Congratulations on the birth of your daughter. The Lord has given Lynn and I two grandchildren in the last seven months. May Susannah be an eternal joy to you.
I tried contacting Ron back on May 26th. No response.
Thank you for interceding.
Jerry Corbaley

With the recent birth of our daughter Susannah (2nd child) I haven’t been following this conversation as closely as I should. Needless to say, it is out of control. If you want to continue your conversation, contact each other. This isn’t the place for this kind of fighting (don’t know of an appropriate place that is).

Jedidiah

Why didn’t you say this to BP instead of there are doctrinal problems on the mission field and our staff evidently wasn’t dealng with it? Why did you need to give Jerry Rankin a chance to clearify what he said? What he said was perfectly fine. I was only trying to get you to clarify what your said. I thank you for saying that any moral or doctrinal failure is a tiny minority of those leaving the field each year and they are dealt with by staff. That has been true for my 30 years with the board and I am sure much longer than that. That is why I do not feel we have a doctirnal problem at the IMB. I felt if you left your remark unexplained there are those who will use your words to say there are major doctrinal problems and the numbers are large. That is what Ron Wilson was saying when he was a trustee and I have heard others make similar remarks. I hope that you and I can join together and put a stop to this type of remarks by trustees or anyone else who makes these charges. That is my only goal. Years ago when I heard someone make a similar remarks about those I knew to be solid theologcial conservatives I promised the Lord that I would not remain silent when I heard charges of liberal theology made against those I knew to be theologically sound such as our missionaries. If I seem fanatic about this, it is becaue of that promise and the fact that I have spent 30 years working beside some of God’s finest servants anywhere on the earth. They are our IMB missionaries. I apoligize again if I was saying you were using slander and lies. I assume your were either mistaken or were not communicating your real understanding of our missionaries. I will not mention your name again in respect to false charges against our missionaries. From now on when I hear others saying there are doctinal problems at the IMB or that our missioaries are liberal or spreading heresy I will be glad to report that it is the testimony of former IMB trustee Jerry Corbaley that our missionaries are as sound theologically as any group in our convention and Jerry Rankin and the staff deserve our thanks for keeping that true.
Ron West

The context of my offer to Dr. Rankin to clarify his remark was in reference to what the trustees and IMB Senior Staff had previously discussed in forum during that very meeting. I will not violate trustee guidelines and discuss it publicly. Period. I offered Dr. Rankin an opportunity to clarify what he said, and that is all I did.

Nor will I be side-tracked into rehashing old discussions.

What you are currently doing, here and elsewhere, is causing damage to my reputation with lies. The Biblical word for this is slander. Please stop it. Your current sin is more important than your questions, brother. You are causing me unjust damage.

As you probably already know, the IMB Missionaries have about the lowest attrition rate of any similar organization. The attrition rate varies between about 3 and 4 percent. Of these, the vast majority are retirements, or leaving the mission field due to stateside family needs. It is a tiny minority of the 3 or 4 percent who have doctrinal or moral failures, that they refuse to correct, that cause them to leave the mission field. Many years, there are none at all.

This is, in my opinion, a much better record of moral and doctrinal faithfulness than that of the ministers in virtually any of our regional or state conventions.

As to a specific incidence of moral and doctrinal failure, and the naming of names, that is the business of the IMB Staff to address, and they do so faithfully and effectively. They also keep the trustees updated on such issues, because they are accountable to the trustees. The Richmond Staff are very gracious in working with their missionaries. The trustees are very gracious in working with the Richmond Staff.

To assert that there are no failures whatever is extremely naïve. Sometimes Christians get off on a tangent regarding morality and doctrine. Such as yourself, in this comment stream. You are falsely accusing me, and that is sin brother. Please stop.

I think your false accusations amount to Biblical slander brother. I think your sin is more important than your questions. Please stop. Please.

I will stop this if you wish, but please do not continue to accuse us of doctrinal problems without a clear explanation of what you mean.

Your friend Ron Wilson has plainly stated that our missionaries are controlled by liberals, are neo-orthodox in theology and are spreading heresy. Would you join me in saying he is wrong and would you also be willing to ask him to stop.

I was not aware you were a retired missionary. Thank you for your service. Where did you serve and when?
Ron West

The object of my comment is not past SBC politics, but present Christian morality.

Your accusation is false. I have never said, written or thought that our Missionaries are liberal or teaching heresy. In this comment stream you are asserting the damage done to our Missionaries’ reputations by false accusation. And then you falsely accuse me, a retired SBC Missionary.

Please stop. Just stop.

“You screened them, you examined their denominational loyalty, their faith, their church background and commitment, their affirmation of the Baptist Faith and Message, and our regional leaders are in touch with them, monitoring them,” Rankin said. “If there were any problems of doctrinal aberrations, of charismatic influences or practices, or even tolerance, or anyone not practicing baptism, or contributing in any way to ecumenical-type practices, we would know about it and deal with it.

“It is disrespectful to missionaries –- those giving their lives and sacrifices and taking their families and laying their lives on the line -– that anyone, without identifying and verifying facts, would spread rumors and innuendoes about doctrinal issues on the field. I want to make a public comment and stand for our missionaries in defense of their faithfulness.”

Trustee Jerry Corbaley of California voiced some misunderstanding about Rankin’s comments that there are no doctrinal problems on the field among the missionaries.

“Your statement there is no doctrinal problems on the field -– (that) if there were they would be recognized by staff –- seems to be in direct conflict with the fact we are dealing with several such instances now, Corbaley said. “Perhaps some clarification can help everyone.”

Rankin replied: “There have been several comments made, particularly that the policies were necessary because we’re sending missionaries out that are not truly Baptists, are involved in ecumenical movements, are tolerating, even promoting and practicing charismatic practices.

“Throughout the process of our policies, I’ve asked for evidence — for verification — if that is so then tell us who and where, and we’ll deal with it. But I have yet to have anyone document where there is a problem that we aren’t dealing with or haven’t dealt with when we became aware of it. That was the intent of (the statement).”
——————————————————————

I wrote you on your blog and discussed this at least twice. I do not have both posts but here is what I wrote in 2006.

———————————————————————
posted on your blog:
You said the following on your blog in response to my note. “My public assertion during the plenary session was in regard to a statement by Dr. Rankin that there were no doctrinal problems on the mission field. I think that is a misstatement. I thought it could be misused and misunderstood by Southern Baptists at large and that Dr. Rankin might want to take the opportunity to clarify what he meant.”
Brother Jerry, in BP your statement was that there are doctrinal problems on the field and that the trustees are handling several of them now and that they haven’t been recognized by staff. I think without clarification that could be misused and misunderstood by Southern Baptist at large. Why is it so important to you that we keep saying to Southern Baptists at large that there are theological problems with our missionaries? It doesn’t agree with your statement that we are factually healthy. You need to answer the questions I asked earlier in order to have some perception of what you are implying. What types of doctrinal problems are we talking about? Are they major problems concerning fundamental theological issues in conflict with the BFandM? How many missionaries out of the 5,200 are involved? Thousands? Unless you give further clarification, there are some who will take your statements as proof that there are many missionaries, maybe the majority, who are liberal in theology and teaching heresy all around the world and they will say that is what Jerry Corbaley is saying.
————————————————————

Brother Jerry, you said there were doctrinal problems on the mission field. If you are not willing to state what those problems are, then I and most people assume you are saying we are liberal and are teaching heresy. If you are not willing to name the number of missionaries involved then we are all under suspicion because of your statements. You felt it was so important to point out there are doctrinal problems that you spoke up in an open IMB meeting and contradicted Jerry Rankin and repeated it for BP. Jerry Rankin and I are both saying the same thing. “We’ve asked for evidence — for verification — if that is so then tell us who and where, and we’ll deal with it. But I have yet to have anyone document where there is a problem that we aren’t dealing with or haven’t dealt with when we became aware of it.” I also want to say along with Jerry Rankin, “It is disrespectful to missionaries –- those giving their lives and sacrifices and taking their families and laying their lives on the line -– that anyone, without identifying and verifying facts, would spread rumors and innuendoes about doctrinal issues on the field. I want to make a public comment and stand for our missionaries in defense of their faithfulness.” Brother Jerry, that is why I will continue to speak out when men such as you and Ron Wilson make statements attacking our theology and witness.

Brother Jerry if it is true as you say that our Missionaries have a lower incidence of doctrinal failure or moral failure than virtually any of our State or Regional Conventions why do you feel it so necessary to keep making statements about doctrinal problems. As you are aware, there have been examples of strong moral and doctrinal failure among our trustees. We do not say continually or in BP that there are adultery and dishonesty problems among our trustees because of the actions of a few. We believe you will take whatever action is required to correct the situation.

I want to also add that I have served under 3 FMB/IMB presidents. Baker James Cauthen, Keith Parks and Jerry Rankin. We were just as doctrinal sound when I was appointed in 1979 as we are now and have been all this time. That has not stopped a continual parade of men from spreading rumors and innuendoes about doctrinal issues as Jerry Rankin said. We have to defend ourselves. Our trustees seem to be too timid to do speak up for us.
Ron West

In this comment stream you falsely accuse me of saying our IMB Missionaries are liberal and teaching heresy. That is just not true, and it has never been true.

What I have said is that during my tenure as a trustee on the IMB, that I found our Missionaries to have a lower incidence of doctrinal failure or moral failure than virtually any of our State or Regional Conventions. That means I think they are more faithful than the ministers of our State and Regional Conventions. I am very pleased to be associated with them as a fellow Southern Baptists.

You could not possibly have gotten your information from me. It is patently false.

Please stop this false accusation. I have never harmed you. I have never persecuted you. Why are you doing this here, and on other blogs? I am your brother in Christ. Please just stop.

Dr. York, I would welcome our trustees and other questioning our missionaries any time you wish about anything to do with our service our commitment. I remember another IMB trustee chairman from Kentucky named Bill Hancock and his friend Ron Wilson who left statements hanging out there accusing us of being liberal and teaching heresy. If they had ever bothered to ask and try to find the truth, they would have discovered they were spreading slander and lies. In recent years Jerry Corbaley has done the same.

In case you do not read this post I will try to send it to you.

Chris Aiken, You wrote, “I read a great book in Seminary written by CBF commentators against the CR. I was amazed at the perspective.” I would probably disagree with the CBF commentators also but I too have been amazed at the perspective on the CR I hear from those who were not there. I was there before 1979 and most of the comments made by CR leaders and there off spring about liberalism in the SBC at that time have no relationship to reality.

Ron West