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Summary of the Conflict at Second Baptist Church

1. What the Lawsuit Is About

Deception by The Young Group and Permanent Loss of Member Voting Rights

  • In May 2023, SBC leadership misled both the board of trustees and members into approving a new set of alleged bylaws, “to protect the church from the woke agenda”

  • The Young Group does not deny in their own legal filings that they never told the membership that voting “yes” would ELIMINATE ALL VOTING RIGHTS of  ~90,000 members 

  • The Young Group does not deny in their own legal filings that no one in the meeting was given a copy of the bylaws they were being asked to vote on and no one explained to the audience that the changes would permanently strip away member voting rights!!!

  • For nearly 100 years, SBC members have had voting rights! Now, by deception, members have lost any voice in church governance, including how the church’s nearly $1 billion in assets will be used

Elimination of Independent Oversight and Consolidation of Power

  • The deception abolished the member-elected Board of Trustees, SBC’s legal governing body under Texas nonprofit law

  • The deception allowed the Young Group to hand-pick a new “Ministry Leadership Team” (MLT), chosen by the senior pastor, which is controlled by him, his family members, and staff that he employs

  • The MLT now oversees itself, eliminating all checks and balances and concentrating unlimited and uncontested power in the hands of The Young Group

2. Why This Matters: Consequences that can Impact Generations

  • SBC’s nearly $1 billion in cash, property, and investments, built through the faithful gifts from its members, is now controlled by one man and those who serve at his pleasure without oversight by an independent board

  • Members have no legal rights to object, no access to church records, and no ability to stop abuse of power

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If the lawsuit fails, the Senior Pastor and his handpicked MLT, without any oversight by an independent board or a vote of the membership, could:

  • Sell campuses or church buildings

  • Merge SBC with another church, including one controlled by the pastor’s brother out of Dallas

  • Sell, shut down, or increase tuition at Second Baptist School 

  • Eliminate beloved ministries such as the Over 60 Group, Beach Retreat, or even Easter events

  • Divert church funds to generate income or wealth for themselves and their family members

  • Appoint all future senior pastors without a search committee or member vote

3. What the Jeremiah Counsel is Asking For

  • Restore member voting rights

  • Put in place an independent, member-elected Board of Trustees

  • Guarantee members access to church bylaws and audited financials

4. Why You Should Care

  • This is not about theology or personalities. It is about legal, ethical, and financial accountability

  • SBC was built by faithful members over generations. It belongs to the body of believers, not to one man or one family

  • If we stay silent, SBC will become a permanently private, family-controlled institution

  • What is happening at Second is ground zero. Similar power grabs are taking place at other large churches across the country. If this deception succeeds here, it will set a precedent for churches everywhere, opening the door for leaders in other congregations to strip away voting rights, eliminate accountability, and consolidate control for themselves.

  • If members act now, we can restore oversight, transparency, accountability, and protect the legacy of SBC for future generations

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