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A Gift in the SBC

Discussion in '2004 Archive' started by gb93433, Oct 25, 2004.

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  1. gb93433

    gb93433 Active Member
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    Associated Baptist Press

    October 25, 2004 (04-106)

    * Gift of car for Patterson aide draws criticism at Southeastern
    * Seminary leaders, employees give different accounts of car sale

    Gift of car for Patterson aide

    draws criticism at Southeastern

    By Greg Warner

    WAKE FOREST, N.C. (ABP) -- An unusual gift of a car to an aide of Paige Patterson -- which observers say may violate tax laws -- is causing a stir on the campus of Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary.

    Jason Duesing, personal aide to Patterson when he was president of Southeastern, now fills the same role at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in Fort Worth, Texas, where Patterson became president Aug. 1, 2003.

    But before Duesing left Southeastern in the summer of 2003, he was given title to a 2002 Pontiac Grand Prix that belonged to the seminary. In exchange, Duesing's father-in-law later made a contribution to the seminary of $6,500 -- about half the value of the car -- and was told the gift was tax-deductible, according to receipts and letters from the seminary. ...

    Current President Danny Akin, in an impromptu appearance in seminary chapel Oct. 21, denied allegations of "unethical or illegal" business practices. Akin said the seminary's auditing firm will validate the school's financial integrity when it presents its findings to trustees Oct. 25, which ABP has confirmed from auditors McGladrey & Pullen of Raleigh. ...

    REST OF THE STORY

    Seminary leaders, employees give different accounts of car sale

    By Greg Warner

    WAKE FOREST, N.C. (ABP) -- Leaders of Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary blame "disgruntled" and "disturbed" former employees for stirring up trouble on their North Carolina campus. But critics say the controversy that boiled over last week owes to the fact the seminary tolerates unethical spending and retaliates against whistleblowers.

    For the school's administrators and trustees, the timing is unfortunate -- on the eve of President Danny Akin's inauguration Oct. 27 as the sixth president of the conservative Southern Baptist Convention seminary.

    REST OF THE STORY

    Post edited to comply with BB posting guidelines.

    [ October 25, 2004, 12:46 PM: Message edited by: rsr ]
     
    #1 gb93433, Oct 25, 2004
  2. go2church

    go2church Active Member
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    Was wandering when this would hit the board. Interesting to see what the defenders of Pope Paige will have to say.
     
    #2 go2church, Oct 26, 2004
  3. gb93433

    gb93433 Active Member
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    Some years ago I started pastoring a church and realized that the church was not doing its books the way I was taught. So I called my CPA friend where I had just come from. I told the treasurer that the books needed to be corrected. She told me they had been doing it that way for years. But she did talk to someone from the SBC and they told her I was wrong. I had been in business and worked for a very large business before pastoring so I knew things weren't the way I had been taught. But she told me what the folks at the SBC had told her. I told her they were wrong and why. The following year I was audited by the IRS and I did my taxes the way I was taught. They found me right and the church wrong. My opiniuon is that it always pays to check with someone who does work for non-profit organizations. Fortunately for me it was a CPA that did the taxes for many pastors in the area.
     
    #3 gb93433, Oct 26, 2004
  4. Jimmy C

    Jimmy C New Member

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    I wonder why Baptist Press has not reported this???
     
    #4 Jimmy C, Oct 26, 2004
  5. go2church

    go2church Active Member
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    [​IMG] [​IMG]
    Good observation!
     
    #5 go2church, Oct 26, 2004
  6. ballfan

    ballfan New Member

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    Why should they? Its really a non starter. It was probably part of a larger severance package worked out in advance of his leaving.
     
    #6 ballfan, Oct 26, 2004
  7. go2church

    go2church Active Member
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    No, it wasn't and everyone knows it ... is that going to be the party line on this one, We gave him a raise?
     
    #7 go2church, Oct 26, 2004
  8. ballfan

    ballfan New Member

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    I don't think everyone just "knows" it. We really don't know that much about it at all. When the auditors report comes out and this is found to be on the up and up would you acknowledge you were wrong? Or has the SBC hurt you so badly in some way that you would never accept the truth?
     
    #8 ballfan, Oct 26, 2004
  9. donnA

    donnA Active Member

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    Your an angry person aren't you. Accusing SBCers of worshiping men rather then God. Pitful.
     
    #9 donnA, Oct 26, 2004
  10. go2church

    go2church Active Member
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    No, it's just a nickname I have for Paige Patterson since he has set himself up as the final authority on matters fo faith and practice. I don't think folks are suppossed to worship the Pope, just consider him the final authority for the Catholic faith. Hence the nickname
     
    #10 go2church, Oct 26, 2004
  11. Bluefalcon

    Bluefalcon Member

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    BaptistPress has an article out, part of which is pasted below. The entire article can be viewed at

    http://www.bpnews.net/bpnews.asp?ID=19431

    -----------
    During the audit process, Akin noted, questions were raised about a car that was transferred to a former staff member more than a year ago, and the taxable status of such a transaction. Because he wanted to make sure all the seminary’s dealings were open and honest, Akin directed the officials from McGladrey and Pullen, including senior partner C. Colby Daughtry, to extend their audit as far as necessary to reach the truth behind these questions.

    “The auditors were offered documentation of alleged wrongdoing from a former employee,” Akin said. “I asked them to accept that offer, which they did, and to thoroughly review the business practices from my administration, the previous administration and during the interim. And they did.”

    In a draft letter from the firm summarizing the results of the audit, the auditors noted that they made some “constructive suggestions” to the seminary for improving procedures but found nothing that suggested impropriety by administrators.

    “We made some mistakes and we corrected them,” Akin said. “We asked the auditors to review our actions, and they found no concerns. We have instituted some new procedures to guard against making the same mistakes again.”

    Mercer agreed. “There were some issues in procedures but there was no criminality whatsoever,” he said. “There were no signs of anything fraudulent or illegal. Our procedures need to be tightened up and we need to be more thorough. We have to do a better job of tracking acquisition of fixed assets, like a car.”

    David Armstrong, the seminary’s comptroller, said he felt confident in the thoroughness of the audit and the administration’s attitude toward making procedural changes.

    “I really appreciate Dr. Akin’s willingness to approach this head-on,” Armstrong said. “I have complete confidence in the integrity of Southeastern and in the integrity of its administration.”

    Though charges of fraud and mismanagement have been directed at seminary administrators because of the gift of the car, trustee chairman Tim Lewis said he hopes this audit report can put such notions to rest.

    “It is our conviction that this independent report, in its clear and unequivocal language, will expose these unfounded accusations for exactly what they are,” Lewis said.
    -----------

    Yours,

    Bluefalcon
     
    #11 Bluefalcon, Oct 31, 2004
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