This is the letter to the Chairmen of the Boards of Trustees of the IMB, NAMB and SWBTS.

If you were unable to attend, but would like to add your voice, you have permission to reprint this letter, add your name and send them yourself.

December 5, 2006

Dr. John Floyd, Chairman

IMB Board of Trustees

Dr. T. Van McLain, Chairman

SWBTS Board of Trustees

Dr. Bill Curtis, Chairman

NAMB Board of Trustees

Dear Brothers in Christ:

Greeting in the name of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, and thank you for your leadership of our convention agencies and institutions over the past year. We are writing this letter as a group of pastors and laymen with the humble request that you would lead the board of trustees of your respective institutions and agencies to reconsider the policies and/or statements regarding use of private prayer languages.

Both of our mission boards, and now one of seminaries, have adopted positions that now exclude otherwise qualified members of our churches from service to the Lord in teaching, missions, and church planting through these convention entities. It concerns us greatly that these restrictive policies and statements have now introduced conflict and disharmony within a convention that has labored diligently to preserve our common bond of missions and evangelism within the parameters of the Baptist Faith & Message.

While we respect the trustee process of institution oversight, we believe that our convention works best when churches take an active interest in the direction, stewardship, administration, and ministry vision of our convention entities. For this reason, we have gathered today in Arlington, Texas, to discuss our shared concerns, listen to our points of disagreement, and jointly submit to you this request for reconsideration.

We believe that the task of evangelism, missions, and church-planting before us is too great for us to begin excluding people from service in our convention on account of interpretive variances and disciplines of personal devotion. For this reason, we humbly request that you reconsider the ultimate effect these policies and/or statements will have on our most pressing need to obey the Great Commission of Christ and maintain a unity of purpose and fellowship of peace within our convention. We further request that you include in your report to the next annual convention in San Antonio, TX, on June 12-13, 2007, if possible, a statement regarding your trustee board’s disposition of this request.

May God richly bless you as you continue to serve both him and our convention during these important days of ministry opportunity.

Sincerely,

Wm Dwight McKissic, Sr.

Wade Burleson

Benjamin Cole

Arthur T. Rogers

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