Yet Another Memorial Day Deception: Senior Pastor Dr. Ben Young - 2nd Installment

Welcome to the next installment of Yet Another Memorial Day Deception: Senior Pastor Dr. Ben Young.

On the Friday of Memorial Day Weekend 2025, Pastor Ben Young sent a letter attempting to defend the events surrounding the May 2023 alleged bylaw changes, and resulting governance, at Second Baptist Church. He painted a picture of order, unity, and legality.

But, in his OWN WORDS, Pastor Ben Young acknowledges that accountability is important and then provides information that explains precisely why the governance structure designed by the alleged bylaws are dangerous and is not in the best interest of Second Baptist Church.

We now continue to explore the difference between the talking points and the facts. The items below are backed by timelines, firsthand accounts, and legal context.

Here are Pastor Ben Young’s direct statements, in red font, followed by our response.

Pastor Ben Young’s Statement: "Our church family continues to be a staff-led church, beginning with our pastors.”

JCC Response: For nearly 100 years Second Baptist has been a MEMBER LED CHURCH, until the membership was unknowingly stripped of their voting rights at the May 31, 2023, meeting.

Pastor Ben Young’s Statement: “Our bylaws that were updated two years ago were prayed through and worked through biblically and legally. The members of our church who were trustees at that time unanimously authorized, recommended, and approved for adoption of the updated bylaws. Furthermore, the trustees authorized, recommended, and approved the presentation of the updated bylaws to the church membership at the business meeting of May 31, 2023.

Following the recommendation of those trustees, these bylaws were voted on by the church in a virtually unanimous decision. Ironically, one of the organizers of the group that brought this lawsuit was the same person who helped formulate the bylaws and present them to the church.”

JCC Response: These statements are patently false, and Trustees will testify under oath to refute Pastor Ben Young. At the Trustees meeting on May 3, 2023, they were not told of any proposed new bylaws. The Trustees did not even find out about the May 31st church meeting until May 21st. They did not receive the proposed version of the new bylaws until Sunday, May 28, 2023, less than 48 hours, which included Memorial Day, before they were scheduled to meet to discuss and review.

Further, the trustee, who is alleged by Pastor Ben Young to have “helped formulate the bylaws and present them to the church,” did not receive a single draft of the proposed new bylaws until May 24th. He did not help formulate the bylaws. Instead, he requested the May 31st meeting be postponed in order to have an appropriate amount of time to review them - but his request was rejected.

Pastor Ben Young’s statement implies he is either saying things he knows are not true, or he really does not know what happened and is just repeating what he has been told by someone who is not being truthful. Either is disheartening.

At no point in the rushed process were the Trustees told by Dr. H. Edwin Young, Lee Maxcy, church legal counsel Dennis Brewer, or anyone else, that buried in the “Marriage and Family” section was a single line that would strip members of the right to vote that had been in place since the founding of the church.

Pastor Ben Young’s Statement (bold added): “The congregational voting provisions were updated within the bylaws to enable Second to run with efficiency and effectiveness given the size and scope of the ministry.”

JCC Response: FINALLY!!! It is about time that Pastor Ben Young admits that all ~90,000 members of Second Baptist Church were STRIPPED OF THEIR RIGHT TO VOTE, via a rushed, concealed, and deceptive meeting in May of 2023! The proposed new bylaws were not distributed in advance of the meeting, copies of the proposed bylaws were not given to the ~200 people at the meeting, and no one was told that they were voting to strip themselves of their own voting rights!

So, this was NOT about the “woke agenda?” In his own words, Pastor Ben Young is saying that the real purpose was to take over the church by converting from a member-led church to one that is staff-led, transferring the power from the people to the Senior Pastor!

Pastor Ben Young’s Statement: “Was the church deceived? No, we were not deceived. Our bylaws were updated biblically, appropriately, and legally.”

JCC Response: As clearly laid out previously, we believe that this is an undeniably false and misleading statement. Of course, the church was deceived. The bylaws were not distributed to those being asked to vote on them and those in attendance were not told they were voting to strip themselves, and all Second Baptist members, of the right to vote they had for nearly 100 years.

Moreover, the right of members to vote was an inherent right under the original church charter, exercised for nearly 95 years. Under Texas Nonprofit Corporation Law, removing such a right requires a charter amendment. That amendment would need to be disclosed to members in advance of the vote by either providing the amendment itself or a clear summary. Neither were done.

Members were misled, material facts were concealed, and procedural steps required by law were ignored. These are not minor oversights; they are foundational breaches of trust and due process. What is more upsetting is the pastoral team hiding behind what they feel is “legal.” What about what is honest, ethical, or biblical?

Is this what Dr. H. Edwin Young meant when he told multiple witnesses, “This was the biggest mistake of my life!”?

Pastor Ben Young – Do the Honorable Thing – Right the Wrong of 2023

What is most concerning is how Pastor Young cannot see that this structure could be used inappropriately by anyone who becomes Senior Pastor AFTER him. The leader’s role is to protect the church, for generations!

Here within is the obvious solution that would remove this matter from the court system and allow the church to heal and be unified. Pastor Ben Young, we are calling on you to lead, as you have the power to resolve all issues with the stroke of a pen, if you are truly willing to do what is best for Second Baptist Church.

Call a meeting of the church membership to vote on the alleged new bylaws that you believe should govern the church. If the membership votes to support the proposed new bylaws, everyone will know that it was the will of the church body, with full disclosure and no deception. These steps would provide a fair and transparent process:

• Schedule a vote on the proposed bylaws with 60 days’ notice to all members of Second Baptist, at a centralized location for efficiency

  
  

• Provide both electronic and physical copies to all members at least 30 days in advance so they can make an informed decision

  
  

• Require every person who attends the meeting to sign in and have an independent third party verify their church membership

  
  

• Let both sides of this issue present their case to the membership with equal time

  
  

• Then let the members cast a written vote which is counted by an independent third party that is agreeable to both sides

This would allow this matter to be resolved within the church, saving hundreds of thousands of dollars of tithes that are being used to pay legal fees on behalf of Pastor Ben Young and the other defendants. Proceeding in this way would enable the membership to have a voice in the governance of the church they love, restore trust in the church leadership, and avoid a long and unpleasant public court battle.

If the membership votes to no longer be a member-led church, then everyone will know that is indeed their desire and the decision was made with full transparency. There is no reason that you, as the Senior Pastor, should not be willing to put the bylaws that you clearly support to a transparent and fair vote of the membership.

Stay tuned for the next installment, with a more detailed look at the facts.

Please send this to every Second Baptist member you know.