A Call to Realign the ERLC with Faithful Baptist Principles of Christian Political Witness and Action
As Southern Baptist Convention (SBC) messengers gathered for the start of the 2025 Annual Meeting in Dallas, our Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission (ERLC) stands at a crossroads. Right out of the gate, Florida pastor Willy Rice made a motion, calling on Baptists to take the first of two votes under Bylaw 25 to abolish the entity.
His motion read: “I move that pursuant to Bylaw 25, which to abolish an entity requires a majority vote at two successive conventions, that the Southern Baptist Convention meeting in Dallas, Texas, June 10-11, vote to abolish the ERLC.” According to Jesse Jackson at Church Leaders, “Rice’s motion was met with loud applause and was quickly seconded.”
As a Southern Baptist pastor and Oklahoma State Senator, I (obviously) strongly believe in the value of a robust Baptist voice in the public square. In my own political work, I have led the charge to defend biblical marriage, abolish abortion, and outlaw pornography. Yes, Baptists need an ERLC. We need one that works.
What we don’t need is an ERLC that is heavily influenced by progressive outside organizations, is constantly problematic, refuses to heed correction from Southern Baptists, and resists Baptist principles of management.
Therefore, I plan to vote in favor of Rice’s motion on Wednesday morning, with the prayerful hope that over the next year, the ERLC Trustee Board will take the critical steps to reform the entity, beginning with the appointment of new leadership.
While I wish them all well as brothers and sisters in Christ, unfortunately, Brent Leatherwood’s and the ERLC’s trustee leadership over the last four years has been divisive at best. At worst, Leatherwood has intentionally and knowingly used the ERLC to advance causes that are directly at odds with historic Baptist ethical and political positions, including positions that Southern Baptists have explicitly stated through resolutions at our annual meetings.
This leadership has raised concerns among many faithful Baptists that the ERLC is abandoning the Christian principles of political engagement we cherish. Let’s examine these issues with prayer and clarity to reform the ERLC, ensuring alignment with our shared Baptist and biblical values. To that end, this article outlines Leatherwood’s failed leadership, how they have ignored voices raising legitimate concerns, and proposes a vision for a faithful ERLC.
Misaligned Management
Too many controversial decisions have marked Leatherwood’s leadership for Baptists to continue to turn a blind eye. The following examples are not a comprehensive list, but they are some of the significant issues that have caused controversy among Southern Baptists during Leatherwood’s almost four-year tenure.
Opposing Southern Baptists’ Position in Support of Ending Abortion
In 2022, Leatherwood’s ERLC opposed Louisiana’s HB813, the Abolition of Abortion Act, which would have granted equal protection to preborn children. He teamed up with 70 pro-life groups to release a letter the moment HB813 was being argued on the House floor, and tank the bill.
His actions not only ignored, but also directly violated, a resolution passed by an overwhelming majority of Southern Baptist messengers to the 2021 Annual Meeting who affirmed a resolution “On Abolishing Abortion,” calling upon “governing authorities at all levels…to enact legislation…abolishing abortion immediately, without exception or compromise.”
Recently, Leatherwood tried to claim that “While some may disagree with [SBC] resolutions or work to subvert them, we, as an entity that serves our churches, have no such luxury.” While this is undoubtedly how the ERLC should operate, Leatherwood’s actions regarding the Louisiana bill to abolish abortion prove that he does not lead the ERLC as he claims to here.
He did take the “luxury” to directly subvert the SBC resolution “On Abolishing Abortion” less than one year after it was passed.
Praising Ketanji Brown Jackson’s SCOTUS Confirmation
Upon her confirmation to the Supreme Court, which came after Jackson admitted in her hearing that she couldn’t define what a “woman” is, Leatherwood described Jackson’s 2022 confirmation as a “history-making moment.”
Many SBC leaders rightly criticized his comments. Tom Ascol commented, “This judge can’t define a ‘woman,’ gave slaps on the wrist to child sex abusers, advocates for the murder of babies, and is celebrated by NARAL. And we should ‘appreciate’ her appointment? We should weep!”
Using ERLC Resources to Suppress the Covenant School Shooter’s Manifesto
As a Covenant School (Nashville, TN) parent, Leatherwood fought tooth and nail to keep the transgender shooter’s manifesto sealed, arguing it would spare families trauma. Leatherwood’s concern for the well-being of Covenant School is entirely understandable; his kids attend that school, and nobody wants more pain for the students or the families. The horrific incident was and is heartbreaking.
But when three pages of the manifesto finally leaked, he blasted the leaker as a “viper,” fuming that “You’ve allowed this woman to terrorize us with words from the grave.”
The public outcry for the release of the manifesto was overwhelming. Concerned citizens across America called for transparency, and many conservatives and Christians rightly wanted to understand the shooter’s motives, especially since the killer, Audrey Hale, identified as “transgender” and intentionally targeted a Christian school.
Leatherwood, however, seemed unable to separate his personal life from his work position, using what appeared to be official ERLC resources in his quest to suppress this document of significant public interest.
Advocating for Unconstitutional “Red Flag” Laws that Infringe on Baptist Second Amendment Rights
After the Covenant School shooting, Leatherwood used the ERLC to support unconstitutional “red flag” gun control laws in Tennessee, which were “commended” by then-President Joe Biden.
This bill gave courts the power to remove guns from those preemptively labeled as “dangerous.” The bill condemned Tennesseans for “the non-crime of owning firearms before they’ve done anything unlawful and depriving them of a means to defend their lives.” No due process, no trial, and no guns? That is a hard pass for Baptists who hold their Second Amendment rights dear. His actions sparked calls to show him the door.
Pushing Progressive Immigration Policy and Strengthening Soros Connections
The ERLC is responsible for entangling the SBC with the Evangelical Immigration Table (EIT), which is linked to George Soros’ National Immigration Forum (NIF) and the Open Society Foundations. The ERLC’s 2024 agenda advocates for immigration reform, echoing EIT’s call for “open borders,” but remains cagey about the details.
Why hide? Baptists deserve straight answers, not leftist groups aiming to sway and “neutralize” us and create a revolving door of EIT insiders swapping positions with the ERLC.
As ERLC Trustee Jon Whitehead recently explained, under Leatherwood’s leadership, the ERLC has actually doubled down on its partnership with this Soros-funded far-left group.
Praising Biden’s Withdrawal from the 2024 Presidential Campaign
In July of 202, Leatherwood hailed Biden’s exit from the presidential election campaign as a “selfless act.” With Biden’s record on abortion and transgender policies, that’s like praising a fox for leaving the henhouse. His comments deepened internal cracks in the ERLC’s leadership. His remarks drew rare public pushback from the SBC’s President, Clint Pressley, and other prominent conservative Southern Baptists, such as Andrew Walker.
The Firing and Rehiring of Brent Leatherwood
In 2024, things got very messy when ERLC Board Chairman Kevin Smith fired Leatherwood after he praised Biden’s withdrawal and then acted in open insubordination by refusing to take a leave of absence when ordered to do so by his Chairman. After Brent enlisted the help of his mentor, Russell Moore, to mobilize a media backlash against Kevin Smith’s decision, the ERCL’s Executive Committee stepped in hours later with a retraction. Smith resigned, taking the fall for his actions, even though they were the right thing to do: “I acted in good faith but without a formal vote of the Executive Committee.” It left Baptists scratching their heads, wondering who was in charge and how many were in agreement, because Smith acted believing he had support from the Board.
Leatherwood’s leadership is not just a misstep; it is a detour from our core values. His tenure is marked by instability, eroded trust, and disunity. To mitigate the contentiousness and withdrawal of Cooperative Program funding from numerous Baptist churches, wise leaders would have stepped down, rather than doubling down with public relations campaigns.
Ignoring Respected Baptist Voices Raising Legitimate Concerns
Respected leaders and outlets have raised alarms about Leatherwood’s direction, reflecting deep unease about his continuance. Yet Leatherwood has refused to meet with these individuals or listen to their concerns.
Tom Ascol attempted to abolish the ERLC in 2024, and 40% of the messengers supported him. Citing Leatherwood’s weak stance on abortion and gun control, Ascol said, “The last eight years, the ERLC has become increasingly distant from the values and concerns of the churches that finance it.”
Willy Rice said that the ERLC has lost his trust and that “We need to have some radical changes. The house is on fire. Instead, we’re treated to what is pretty pedestrian PR campaign. So I really do think we have to act.”
Jack Graham called the ERLC divisive. “I do not support the ERLC and believe the organization has been the single most divisive entity of the SBC since the days of Russell Moore. I believe it should be defunded.”
Albert Mohler questioned the ERLC’s purpose, asking, “Is the ERLC serving our churches?” and asserting he “has grave doubts about the utility of the ERLC.”
Senator Mike Lee cited the ERLC’s absence in major conservative battles. “I haven’t heard anything memorable about them, which means they’ve been completely absent on the big fights over big issues.”
Eric Teetsel, Chief Executive Officer for the Center for Renewing America, noted the ERLC’s counterproductivity and ineffectiveness. “As a Southern Baptist who happens to be an expert in what they’re supposed to be doing, I can tell you, they’re completely and entirely worse than useless. They are actively counterproductive to the ends that Southern Baptists ought to expect from an entity that purports to be the public policy arm of their convention.”
What a Reformed ERLC Could Be Under New Leadership
The ERLC should be a plow, not a weathervane, tilling the soil and planting biblical truth in policy promotion in the public square, not swaying with cultural winds. It could champion bills to ban abortion outright, advocate for biblical marriage and family, stand firm against threats to faith, and equip churches and pastors to be convictional in the civil sphere amidst a culture hostile to our faith.
Under better leadership, it could:
Champion uncompromising anti-abortion policies by vigorously supporting equal protection laws like Louisiana HB813 and Oklahoma SB456, ensuring justice for the preborn is without exception or compromise (Psalm 139:13-16).
Defend constitutional liberties by upholding Second Amendment rights and religious freedoms, avoiding policies that erode personal liberties, opposing bills like the Equality Act, and aligning with our call to “obey God rather than men” (Acts 5:29).
Promote biblical justice by supporting secure borders, the rule of law, and constitutional order while aiding refugees through local churches, free from leftist and secular partnerships (Micah 6:8).
Foster unity by engaging SBC churches transparently, listening to pastors and members to reflect their values, not those of cultural elites, and building trust across the convention (Ephesians 4:3).
Lead with clarity by speaking boldly on moral issues, marriage, and the family, avoiding political ambiguity, and equipping Baptists to engage the public square with Great Commission conviction (Matthew 5:16).
A reformed and renewed ERLC would prioritize these goals by hiring leaders with proven conservative credentials, implementing accountability measures, and focusing resources on issues that unite rather than divide. Baptists need an ERLC that serves as a faithful witness in a world desperate for truth; an ERLC without Leatherwood and his associates.
Why This Matters: Our Baptist Witness in the Public Square
Messengers, let’s do business in Dallas with hearts full of prayer and eyes wide open. Some say Leatherwood has delivered wins for Southern Baptists on pro-life issues and religious liberty. That’s debatable at best because almost everything the ERLC takes credit for was, in essence, accomplished by other political organizations.
But what’s not debatable is his demonstrably problematic activism on gun control and against bills to end abortion, and the ERLC’s troubling alliances with Leftist immigration groups. Their posture and progressive lobbying have alienated too many Baptists to ignore. When is enough enough? With 40% of messengers ready to pull the plug last year, it is time to act for our Great Commission witness this year with a 50%-plus-one vote.
Scripture calls us to “test all things; hold fast what is good” (1 Thess. 5:21). We need a leader and support staff at the ERLC who will stand for our biblical values, not dance around or sidestep them.
Join me in voting to save the ERLC by taking the first affirmative vote to abolish it and supporting Pastor Rice’s motion. As William Wolfe said, this motion “isn’t a cudgel, it’s a clock.” The ERLC Trustee Board has a year to change direction and return to messengers in Orlando with new leadership, staff, and a new mission.
Your vote will shape our witness for Christ in the public square. Stand firm for the truth now, and let’s secure real reform at a rogue entity for the unity of the SBC and the glory of God.
