From: http://www.bpnews.net/BPnews.asp?ID=31058
ALPHARETTA, Ga. (BP)--Geoff Hammond and three of his closest associates resigned their positions with the North American Mission Board Tuesday after trustees met more than seven hours in executive session at the board's Alpharetta, Ga., headquarters.
The three staff members who also resigned were Dennis Culbreth, senior assistant to the president; Steve Reid, senior associate to the president for strategy development; and Brandon Pickett, communications team leader.
Their resignations came after 54 of the board's 57 trustees met in an all-day closed session. Four of the 54 trustees participated by conference call.
Until the announcement of the resignations, there was no word from trustees throughout the day about either the substance of their discussions or their progress toward a resolution.
Well...
NAMB president, 3 associates, resign
Discussion in 'General Baptist Discussions' started by preachinjesus, Aug 12, 2009.
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preachinjesus Well-Known MemberSite Supporter
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Less than 3 months ago the Trustees issued a statement praising the work of Dr. Hammond and his leadership team. after firing the previous president in 2006, this has to be very demoralizing to the NAMB and will have a significant negative impact on its effectiveness.
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Trustees affirm NAMB’s crucial role
by Staff
Posted on May 22, 2009
http://www.namb.net/site/apps/nlnet/content2.aspx?c=9qKILUOzEpH&b=227361&ct=7047777
JACKSON, Miss. (BP)--Trustees of the North American Mission Board unanimously approved a resolution describing the entity as "crucial to the weaving together of Southern Baptist partners to fulfill the Great Commission." Trustees took the action during their regularly scheduled May 19-20 meeting in Jackson, Miss.
The trustees said they believe "that the North American Mission Board is an efficient and effective Southern Baptist entity that takes seriously the good stewardship of the Cooperative Program and Annie Armstrong Easter Offering dollars entrusted to us by Southern Baptists." (See the full trustee statement below).
TEXT OF TRUSTEE STATEMENT
"Trustees of the North American Mission Board are committed to fulfilling the task entrusted to us to assist Southern Baptists in reaching North America and its people groups with the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
"We believe that the North American Mission Board is crucial to the weaving together of Southern Baptist partners to fulfill the Great Commission.
"As trustees, we are unified in support of our president, Dr. Geoff Hammond, who is providing exemplary, unique leadership and vision as Southern Baptists embrace the challenges of the ever changing and diverse mission field of North America.
"With prayer and thanksgiving, trustees fully support the Great Commission focus of God's Plan for Sharing with the goal of every believer sharing, every person hearing by the year 2020.
"We believe that together with the staff of the North American Mission Board, more than 5600 missionaries, 3077 endorsed chaplains, and the volunteer missionary force of more than a quarter of a million Southern Baptists, we are poised to make the greatest impact for the Great Commission.
"And trustees believe that the North American Mission Board is an efficient and effective Southern Baptist entity that takes seriously the good stewardship of the Cooperative Program and Annie Armstrong Easter Offering dollars entrusted to us by Southern Baptists." -
Ok -- so what political intrigue brought this about??
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Former HMB president says NAMB merger was a mistake
By Norman Jameson
Tuesday, August 18, 2009
CENTRALIA, Mo. (ABP) -- Combining three Southern Baptist agencies into the North American Mission Board in 1995 was a bad idea, says the last president of one of the agencies.
Larry Lewis, president of the Home Mission Board of the Southern Baptist Convention from 1987 until his retirement at age 62 in 1996, said in an interview with a Baptist state newspaper that he had reservations from the beginning about a major restructuring of the denomination, but he didn't oppose it at the time because he didn't want to appear self-serving or not to be a "team player."
Lewis, 74, told North Carolina's Biblical Recorder Aug. 13 that "time has proven me right."
Much of NAMB's brief history has been marked by turmoil. Its first president, former Virginia pastor Bob Reccord, resigned in 2006 amid allegations of mismanagement and lavish spending.
Reccord's successor, Geoff Hammond, and three close associates resigned Aug. 11 after Hammond clashed with leaders of NAMB's board of trustees and accusations of low morale among some of the 279 employees who work at the agency's headquarters in Alpharetta, Ga.
The rest of the story is at http://www.abpnews.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=4320&Itemid=53 -
preachinjesus Well-Known MemberSite Supporter
It's pretty sad to see Dr. Hammond go after such a short time at the board. There is a deep divide as to the role of the board and what are proper gauges for effectiveness. Last time I was up at NAMB for a meeting the tension was palpable.
I am getting pretty tired of this "employee matters are private issues" that is used to prohibit us underlings from understanding why people are fired and have resigned. These are public denominational offices, I think we (good CP giving people) have a right to know what is going on. But with this current leadership group control of information and the ability to supress these kinds of information are vital to their continued power.
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Any of this stem from the liberal wing of the SBC v conservative?
My son is considering church planting mission with the NAMB and I'd sure like to know the underlying cause of such continual disruption in the agency. -
Dr. Bob,
No, I don't think this has any liberal/conservative issue. All of the people involved are Biblical inerrantists. I wish I could recommend that your son continue on with NAMB church planting, but not sure I can while the group is in flux.
If you let me know I can get you the name of a guy who planted with NAMB partnership in PA. He could probably be more clear about what's going on. -
WHo do they think they are? The College of Cardinals?!...Whoops... -
preachinjesus Well-Known MemberSite Supporter
The whole situation is terrible. We've ruined a Kingdom ministry here.
He might want to avoid associating with Acts 29 but everything else should be good. ;) -