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

Welcome to the very short, but critically important, final installment of Yet Another Memorial Day Deception: Senior Pastor Dr. Ben Young.

The letter Pastor Ben Young sent makes it obvious the dangers created by the alleged bylaws. He shows very effectively how they could be abused by the current regime, and by all Senior Pastors who follow.

This is probably one of the most misunderstood points of this entire situation. The lack of oversight and accountability is not altered by a change in Senior Pastor. Whoever is appointed Senior Pastor would get that role without a vote of the membership. They would be given the proverbial “keys to the kingdom,” in this case a $1 billion balance sheet, via the exceedingly unsound governance created by the alleged bylaws.

This installment will address some of the most surprising statements in the letter from Pastor Ben Young. 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: "I don't understand what this is all about?"

“I don't either… We are a pastor-led, staff-led congregation like we have always been. We have a great system of checks and balances reflected in the leadership structure above.”

JCC Response: For Pastor Ben Young to say “I don’t understand what this is all about” is disconcerting in the least. Previously in this same letter Pastor Ben Young indicated that he had heard from multiple concerned members over the last 11 months. If those conversations were not clear, we would encourage Pastor Ben Young to have a conversation with the lawyer representing the church for an explanation, or to read the lawsuit.

Unfortunately, the truth is likely that he is not being forthright and knows precisely that this is about the takeover of the church and stripping the members of the voting rights they have had for nearly 100 years.

Make no mistake, Pastor Ben Young has had the ability to unify our church for the last year, but he has refused to not only do what is right but to even consider any solution that does not leave him with ultimate authority, with no oversight by an independent board.

The statement about being a “pastor-led, staff-led congregation like we have always been” is undeniably false. Pastor Ben Young’s own statement that the voting rights needed to be changed refutes this claim. Second Baptist Church has been a MEMBER-led church since its founding, until the deceptive takeover occurred in May of 2023.

The protection of Second Baptist Church for future generations will only be preserved through good governance. The assertion that we have a “great system of checks and balances” ignores the legal structure now in place. The congregation has no vote. There is no member-elected board. The MLT, as outlined in the bylaws, has ultimate authority, but is effectively controlled by the Senior Pastor. That is not a check on power; that is a consolidation of power into the hands of the Senior Pastor.

Pastor Ben Young’s Statement: “Do other churches vote?

Some do and some don't. As our church grew in size and scope over the decades, our voting adapted to meet the demands and complexities of our organization. Our current governing structure evolved over many years and the most recent update of two years ago allows us to lead and serve with great effectiveness. No leadership structure of a country, church, or school is perfect. Through much time, prayer, and wise counsel this is the one we've developed, voted on, and approved as a church body.

JCC Response: In the spirit of helping Pastor Ben Young understand what this is all about… THIS is what it is all about!

Member-led churches let the members vote. The alleged new bylaws were voted on by ~200 of the ~90,000 members, and they were not given copies of what they were voting on, and they were not told that they were voting to remove their own right to vote that the members have had for nearly 100 years.

In 1927, a dedicated group of 121 individuals founded Second Baptist Church. Their commitment was so significant that they used their own homes as collateral to finance the establishment of the church. Although some revisions to the bylaws were made over the years, the changes were voted upon by the members and continuously preserved that right to vote.  

The 2023 bylaws did not evolve over many years. They were a radically different departure from the past 96 years. Pastor Ben Young is now openly saying that the commitment and sacrifice of the founders and the members does not matter and that the staff alone should govern the church, with no oversight by the membership. We do not believe that the sacrifice of tens of thousands faithful members should be simply swept under the rug via deception to convert the church from member-led to staff-led.

Pastor 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, at a centralized location for efficiency, with 60 days’ notice to all members of Second Baptist

  
  

• 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.

Please send this to every Second Baptist member you know.