Statement of Danny Roberts

Statement of Danny Roberts
Chairman, Board of Trustees
Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary
October 18, 2022

My fellow trustees, I need to make a brief statement really to give to the entire Southwestern Seminary family to give them more information about the present leadership situation of the seminary and how we’ve actually arrived in this place in the life of our institution.

In recent weeks it has been necessary for the Board of Trustees to make some very difficult decisions. These are especially personal decisions because I had the privilege of chairing the committee that recommended Dr. Adam Greenway to be the ninth president of this institution in 2019. Now, I’m convinced God led the search of this board to him at that particular time in our time of need. Dr. Greenway is uniquely gifted by God and he accepted a very, very difficult assignment, which was further complicated by a global pandemic less than one year later. Over time, unfortunately, several patterns developed that board officers and the Executive Committee had a duty to address. As those became known, they were addressed in an appropriate manner. Significant financial challenges compounded a growing sense of concern among our board leadership. Included in the areas of concern were dysfunctionality amongst senior leadership, budget mismanagement, overspending resulting in hundreds of thousands of dollars of deficits per month, and attempts to pass the blame for these matters onto three different chief financial officers who were each removed. More recently, it became clear that action was required after evidence emerged of escalating morale problem in the institution, especially among the faculty, and a resistance to safeguards board leadership wanted to implement. During the September 22 Executive Committee meeting difficult discussions occurred with Dr. Greenway. By the end of the day, he offered his resignation and the trustees accepted that resignation.

In God’s good providence, He has provided to Southwestern an exceptional team as our interim leadership in Dr. David Dockery and in Dr. O.S. Hawkins—two leaders in Southern Baptist life who are universally respected and loved. These Southern Baptist Convention statesmen with long track records of success as executives are Southwesterners who know this institution intimately and are invested very deeply in its history—and they are committed to our seminary’s future. It’s also important to underscore that Southwestern is not dependent on just one man; we are blessed with a faculty of scholar-ministers who love, serve, and equip our students for Gospel ministry. The faculty is the curriculum, and our curriculum here at Southwestern is strong.

So, the vital work of Southwestern Seminary continues, by God’s grace. Although we initially believed we would name a Presidential Search Committee in this meeting, we have decided to delay that action until another day. Dr. Dockery, Dr. Hawkins will have an opportunity to lead this institution to a more solid financial, spiritual, institutional direction and otherwise. In time, God will provide the right man at the right time as our future president. In the meantime, this board will continue to take seriously the stewardship with which we have been entrusted by the Southern Baptist Convention. In executive session, trustees had access to any and all information they requested, including expenses and other expenditures that led us into serious financial concerns. As a result, we are requesting the auditors to do some additional work to carefully examine all expenditures, especially those which raise concerns. We will govern Southwestern with the highest standards of financial accountability by implementing new processes and procedures to put new financial guardrails in place, and our new leadership is committed to manage spending aggressively. Additionally, we will remain unwavering in our commitment to our doctrinal standards as expressed in the Baptist Faith and Message, starting with a complete confidence in the inerrant Word of God as our only guide for our faith and practice.

I want to thank you, trustees, for your service to Southwestern Seminary and let us all resolve together that we will do everything within our power and means to love, uphold in prayer and financially support the seminary for the advancement of the Gospel to the ends of the earth for the glory of God.