from each state or joint convention of churches within various states as are prescribed therein.

We owe it to the Burlesons, the Rankins and the SBC to deal with this matter.

Most of all we owe it to the missionaires on the field who cannot speak for themselves for they know full well after Tampa that if they do so it will be their own peril.

I am going to Greensboro. I hope to see you there.