CBF Executive Coordinator files for Divorce

[Sandy]

http://bwim.info/pamsblog/todays-sad-news-by-pam-durso/

I'm always sorry to see any marriage, especially that of a pastor and wife, come to an end. And this will have an effect on CBF, though I think their response will be compassionate and ministry oriented, and not critical or judgmental.

[William Thornton]

This is an old story. It was news back in August. I haven't seen anything since.

[Dave Roberts]

Outside of the news announcement, there has been nothing on the wire or in CBF circles about this since that August announcement.

[Tim Bonney]

http://bwim.info/pamsblog/todays-sad-news-by-pam-durso/

I'm always sorry to see any marriage, especially that of a pastor and wife, come to an end. And this will have an effect on CBF, though I think their response will be compassionate and ministry oriented, and not critical or judgmental.

Sandy I don't get why you'd bring this up?

[Sandy]

It's not a secret, obviously, and while there are limits on where privacy begins, this is someone who is the leader of a Christian organization, and her husband was pastor of one of its affiliated congregations, and involved in the organizational leadership. It would certainly not be off limits for those who have an interest to discuss the impact something like this will have on the organization.

[William Thornton]

It's not a secret, obviously, and while there are limits on where privacy begins, this is someone who is the leader of a Christian organization, and her husband was pastor of one of its affiliated congregations, and involved in the organizational leadership. It would certainly not be off limits for those who have an interest to discuss the impact something like this will have on the organization.

OK, what effect do you think it will have?

[Haruo]

Unless it turns out that she filed for divorce so she could marry her old girlfriend from high school, I doubt it'll have a big impact.

[Tim Bonney]

It's not a secret, obviously, and while there are limits on where privacy begins, this is someone who is the leader of a Christian organization, and her husband was pastor of one of its affiliated congregations, and involved in the organizational leadership. It would certainly not be off limits for those who have an interest to discuss the impact something like this will have on the organization.

Yes, that is what I thought. Gossip. This was back in August. Their personal marital relationship broke up. I don't see anything to discuss, other than the bizarre treatment that evangelicals give to people who've gone through a divorce.

[Tim Bonney]

Unless it turns out that she filed for divorce so she could marry her old girlfriend from high school, I doubt it'll have a big impact.

LOL Haruo, I agree.

[Sandy]

If a prominent conservative Evangelical, or the SBC exec director, got a divorce, it would have been discussed here, probably without sensitivity to the situation, and there would be comments as to the hypocritical nature of the individual, or of the reaction of the denomination.

I don't see anything to discuss, other than the bizarre treatment that evangelicals give to people who've gone through a divorce.

Evangelicals aren't the only ones who do that.

This is an individual who was called to a ministry position, in the language of CBF itself, which required her to spend an inordinate amount of time away from her husband. That alone is bound to have some impact on CBF, and on its leadership. I can't imagine a church pastor search committee agreeing to extend a call to a pastor whose spouse was planning to remain at their previous location because of a job they didn't want to quit. Certainly this has had some impact on CBF leadership regarding the wisdom of extending a call to an individual to serve them at the expense of time spent with her husband.

[William Thornton]

The CBF put this out months ago, presumably because it was understood to be relevant news to those involved. To everyone's credit it hasn't had much public discussion. In the SBC a divorce would lead separation.

[Sandy]

The CBF put this out months ago, presumably because it was understood to be relevant news to those involved. To everyone's credit it hasn't had much public discussion. In the SBC a divorce would lead separation.

Not necessarily. Charles Stanley is divorced, though he didn't hold a paid denominational post, continued as pastor of First Baptist Church of Atlanta. I don't know if he held a trustee or committee post at the time, but I doubt there'd have been much in the way of agitation to remove him, not, at least, that would have been powerful enough to do it.

I wouldn't expect a lot of public discussion from CBF about this. I'd find it a little troubling that as an organization, we called a person to a ministry that separated her from her spouse for long periods of time. If that were a factor, it would certainly be a higher price to pay, especially on her part, than would have been expected or anticipated.

[Dave Roberts]

The CBF put this out months ago, presumably because it was understood to be relevant news to those involved. To everyone's credit it hasn't had much public discussion. In the SBC a divorce would lead separation.

Not necessarily. Charles Stanley is divorced, though he didn't hold a paid denominational post, continued as pastor of First Baptist Church of Atlanta. I don't know if he held a trustee or committee post at the time, but I doubt there'd have been much in the way of agitation to remove him, not, at least, that would have been powerful enough to do it.

I wouldn't expect a lot of public discussion from CBF about this. I'd find it a little troubling that as an organization, we called a person to a ministry that separated her from her spouse for long periods of time. If that were a factor, it would certainly be a higher price to pay, especially on her part, than would have been expected or anticipated.

Sandy, I think you are manufacturing something. Suzii did move to Atlanta ahead of Roger, but then he came upon retirement within a year of her coming. At the time this occurred, he was interim pastor at First Baptist in Decatur, one block down the street from the CBF offices. It would seem the most important thing to do is to pray for both of them.