Individuals of Distinction: Billy Russell, Rodney Reeves, Ray Leinginger, Fred Pike, Larry Stehr, Bill Hooper, Mark Tappmeyer, Jodie Shelenhamer

Slightly modified for Web presentation

Tuesday, July 29, 2008

From the Desk of Marie O’Hara
Mailing Address: Bolivar, MO 65613

Pastor Rev. Billy Russell
% First Baptist Church of Bolivar
316 Main Street (P. O. Box 358)
Bolivar, MO 65613

Rev. Ray Leininger (former First Baptist Church of Bolivar pastor)
4432 South 132nd Road
Bolivar, MO 65613

Rev. Rodney Reeves
(former interim pastor of First Baptist Church of Bolivar &
Dean of the Southwest Baptist University Courts Redford College of Theology and Ministry )
1454 East 420th Road
Bolivar, MO 65613

Rev. Freddie Pike
(First Baptist Church of Bolivar Minster of Education /Administration)
2113 West Jackson
Bolivar, MO 65613

Larry Stehr (Young Adult /College Pastor)
% First Baptist Church of Bolivar
316 Main Street (P. O. Box 358)
Bolivar, MO 65613

Bill Hooper (Minister to Senior Adults)
% First Baptist Church of Bolivar
316 Main Street (P. O. Box 358)
Bolivar, MO 65613

Mark and Linda Tappmeyer
(First Baptist Church of Bolivar Deacon
& Southwest Baptist University professor)
130 West Park Ridge Drive
Bolivar, MO 65613

Jodie Shelenhamer
(First Baptist Church of Bolivar Deacon
& member of the Missouri Baptist Convention Executive Board)
% Shelenhamer Construction
337 South Springfield Avenue
Bolivar, MO 65613



Faxed to: First Baptist Church of Bolivar
316 Main Street (P. O. Box 358)
Bolivar, MO 65613
Fax: (417)-326-4706
(faxed July 29, 2008 at about 2:30 pm)

Dear Gentlemen:

This week, I am sending unique and individual correspondences to each of you (and several others) regarding my November 11, 2007 letter to the First Baptist Church of Bolivar, Missouri.

Each of you possesses distinctive attributes of personality, talent, knowledge, resources and responsibilities that will assist in facilitating a resolution to the challenges outlined in my previous missive, therefore, I have chosen to address you as individuals.

You should be receiving these letters at your home or business addresses (listed above).

In the event that any of these letters should go astray, I have used the First Baptist Church of Bolivar address (316 Main Street , P. O. Box 358) as the return address.



I look forward to resolving these issues with you in a just, compassionate, and timely manner.

Thank you for your cooperation.


In the Integrity of Christ Jesus,


Marie O’Hara

Course Change and Women to the Rescue: Marie's Letter to Dr. Stephanie Miller (Southwest Baptist University VP for Enrollment Management)

Posting shortly - this coming week

Bio for Dr. Stephanie Miller (from SBU's About SBU website):

Stephanie Miller, Vice President for Enrollment Management

Dr. Stephanie Miller has been employed at Southwest Baptist University since 1984. She has held her current position at Southwest Baptist University as vice president for enrollment management since January 2003. She is the first female in the history of the institution to serve on the president's executive cabinet.

Dr. Miller enrolled at SBU in 1976 and was a member of the volleyball team. She graduated summa cum laude with a degree in physical education in May 1980. She earned a M. S. from Drury College in1983, and recently completed her Ed.D in higher education from Nova Southeastern University, receiving the Research Excellence Award for Development Practicum.

Dr. Miller began work at SBU as head volleyball coach in 1984. In addition to head coaching responsibilities at SBU, she taught 12 hours of physical education courses until 1995. From 1994 until 1998 she served as assistant athletic director, senior women's administrator and NCAA compliance officer, with the additional responsibility of being named director of retention in 1995. She was appointed interim athletic director in 1998; a year later, she moved into full-time administration as director of enrollment management.

Administrative Failure: Baylor University President John Lilley has been fired for failing to “bring the Baylor family together.”

Note to Southwest Baptist University Trustees and Administration (entire list here) ...
and the Missouri Baptist Executive Convention Board (entire list here):

Baptist university administrators can (and perhaps should)
be fired for failure to exercise
administrative leadership and discernment.

~~*~~
Update2: Baylor disunity leads to Lilley's firing
By Marv Knox, Editor, Baptist Standard
Published: July 24, 2008

GRAPEVINE—Baylor University President John Lilley has been fired for failing to “bring the Baylor family together,” reported Howard Batson, chairman of the university’s board of regents.


Regents voted to remove Lilley from office, effective immediately, during their summer meeting July 24. The vote was taken by secret ballot, and the vote total was not announced to the board, Batson said.


Batson cited Lilley’s inability to unite Baylor’s various constituencies at least nine times in a 20-minute national teleconference with reporters and several times in an interview with the Baptist Standard shortly after the regents’ vote.

Remainder of the article from the [Texas] Baptist Standard (here).

The Joy of Listening: Congressman ROY BLUNT (Southwest Baptist University Alumnus & Former SBU Trustee, President & CEO) Makes Bolivar Appearance

From 1993 to 1996, ROY BLUNT was president and CEO of Southwest Baptist University, his alma mater.

Previous to that, when Marie was first acutely poisoned with a potentially-illegal application of now-banned pesticides on the SBU campus (see here), Roy Blunt served as Trustee for Southwest Baptist University.


It seems from the article below that Mr. Blunt claims that he is finally developing an intriguing governing strategy -- listening!


Unfortunately, this is a tactic and a talent which Mr. Blunt -- like his predecessor and mentor, the late Dr. James Sells -- rarely implemented during his tenure at Southwest Baptist University.

Blunt visits with local residents about hardships
caused by gas prices

By: Shawn Garrison

07/23/2008

Updated 07/24/2008 08:51:35 AM CDT

Posted Wed., July 23, 2008


Congressman Roy Blunt [wiki here] visits with Bolivar residents Saturday about high gas prices.

On Saturday southwest Missouri Congressman Roy Blunt spent the morning at Cody's Convenience Store on South Springfield Avenue chatting with people as they filled their vehicles about the impact high gas prices have had on their individual lives.

"You hear the mom who says my kids are in sports but I don't go to the away games anymore," Blunt said. "Or the volunteer fireman who says I don't mind giving my time, I've been doing this for 10 years, but I don't think I can afford chasing these fires around anymore.

"Those are stories that make a difference when you tell them. It's better than going to Washington and saying, 'Well I think that people in my district are doing this.'"

Remainder of article from the Bolivar Herald Free Press (here).

Current Southwest Baptist University Trustee and Alumnus, Chaplain Gary D. Gilmore, is the Speaker for Friday Night's Summer Commencement

Southwest Baptist University's summer commencement is scheduled for 7 p.m. Friday, July 25, in the Jane and Ken Meyer Wellness Center on the main campus in Bolivar. The commencement address will be given by guest speaker Chaplain Gary D. Gilmore.

Gilmore was born in Pipestone, Minn., but spent most of his early years in the Kansas City area. Called to vocational ministry while in high school, he prepared to serve others by obtaining a bachelor of arts degree from Southwest Baptist University in 1979 and a master of divinity degree from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in Fort Worth, Texas, in 1983.

Gilmore has served churches in Weatherford, Texas, and the Missouri communities of Deepwater, Waverly, and Mount Vernon. He has enjoyed long pastorates, serving the Mount Vernon congregation for more than 16 years.

He has served Missouri Baptists in various roles including serving as an executive board member in the Missouri Baptist Convention and as a trustee for Southwest Baptist University (entire list of SBU Trustees here).

Remainder of article from the Bolivar Herald Free Press (here).

FaithTrust Institute to Address Sexual Discrimination & Abuse at Southwest Baptist Univ., the Missouri Baptist Con & First Baptist-Bolivar

Few resources exist within the Missouri and Southern Baptist Conventions to tackle the issues of:

• violence against women,
• the harassment, sexual hazing and debasement of female students at Southwest Baptist University,
• and the abuse of sexual boundaries by administrators, university staff and associates of SBU and within Missouri Baptist Convention and Missouri Baptist churches in general.

Therefore, Marie will request that Southwest Baptist University, the Missouri Baptist Convention and First Baptist Church of Bolivar, MO work with the interfaith and ecumenical FaithTrust Institute (here) to develop customized educational training and resource development program to address these issues.

FaithTrust Institute’s Initiatives include:

Clergy Ethics

• Offering specifically designed training and educational materials to help religious institutions of all faiths reduce incidents of sexual abuse by clergy and to train clergy on boundary issues.

• Addressing professional ethics and sexual abuse through theological education.

Information on FOUNDATIONAL and CUSTOMIZED TRAINING
for Sexual Abuse by Clergy Initiative (here).

Congregational Safety and Health

• Supporting clergy and lay leaders in creating and sustaining healthy and safe congregations, emphasizing the prevention of child sexual abuse.

Healthy Families

• Providing educational print and video materials addressing child abuse, domestic violence, and healthy teen relationships.
• Training religious leaders to engage their communities in being part of a comprehensive community response to domestic violence.

(posting shortly) MISSOURI BAPTIST HEART OF INTEGRITY QUESTIONS: Section A (partly posted), B C, and D (in their entirety)

These are the questions which will be asked of
the individuals listed in the
Missouri Baptist Convention
EMERGENCY MEETING PRESS RELEASE
(described here)

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~*~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

MISSOURI BAPTIST HEART OF INTEGRITY QUESTIONS
The Role of the Law at a Christian University
~The Government, the Church, and the Law~
(SECTIONS A, B and C)

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~*~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Section A

~Southwest Baptist University and The Law~

(Questions 1-7)

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~*~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Question 1 (3 parts)

a) As employees and administrative personnel of a Christian institution, are you and your colleagues subject to and obligated to obey the laws of the local, state and federal governments?
Yes/No


b) Is it the moral or ethical obligation or the legal responsibility of you or any other SBU employee to report potentially injurious or serious criminal activity among the SBU staff, associates or supporters to the proper authorities?
Yes/No


c) In your opinion, is there any occasion when possible criminal or unethical conduct by SBU personnel which has resulted in injury or substantial or recurrent harm to others should be concealed from the proper authorities?
Yes/No


Question 2 (16 parts, a - p)
2. If a SBU official, administrator, faculty or staff member, employee or agent had engaged in any of the following illegal or unethical activities, in your opinion, would this be GROUNDS for DISMISSAL from Southwest Baptist University and/or NOTIFICATION of the proper governmental, professional, or church authorities or regulating agencies?

a) Complicity or participation in FORGING
or altering medical, academic, and/or other
RECORDS in order to conceal previous
wrongdoing by the SBU administration or
staff.
Yes/No

b) The presentation of false, misleading, or
incomplete testimony or information during
the discovery process or civil DEPOSITION.
Yes/No

c) The distribution of FALSE, misleading, or
incomplete INFORMATION to local, state, or
federal governmental OFFICIALS in the investigation
of a civil or criminal complaint against SBU, its
agents, employees, or associates with the intent
of defaming or defrauding other individuals or
concealing unethical or criminal conduct by
SBU associates.
Yes/No

d) The threatening of RETALIATION (harm to an
individual's academic career, employment, reputation,
family or friends) against an individual if that person
discussed or revealed illegal or unethical wrongdoing
by SBU faculty, administration, employees, or associates.
Yes/No

e) The continual indoor daytime (during business
hours) "fanspray" application of dangerous,
now-banned pesticides by an UNCERTIFIED
applicator on the SBU campus while students
were present.
Yes/No

f) The continual indoor daytime (during business
hours) "fanspray" application of dangerous,
now-banned pesticides by an UNCERTIFIED
applicator on the SBU campus while students
were present--even AFTER several students had
reported injuries and at least one was acutely
exposed twice and permanently disabled.
Yes/No

g) The purposeful DISREGARD of a PHYSICIAN'S
written INSTRUCTIONS which resulted in detriment
and injury to a student's health.
Yes/No

h) Complicity or participation in the use of
ADMINISTRATIVE AUTHORITY in the
orchestrated DEFAMATION of individuals
in order to DISCREDIT those individuals
and CONCEAL potentially criminal wrongdoing
by the SBU administration, employees, or
supporters.
Yes/No

i) The illegal use of ADMINISTRATIVE AUTHORITY
to discuss or distribute (without the student's
authorization) the confidential academic, medical,
or personal RECORDS of a SBU student with
a student's employer(s), friends or coworkers,
church personnel, deacons, church members,
or other unauthorized individuals.
Yes/No

j) The illegal use of ADMINISTRATIVE
AUTHORITY to discuss or DISTRIBUTE FALSE,
fabricated, misleading or incomplete INFORMATION
or documentation about a student with the student's
employer(s), friends or coworkers, church personnel,
church members, deacons, or other unauthorized
individuals with the intent of discrediting, defaming
or DEFRAUDING a student.
Yes/No

k) The searching and intentional VANDALISM
of a student's room and personal belongings for the
purpose of debasing the student and FORCING
the student to leave the University.
Yes/No

l) The PHYSICAL MENACING, harassment,
coercion, hazing, or INJURY of a student or
other individual(s) -- both on and off campus.
Yes/No

m) Complicity or participation in the recurrent,
prolonged and PREDATORY SEXUAL HARASSMENT
and defamation of students (even AFTER the
students left the SBU campus).
Yes/No

n) The persistent or retaliatory use of defamatory,
incendiary, or demeaning terms by the SBU
staff, faculty, and administration, such as:

*"CRAZY" -- a person who disagrees with the
SBU administration, staff, or policies;

*"DEMONIC" or "demon-possessed" -- a person
who is ill or who has experienced health problems;

*"HEATHEN" -- a student or other person who
does not currently attend church;

*"LIAR" -- a person, particularly a student,
who expresses opinions which threaten the
"status quo" or are different from those of
the SBU administration, staff, or associates;

*"MOOCHER" -- a person who accepts hospitality
from a Christian, or who asks for assistance from a
church or church-related organization during a crisis;

*"N****R" -- a black or dark-skinned person;

*"N****R-LOVER" -- someone who has friends
who are black or dark-skinned;

*"PAGAN" -- a non-Baptist Christian, or a member
of any other religious community.

*"W***E" -- virtually any unmarried woman,
virgin or not, or a divorced women;

*"PERVERT" -- a person who has experienced
sexual confusion or abuse, is or was sexually active,
or anyone who cares about or associates with
such persons;

*"PROBLEM STUDENT" -- a student who
disturbs the normal routine by expressing new
viewpoints or challenging the SBU administration,
staff, or associates;

*"PSYCHO" -- a student or other person who
causes the SBU staff, administration, or associates
to be inconvenienced;

*"QUEER" -- an effeminate male; or an unmarried
female, esp. one who is not dating or is not sexually
active, or a person who was reluctant to take part in
unseemly or coarse joking and discussions or would
not submit to groping or molestation by the SBU
administrative staff.

*"ROGUE CHRISTIAN" -- a Christian who, due
to severe disability or health problems, is unable
to attend church.
Yes/No

o) Complicity or participation in the use of
ADMINISTRATIVE AUTHORITY to PROPAGATE
malicious and unfounded rumors and FALSE
ACCUSATIONS (which resulted in profound
disruption to the student's family, social,
financial, emotional, academic, and spiritual
life) in an attempt to SHIELD SBU from LEGAL
LIABILITY and potential embarrassment in
the previous and now-acknowledged SEXUAL
MISCONDUCT of several SBU staff and
administrators.
Yes/No

p) The persistent misleading and conscious DECEIT
of University officials resulting in SUBSTANTIAL
and REPEATED physical, psychological, emotional
or spiritual HARM to other individuals.
Yes/No

Question 3 (16 parts, a - p)
3. If a SBU instructor, administrator, employee, or supporter had engaged in any of the above illegal or unethical activities, in your opinion, should that individual qualify for SPECIAL TREATMENT from Southwest Baptist University, the Missouri or Southern Baptist Conventions, any governmental agencies, institution or individuals (supporters, Trustees, Regents, or contributors) associated with Southwest Baptist University in the form of: promotions, tenure, pay raises, special bonuses ("housing allowances," etc.), ceremonial awards or recognition (Life Beautiful Award, career achievement award, etc.), political or church-related positions, financial remuneration and gratuities, or any other considerations?


Please answer Yes/No to the above 16 items (a - p) in Question 2.


Question 4
4. If a SBU administrator, member of the faculty or staff, or other SBU employee or associate were found to have committed an illegal or unethical offense against a student, in your opinion, does the SBU GOVERNANCE bare the ethical RESPONSIBILITY for reconciling the situation by determining suitable and timely disciplinary action against the employee or associate and providing amends or compensation for the wronged student?
Yes/No


Question 5
5. If a SBU administrator, member of the faculty or staff, or other SBU employee or associate were found to have committed an illegal or unethical offense against a student, in your opinion, during what TIME FRAME should the governance of Southwest Baptist University provide the student with an apology, compensation, amends, correction of the student's record, restitution, reconciliation, or other appropriate response?


Please indicate Yes to one of the following (a - l):

a) within one day
b) within one week
c) within one month
d) within six months
e) within one year
f) within two years
h) within five years
i) within ten years
j) within twenty or more years
k) not until the student dies
l) SBU has no ethical obligation to apologize
or offer amends for the criminal or unethical
conduct of its employees, officials, or associates.

Question 6
6. In your opinion, if the SBU administration and governance, having been alerted on numerous occasions of the possible illegal or unethical conduct of a SBU administrator, member of the faculty or staff, or other SBU employee or associate, failed to take substantive and decisive action to rectify the situation and prevent further incidents in the future, would this indicate the failure of administrative authority and precipitate the REEVALUATION of the legitimacy, effectiveness, and INTEGRITY of the SBU governance?
Yes/No


Question 7 (3 parts, a - c)
a) In your opinion, are the SBU Trustees and the members of the leadership of the Missouri Baptist Convention (which owns SBU), as individuals, LEGALLY, MORALLY, and FINANCIALLY liable for the administrative policies and activities of Southwest Baptist University and its employees and agents?
Yes/No

b) As a member of the SBU staff or administration, do you condone (or have you ever condoned) the use of SLANDER, INTIMIDATION, physical assault or VIOLENCE against any individuals who disagree with the policies or behavior of SBU personnel?
Yes/No

c) Do you believe that the CAREER, REPUTATION, HEALTH, or LIFE of any individual should be FORFEITED in order to COVER the illegal, fraudulent, and/or potentially costly or embarrassing misconduct of the officials, employees, or associates of Southwest Baptist University, or the Missouri and Southern Baptist Conventions?
Yes/No

_______________________________


The NEW SISTER BLOG

Missouri Baptist Heart of Integrity Questions
http://heartofintegrity.blogspot.com/
NOW OPEN
in order to allow more convenient access to the entire

MISSOURI BAPTIST HEART OF INTEGRITY
QUESTIONS:
The Role of the Law at a Christian University
~The Government, the Church, and the Law~
( Sections A, B & C)

_______________________________________________

Press Release Details: EMERGENCY MEETING of Missouri Baptist Convention Executive Board Regarding Southwest Baptist University Misconduct

Last Update: Tuesday, August 26, 2008 (shortly)

Due to various complications, Marie has been unable to present a proposal to the Missouri Baptist Convention Executive Board at their meeting today and will, instead, proceed with a PRESS RELEASE requesting an EMERGENCY MEETING of the Missouri Baptist Convention Executive Board for the purpose of responsibly dealing with the concerns that were brought forth in her letter of June 30.

Over the next few days, this post will provide a continuous updating of the events surrounding the PRESS RELEASE and the EMERGENCY MEETING.

The Questions to be addressed by the individuals named below will be posted (here).

1. Tuesday, July 15 about 2:00 pm:

REBACCA RANDLES and the
SOUTHWEST BAPTIST UNIVERSITY LEGAL STAFF

Marie has contacted the Missouri Bar Association and has been assured that -- if the events are as she and other witnesses describe and as the documentation seems to indicate -- the lawyers involved should most definitely be disbarred.

After some discussion, Marie has agreed to write REBECCA RANDLES, attorney and Southwest Baptist University Trustee, to request that she investigate and provide a preliminary accounting during the upcoming EMERGENCY MEETING (which Marie has requested for August 2008) and a fuller accounting during the yearly October 2008 meeting of the entire Missouri Baptist Convention of the behavior of the Southwest Baptist University legal staff.

2. Tuesday, July 15 (about 3:00 pm):

SOUTHWEST BAPTIST UNIVERSITY ADMINISTRATION

Marie is requesting that during the upcoming EMERGENCY MEETING (which Marie has requested for September 2008) of the Missouri Baptist Executive Board and during the yearly October 2008 meeting of the entire Missouri Baptist Convention the following individuals provide an accounting of the behavior of the Southwest Baptist University administration, faculty and staff in this matter:

• Current SBU President C. Pat Taylor

• Previous Interim SBU President Wayne Gott (businessman and current SBU Trustee)

• and previous SBU CEO and President Roy Blunt [wiki here] (also former SBU Trustee; now 7th District Missouri Congressman).

3. Tuesday, July 15 (about 3:30 pm):

FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH OF BOLIVAR, MO

Marie is requesting that during the upcoming EMERGENCY MEETING (which Marie has requested for August 2008) of the Missouri Baptist Executive Board and during the yearly October 2008 meeting of the entire Missouri Baptist Convention the following individuals provide an accounting of:

1) the behavior of the Southwest Baptist University administration, faculty and staff (most of whom are or have been members of First Baptist Church of Bolivar) and
2) the behavior of the staff, trustees, deacons and other individuals associated with the Missouri Baptist Convention, First Baptist Church
of Bolivar and other churches in this matter:

• Current Pastor of First Baptist Church of Bolivar Billy Russell (SBU alumnus and newly-nominated SBU Trustee)

• Interim Pastor of First Baptist Church of Bolivar Rodney Reeves (SBU alumnus and Dean of the Redford College of Theology and Ministry at Southwest Baptist University)

• and former Pastor of First Baptist Church of Bolivar Ray Leininger (also SBU adjunct faculty; former SBU Trustee, former member of the Missouri Baptist Convention Executive Board and the Trustee Board of the Word and Way).

4. Thursday, July 17 (later today):

SOUTHWEST BAPTIST UNIVERSITY ADMINISTRATIVE STAFF

5. Thursday, July 17 (later today):

SOUTHWEST BAPTIST UNIVERSITY FACULTY SENATE

6. Thursday, July 17 (later today):

SOUTHWEST BAPTIST UNIVERSITY MEDICAL STAFF

7. Thursday, July 17 (later today):

SOUTHWEST BAPTIST UNIVERSITY PHYSICAL PLANT PERSONNEL

8. Thursday, July 17 (later this morning)::

SOUTHWEST BAPTIST UNIVERSITY TRUSTEES

The Questions to be addressed by the above individuals will be posted today.

This post will be continuously updated.

_______________________________________________

A CHOICE:
Alternative Histories and Divergent Paths
_______________________________________________

Marie's request to the Missouri Baptist Executive Board for an EMERGENCY MEETING (described here) of the Executive Board -- for the purpose of initiating its investigation -- will be sent (and posted) today.

However, a second letter to the First Baptist Church of Bolivar, who are at the heart of this matter in more ways than anyone can count, will also be sent (and posted).

This second letter will request that the First Baptist Church of Bolivar conduct its own internal investigation, initiated by a Preliminary Agreement to be pledged and witnessed by the FBC-Bolivar Deacon Board on Sunday, August 31, 2008.

This Investigative Committee of the First Baptist Church of Bolivar will report directly to the Missouri Baptist Convention Executive Board at weekly intervals throughout September and October, until the yearly Missouri Baptist Convention meeting at the end of October 2008.

At that time, if the situation is not more fully resolved, the Missouri Baptist Convention Executive Board will be asked to intervene.

More details to follow ...

_______________________________________________

The NEW SISTER BLOG

Missouri Baptist Heart of Integrity Questions
http://heartofintegrity.blogspot.com/
NOW OPEN
in order to allow more convenient access to the entire

MISSOURI BAPTIST HEART OF INTEGRITY
QUESTIONS:
The Role of the Law at a Christian University
~The Government, the Church, and the Law~
( Sections A, B & C)

_______________________________________________

PRESS RELEASE PENDING: Request for Emergency Meeting of the Missouri Baptist Convention Regarding Southwest Baptist University

Due to various complications, Marie has been unable to present a proposal to the Missouri Baptist Convention Executive Board at their meeting today.

Therefore, Marie will be requesting an EMERGENCY MEETING of the Missouri Baptist Convention Executive Board some time before the beginning of the Southwest Baptist University's Fall term for the purpose of responsibly dealing with the concerns that were brought forth in her letter of June 30.

As indicated in her June 30 letter, those concerns include the following:

1. The investigation and possible disciplinary action and/or dismissal of Missouri Baptist Convention Executive Board members (current and former) for antiscriptural, unethical, immoral and potentially criminal conduct.

2. The investigation and possible disciplinary action and/or dismissal of Southwest Baptist University Trustee Board members, administration, faculty, legal and medical personnel and other employees for antiscriptural, unethical, immoral and possibly criminal conduct – a portion of which has been publicly confessed.

3. The investigation and possible disciplinary action and/or censure against the First Baptist Church of Bolivar for antiscriptural, unethical, immoral and potentially criminal conduct in collaboration with Southwest Baptist University.

4. The formal complaint to The Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools against both Southwest Baptist University and the Missouri Baptist Convention for numerous violations of the Higher Learning Commission's Criteria for Accreditation.

The PRESS RELEASE requesting this EMERGENCY MEETING are being posted here.

_______________________________

A CHOICE:
Alternative Histories and Divergent Paths

_______________________________________________

Marie's request to the Missouri Baptist Executive Board for an EMERGENCY MEETING (described here) of the Executive Board -- for the purpose of initiating its investigation -- will be sent (and posted) today.

However, a second letter to the First Baptist Church of Bolivar, who are at the heart of this matter in more ways than anyone can count, will also be sent (and posted).

This second letter will request that the First Baptist Church of Bolivar conduct its own internal investigation, initiated by a Preliminary Agreement to be pledged and witnessed by the FBC-Bolivar Deacon Board on Sunday, August 31, 2008.

This Investigative Committee of the First Baptist Church of Bolivar will report directly to the Missouri Baptist Convention Executive Board at weekly intervals throughout September and October, until the yearly Missouri Baptist Convention meeting at the end of October 2008.

At that time, if the situation is not more fully resolved, the Missouri Baptist Convention Executive Board will be asked to intervene.

_______________________________________________

The NEW SISTER BLOG

Missouri Baptist Heart of Integrity Questions
http://heartofintegrity.blogspot.com/
NOW OPEN
in order to allow more convenient access to the entire

MISSOURI BAPTIST HEART OF INTEGRITY
QUESTIONS:
The Role of the Law at a Christian University
~The Government, the Church, and the Law~
( Sections A, B & C)

_______________________________________________