Contact: Chris Kofinis (202) 486-6422
INTERFAITH RELIGIOUS LEADERS JOIN GROWING CALL ON WAL-MART TO CHANGE FOR THE BETTER THIS HOLIDAY SEASON.
INTERFAITH LEADERS, REPRESENTING NEARLY 1.3 MILLION PEOPLE OF FAITH CHALLENGE WAL-MART CEO LEE SCOTT TO “DO WHAT IS MORALLY RIGHT”
NATIONAL DAY OF PRAYER/CANDLELIGHT VIGILS TO BE HELD AT WAL-MART STORES IN OVER 24 STATES
Washington, D.C. - Following the release of a joint letter signed by 133 evangelical leaders that challenged Wal-Mart’s CEO Lee Scott to make “Wal-Mart a Golden Rule company, one that is mindful in reflecting the best of Christian values,” WakeUpWalMart.com released a joint interfaith letter signed by 68 religious leaders from across the country - bring the total to over 200 faith leaders calling for Wal-Mart to change.
The interfaith letter calls on Wal-Mart to “do what is morally right” and change for the better this holiday season. The 68 religious leaders, including the Reverend John H. Thomas, General Minister and President of the United Church of Christ, Kim Bobo, Executive Director, Interfaith Worker Justice, Reverend Markel Hutchins, and Reverend Dr. William Jarvis Johnson, represent over 1.28 million people of faith in over 5,700 congregations.
“We hope Wal-Mart will listen to the growing call among leaders of faith to do what is morally right this holiday season and change into a moral and righteous employer that puts faith and family first,” said Chris Kofinis, communications director for WakeUpWalMart.com.
In the interfaith letter addressed to Wal-Mart CEO Lee Scott, religious leaders point out that the teachings of all faiths call on them to implore Wal-Mart to change for the better. As the letter states, “Those of us who are Christian, Jewish, Muslim, Buddhist or Hindu have scriptures that remind us that God is just and God’s servants must practice justice in all of our words and deeds. As we celebrate our own unique spiritual traditions, we also ask ourselves, would our God want us to support Wal-Mart’s values and actions with our dollars?” The letter goes on to state that “Mr. Scott, you have the power to change Wal-Mart, to end these terrible policies, and to set an example of how corporations can reflect our faith’s call for righteousness and justice.”
The interfaith letter is the next phase of WakeUpWalMart.com’s “America, Pray for Wal-Mart to Change” faith-based initiative which also includes a new nationwide media campaign with a stirring faith-based TV ad, entitled “Search Your Heart.”
The new TV ad, which is headlined by Pastor Joe Phelps, a Baptist minister from Louisville, KY, raises the moral question of whether or not, especially during the Christmas season, people of faith can ignore Wal-Mart’s exploitation of its workers and their families. The spot ends by calling on people of Christian faith to “search your heart. If these are Wal-Mart’s values, would Jesus shop at Wal-Mart? Should you?” The 30-second TV ad will be running in over 25 states and 43 media markets across the country beginning Thursday, December 14, 2006.
As part of the 2006 “America, Pray for Wal-Mart to Change” initiative, families and children of supporters of WakeUpWalMart.com, as well as community leaders and local leaders of faith, will hold local candlelight vigils and a day of prayer at Wal-Mart stores in over 40 cities and 24 different states, including Florida, Alabama, Texas, Arkansas, Louisiana, South Carolina, North Carolina, Virginia, Mississippi and Missouri. In addition, supporters will be distributing over 120,000 flyers to consumers across the country calling on people of faith to pray for Wal-Mart to change for the better.
The “Search Your Heart” TV-ad can be viewed in its entirety at WakeUpWalMart.com.
“Search Your Heart” TV Ad Script
Pastor Joe Phelps: Jesus said, “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.” But if these are our values can we continue to shop at Wal-Mart without insulting God?
Knowing that Wal-Mart has repeatedly broken child labor laws, is being sued for gender discrimination, and leaves over half of their employees and families without company health coverage.
So as we celebrate Christmas together, search your heart.
If these are Wal-Mart’s values, would Jesus shop at Wal-Mart?
Should you?
Below is a copy of the interfaith letter sent to Wal-Mart’s CEO Lee Scott from 68 religious leaders.
December 14, 2006
Lee Scott
CEO, Wal-Mart
Bentonville, AR
Dear Mr. Scott,
For people of all faiths, now is a time to remember and embrace the best of our values. It is a time to reflect upon our lives, our families, and the solemn responsibility we all have to improve the world for those less fortunate than us.
In the Bible, the prophets teach us to "do what is just and right" (Jeremiah 22:3), to "seek justice" (Isaiah 1:17), "to act justly" (Micah 6:8), and to "let justice flow like a stream" (Amos: 5:22-24).
We must ask ourselves, can we look the other way when those with so much choose to do so little? Can we ignore exploitation and greed, when a few try to enrich themselves at the expense of the many? Sadly, these are the immoral values exemplified by one of America’s largest and richest corporations, Wal-Mart.
Despite $11.2 billion in profit, Wal-Mart leaves 775,000 employees with no company health care, leaves nearly 1 out of every 2 children of its employees either uninsured or on public health care, repeatedly broke child labor laws, and is being sued by 1.6 million female employees in the largest gender discrimination lawsuit in U.S. history.
Shockingly, despite these moral failings, Wal-Mart, in the last year, chose to adopt some of the most anti-family policies in American corporate history, including salary caps, a scheduling policy which makes it impossible for employees to have a normal life or spend regular time with their families, a punitive attendance policy that penalizes workers who need to take a day off to care for a sick child, and the elimination of low-deductible health care plans for new hires.
Wal-Mart’s values are not Christian values, nor do they reflect the values of any of our faiths. As people of faith, it is our duty, it is our moral obligation, to write to you and ask Wal-Mart to reverse its anti-family policies. Wal-Mart’s anti-family policies are immoral, unjust, and a direct affront to the teachings of our faith.
Mr. Scott, what Wal-Mart has done to families does not reflect our moral values, and it is shameful that a company as wealthy and as rich as Wal-Mart would choose to impart such suffering on its 1.39 million employees, many of whom make poverty-level wages and struggle to survive.
Therefore, for the faith community at large, we realize Wal-Mart’s values are not moral values and we must call upon Wal-Mart to change. We ask ourselves:
Would Jesus shop at Wal-Mart knowing how Wal-Mart treats hard-working families?
Would Abraham ignore the pain of those who must endure poverty wages and no health care?
Would Mohammad look the other way as Wal-Mart breaks child labor laws again and again?
Mr. Scott, we ask you, what would our spiritual leaders do?
The answer is simple. Our spiritual leaders would not embrace Wal-Mart’s values of greed and exploitation, particularly when hard-working families struggle to care for themselves and their children as a result of those misguided values.
Those of us who are Christian, Jewish, Muslim, Buddhist or Hindu have scriptures that remind us that God is just and God’s servants must practice justice in all of our words and deeds. As we celebrate our own unique spiritual traditions, we also ask ourselves, would our God want us to support Wal-Mart’s values and actions with our dollars?
Mr. Scott, you have the power to change Wal-Mart, to end these terrible policies, and to set an example of how corporations can reflect our faith’s call for righteousness and justice. In the spirit of all of our faiths, we want to remind you that “From everyone to whom much has been given, much will be required; and from the one to whom much has been entrusted, even more will be demanded.” (Luke 12:48)
So beginning today, in the common ground of all of our faiths, we call on Wal-Mart to put families first, to change, to embrace the simple fact that with ‘great wealth comes great responsibility.’
In the end, it is our sincere ‘Hope for the Holidays’ that Wal-Mart will change for the better, do what is morally and ethically right, honor the teachings our faith leaders, and reflect the best of American values.
Sincerely,
Reverend John H. Thomas, General Minister and President of the United Church of Christ, Cleveland, OH
Ms. Kim Bobo, Executive Director, Interfaith Worker Justice, Chicago, IL
Reverend Markel Hutchins, President of the National Youth Connection, Atlanta, GA
Reverend Dr. William Jarvis Johnson, New Prospect Family Praise and Worship Center, Washington, DC
Reverend Ron Steif, United Church of Christ, Washington DC
Father Ray Lescher, Sacred Heart Catholic Church, Joliet, IL
Dr. Iva E. Carruthers, General Secretary of the Samuel DeWitt Proctor Conference Chicago, IL
Reverend Rebekah Jordan, Mid-South Interfaith Network for Economic Justice, Memphis, TN
Reverend David W. Heckenlively, Chairman of the Faith Community for Worker Justice, Milwaukee, WI
Rabbi Michael Feinberg, Executive Director of the Greater NY Labor-Religion Coalition, NY
Reverend Obery M. Hendricks, Jr., Ph.D., Professor of Biblical Interpretation, New York Theological Seminary, New York, NY
Reverend Thomas W. Goodhue, Executive Director of the Long Island Council of Churches, Hempstead, NY
Reverend Mark Wendorf, McMormick Theological Seminary and Board Member of Interfaith Worker Justice, Chicago, IL
Reverend Julian E Jasper, Zion Rock M.B. Church, Milwaukee, WI
Reverend Trina Zelle, Interfaith Worker Justice, Phoenix, AZ
Reverend Michael Ratajczak, Church of the St Thomas More, Oceanside, VA
Reverend Bill Radatz, Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, San Diego, CA
Reverend Lewis Adams of Holy Ground 'Baptist Church, New Orleans, LA
Reverend James Morris, Lane Tabernacle Church, St. Louis, MO
Rabbi Susan Talu, Central Reform Interfaith Church, St. Louis, MO
Rabbi Randy Flescher, Central Reform Interfaith Church, St. Louis, MO
Reverend Corey Miller, Church of Christ, Des Moines, IA
Reverend Wayne Riggs, Plymouth Church, San Diego, CA
Rabbi Laurie Coskey, Executive Director of the Interfaith Committee for Worker Justice, San Diego, CA
Reverend Wilfredo Benitez, St. Anselm of Canterbury Episcopal Church, Garden Grove, CA
Reverend Minh-Hanh Nguyen, St. Anselm of Canterbury Episcopal Church, Garden Grove, CA
Reverend Sarah Halverson, Fairview Community Church, Costa Mesa, CA
Ms. Sherrel Johnson, Council on American-Islamic Relations, Anaheim, CA
Mr. Shakeel Syed, Executive Director of Islamic Shura Council of Southern California, Anaheim, CA
Ms. Wendy Tarr, Clergy and Laity United for Economic Justice, Los Angeles, CA
Reverend Carol Been, Working Partnership USA, San Jose, CA
Ms. Pam Allison, Progressive Christians Uniting, Orange County, CA
Pastor Donn Leatherman, Seventh Day Adventist, Ooltewah, TN
Dr. Edith Rasell, United Church of Christ Justice and Witness Ministries, Cleveland, OH
Reverend Gil Dawes, Hispanic United Methodist United, Des Moines, IA
Reverend Barb Dinnen, Trinity United Methodist United, Des Moines, IA
Reverend Edward F. Boyle, The Labor Guild, Archdiocese of Boston, Boston, MA
Pastor Neal MacPherson, Church of the Crossroads, Honolulu, Hawaii
Reverend Lee Walker, Holy Ground Baptist Church, New Orleans, LA
Father Brian Jordan, Church of St. Francis of Assisi, New York, NY
Bishop Amy Lee Green, House Church, Baton Rouge, LA
Reverend Bill Bulson, Holy Apostles Episcopal Church, St. Paul, MN
Reverend Paul Erickson, Augustana Lutheran Church, West St. Paul, MN
Reverend Chris Berthelsen, First Lutheran Church, St. Paul, MN
Reverend Drew Flathmann, Lake Nokomis Lutheran Church, Minneapolis, MN
Reverend Tim Johnson, Cherokee Park United Church, St. Paul, MN
Reverend Sue Tjornehoj, Christ Lutheran Church on Capitol Hill, St. Paul, MN
Sister Mary White, St. Paul’s Monastery, St. Paul, MN
Reverend Nancy Anderson, Community United Church of Christ, St. Paul Park, MN
Reverend Grant Stevensen, St. Matthew Lutheran Church, St. Paul, MN
Reverend Doug Mork, Saint Paul Area Synod, ELCA, St. Paul, MN
Deacon Roger Carlson. Basilica of St. Mary, Minneapolis, MN
Reverend Calvin S. Morris, Ph.D., Executive Director of the Community Renewal Society, Chicago, IL
Reverend Stephen Glauz-Todrank, Skyland Community Church, United Church of Christ, Los Gatos, CA
Reverend Paul Ratzlaff, Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Huntington, Huntington, New York
Reverend Merle Showers, Niagara Frontier City Ministries, Inc., Buffalo, NY
Reverend John L. Freesemann, Holy Redeemer Lutheran Church, San Jose, C A
Father Jack O'Malley, St Hyaciath Church, Pittsburgh, PA
Dr. J. Alfred Smith Jr., Pastor of Antioch Baptist Church, San Jose, CA
Reverend Deborah Beach Giordano, New Methodist Conference, Castro Valley, CA
Reverend Scott Rosenstein, United Church of Christ, Cleveland, OH
Reverend Suzelle Lynch, Unitarian Universalist Church West, Brookfield, WI
Ms. Beverly Jo Michelli, Youth Minister of Queen of Angels Catholic Church, Alpine, CA
Reverend Jack L. McMahon, Wesley Chapel Church, Franklin, IN
Reverend Tom Wall, University of South Carolina Methodist, Columbia, SC
Reverend Cathy Schuyler, Protestant Campus Ministry, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY
Reverend Doctor Jim Wolfe, retired Presbyterian minister, Indianapolis, IN
Reverend Jonathan Tetherly, Hampden Correctional Center, UCC, Ludlow, MA
Below is a copy of the letter to Wal-Mart’s CEO Lee Scott from 133 evangelical leaders.
Baptist Center for Ethics
Nashville, Tennessee
www.ethicsdaily.com
A Pastoral Letter to Wal-Mart
December 13, 2006
Mr. H. Lee Scott, CEO
Wal-Mart Stores, Inc.
Bentonville, AR 72716-8611
Dear Mr. Scott,
We write you as moral theologians with grave concerns about Wal-Mart’s corporate practices-practices that conflict with our commitment to pro-family values.
The Christian prophetic witness teaches that justice is the highest family value for any society-protection for the fatherless, security for the single mother, honesty in the marketplace, fairness for the weakest one in society, respect for the elderly.
The Hebrew prophet Micah said that God required justice (Micah 6:8). The prophet Amos said that God wanted justice to flood the land (Amos 5:24). The prophet Isaiah said that God wanted his people to seek justice (Isaiah 1:17). Jesus told community leaders that they were neglecting justice (Luke 11:42).
The biblical witness also teaches responsibility-parents are responsible for children (Deuteronomy 6:4-9) and employers are responsible for fair wages for their employees (1 Timothy 5:18). Jesus said, “From everyone to whom much has been given, much will be required; and from the one to whom much has been entrusted, even more will be demanded” (Luke 12:48).
We believe that Wal-Mart has been given and entrusted with much wealth, power and influence. We believe that much is required of and demanded from Wal-Mart in terms of its responsibility to working families. That responsibility necessitates that Wal-Mart treat well its employees with such things as:
• fair-living wages, not poverty-level wages;
• generous health care benefits, not eliminating low-deductible health care plans;
• decent places to work that treat women with dignity and equality;
• respectful schedules for children in school; and
• good benefits for sound retirements.
A company with the wealth of Wal-Mart has the responsibility to advance the common good for a better society, not seek only personal gain. Wal-Mart’s leaders need to recognize their moral obligations to be good stewards of what the corporation has been given and entrusted, not simply through acts of charity but with justice for working-family employees who have built but not necessarily benefited from Wal-Mart’s vast earnings.
When we celebrate Christmas, we mark the birth of the Messiah who gave the moral imperative of the Golden Rule (Luke 6:31; Matthew 7:12), a rule that encourages Christian consumers to consider where they shop and that guides corporate practices.
We challenge you this Christmas to make Wal-Mart a Golden Rule company, one that is mindful in reflecting the best of Christian values and one that seeks a higher standard for its employees and their families.
Respectfully,
Robert Parham, Executive Director, Baptist Center of Ethics, Nashville, TX
James R. Adair, Professor, Baptist University of the Americas, San Antonio, TX
Bud Adams, Pastor, First Baptist Church of Central Square, Central Square, NY
Marion Aldridge, Coordinator, Cooperative Baptist Fellowship of South Carolina, Columbia, SC
Jimmy R. Allen, Chaplain Emeritus, Big Canoe, GA
Mary Jayne Allen, Minister of Education, First Baptist Church, Chattanooga, TN
Daniel G. Bagby, Professor, Baptist Theological Seminary at Richmond, Richmond, VA
Bob Ballance, Pastor, Heritage Baptist Church, Cartersville, GA
Reverend Mia Bumgartner, Executive Director, Immanuel Community Services, Seattle, WA
David Benjamin, Pastor, King's Cross Church, Tullahoma, TN
Reverend Paul Benz, Director, Lutheran Public Policy Office of Washington State, Seattle, WA
Ronnie Brewer, Pastor, Trinity Baptist Church, Madison, AL
Frank Broome, Coordinator, Cooperative Baptist Fellowship of Georgia, Macon, GA
Reverend Sandy Brown, Executive Director, Church Council of Greater Seattle, Seattle, WA
Reverend Brian Burchfield, Region 1 Mission Director, Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, Seattle, WA
Elder Lawrence Campbell, Bible Way Cathedral, Danville, VA
Tony Campolo, Founder and President of the Evangelical Association for the Promotion of Education (EAPE)
Daniel Carro, Latino Pastor, Baptist General Association of Virginia, Richmond VA
Gary Carver, Pastor, First Baptist Church, Chattanooga, TN
Kyle Childress, Pastor, Austin Heights Baptist Church, Nacogdoches, TX
Scott Cole, Associate Pastor, Fellowship of the Valley, Birmingham, AL
Larry Coleman, Pastor, Churchland Baptist Church, Chesapeake, VA
Ron Cook, Professor, Baylor University, Waco, TX
Dorisanne Cooper, Pastor, Lake Shore Baptist Church, Waco, TX
R. Robert Creech, Pastor, University Baptist Church, Houston, TX
Polk Culpepper, Pastor, St. Paul's Episcopal Church, New Albany, IN
Reverend Gary Dalenius, Holy Cross Lutheran Church, Bellvue, WA
J. Daniel Day, Pastor, First Baptist Church, Raleigh, NC
Miguel A. De La Torre, Professor, Iliff School of Theology, Denver, CO
Javier Elizondo, Professor, Baptist University of the Americas, San Antonio, TX
Reverend David Ellingson, Trinity Lutheran College, Issaquah, WA
James Evans, Pastor, First Baptist Church, Auburn, AL
Brian W. Ford, Pastor Little Bonne Femme Baptist Church, Columbia, MO
Nick Foster, Executive Director, The Alabama Poverty Project, Montevallo, AL
David B. Freeman, Pastor, Weatherly Heights Baptist Church, Huntsville, AL
Pastor Rufus Fuller, East New Hope Baptist Church, Danville, VA
Reverend Booker T. George, Silver Creek Baptist Church, Danville, VA
Mike Graves, Professor, Central Baptist Theological Seminary, Kansas City, MO
Henry Green, Pastor, Heritage Baptist Church, Annapolis, MD
Beverly Greer, Missions Coordinator, Cooperative Baptist Fellowship of South Carolina
Ron Grizzle, Pastor, Riverchase Baptist Church, Birmingham, AL
Darrell Gwaltney, Dean, Belmont University, Nashville, TN
Reverend Anne Hall, University Lutheran Church, Seattle, WA
David Harding, Pastor and Executive Director, AMOS Network, Jackson, MS
Ircel Harrison, Coordinator, Tennessee Cooperative Baptist Fellowship, Murfreesboro, TN
Michael Helms, Pastor, Trinity Baptist Church, Moultrie, GA
Keith Herron, Pastor, Holmeswood Baptist Church, Kansas City, MO
David Hinson, Pastor, First Baptist Church, Frankfort, KY
Glenn Hinson, Professor, Kentucky Baptist Seminary, Lexington, KY
Ron Hinson, Pastor, College Avenue Baptist Church, Lenoir, NC
Ed Hogan, Pastor, Jersey Village Baptist Church, Houston, TX
Jay C. Hogewood, Pastor, University Baptist Church, Baton Rouge, LA
Jim Holladay, Pastor, Lyndon Baptist Church, Louisville, KY
Tony Hopkins, Pastor, First Baptist Church, Greenwood, SC
Larry Hovis, Coordinator, Cooperative Baptist Fellowship of North Carolina, Winston-Salem, NC
David Hughes, Pastor, First Baptist Church, Winston-Salem, NC
Greg Hunt, Pastor, First Baptist Church, Shreveport, LA
Bill Ireland, Pastor, Ardmore Baptist Church, Winston-Salem, NC
Jim Ivey, Chaplain, Baptist Hospital East, Louisville, KY.
Darrell James, Pastor, Culbertson Baptist Church, New Albany, IN
Reverend Carol Jensen, St John United Lutheran Church, Seattle, WA
Charles Foster Johnson, Professor, McAfee School of Theology, Atlanta, GA
Jay Kieve, Pastor, Crosscreek Baptist Church, Pelham, AL
Martin Knox, Pastor, First Baptist Church, Temple, TX
Courtney Krueger, Pastor, First Baptist Church, Pendleton, SC
Tom Leland, Pastor, University Baptist Church, Charlottesville, VA
Joe Lewis, Pastor, Second Baptist Church, Petersburg, VA
Phil Lineberger, Pastor, Williams Trace Baptist Church, Sugar Land, TX
Emmanuel McCall, Pastor, Fellowship Group Baptist Church, East Point, GA
Rick McClatchy, Coordinator, Cooperative Baptist Fellowship of Texas, San Antonio, TX
Tommy R. McDearis, Pastor, Blacksburg Baptist Church, Blacksburg, VA
Brent McDougal, Coordinator, Alabama Cooperative Baptist Fellowship, Elba, AL
Mark McEntire, Professor, Belmont University, Nashville, TN
Jeanie McGowan, Associate Pastor, First Baptist Church, Jefferson City, MO
Johnny F. McKinney, Pastor, Boulevard Baptist Church, Anderson, SC
Larry McSwain, Professor, McAfee School of Theology, Atlanta, GA
Bill Marshall, Retired Executive Director, Kentucky Baptist Convention
Mike Massar, Pastor, First Baptist Church, Tyler, TX
Ken Massey, Pastor, First Baptist Church, Greensboro, NC
Reverend Hayes McConnell, Jones Chapel Missionary Baptist Church, Danville, VA
John Miller, Pastor, Alum Spring Baptist Church, Culpeper, VA
Reverend Ron Moe-Lobeda, University Lutheran Church, Seattle, WA
Bert Montgomery, Pastor, Campbellsburg Baptist Church, Campbellsburg, KY
Evelyn Oliveira, Co-Director, Metanoia, N. Charleston, SC
Devita Parnell, Associate Coordinator, Cooperative Baptist Fellowship of Georgia, Macon, GA
Julie Pennington-Russell, Pastor, Calvary Baptist Church, Waco, TX
Pastor James Pettus, Hopel Chapel Missionary Baptist Church, Danville, VA
John Petty, Pastor, Trinity Baptist Church, Kerrville, TX
Joseph Phelps, Pastor, Highland Baptist Church, Louisville, KY
Bruce Prescott, Executive Director, Mainstream Oklahoma Baptists, Norman, OK
Robert Prince, Pastor, First Baptist Church, Waynesville, NC
Allen Reasons, Pastor, Fifth Avenue Baptist Church, Huntington, WV
Sandi Evans Rogers, Minister, Columbia Baptist Church, Falls Church, VA
Tarris Rosell, Professor, Central Baptist Theological Seminary, Kansas City, MO
Carol Richardson, Associate Pastor, First Baptist Church, Memphis, TN
John Ewing Roberts, Pastor Emeritus, Woodbrook Baptist Church, Baltimore, MD
Don Rogers, Pastor, Buechel Park Baptist Church, Louisville, KY
Gilbert Sanders, Pastor, Livonia Baptist Church, Livonia, MI
Craig A. Sherouse, Pastor, First Baptist Church, Griffin, GA
Bill Shiell, Pastor, First Baptist Church, Knoxville, TN
Bob Shrum, Pastor, Oakland Baptist Church, Rock Hill, SC
Walter Shurden, Professor, Mercer University, Macon, GA
Judy Skeen, Professor, Belmont University, Nashville, TN
Jonathan Spencer, Pastor, Druid Hills Baptist, Atlanta, GA
Bill Stanfield, Director, Metanoia, N. Charleston, SC
Glen Stassen, Professor, Fuller Theological Seminary, Los Angeles, CA
Scott L. Stearman, Pastor, Kirkwood Baptist Church, Saint Louis, MO
Reverend James E. Sten, Mount Carmel Baptist Church, Danville, VA
Larry Stevens, Pastor, Noble Avenue Baptist Church, Guthrie, Oklahoma
Van Christian, Pastor, First Baptist Church, Comanche, Texas
Ed Sunday-Winters, Ball Camp Baptist Church, Knoxville, TN
Roger W. Thomas, Pastor, First Baptist Church, Ablemarle, NC
T. Thomas, Coordinator, Cooperating Baptist Fellowship of Oklahoma, Norman, OK
Bill Tillman, Professor, Logsdon School of Theology, Abilene, TX
Tiffany Triplett, Associate Pastor, Metro Baptist Church, New York City, NY
Joe Trull, Editor, Christian Ethics Today, Denton, TX
Michael R. Tutterow, Pastor, Wieuca Road Baptist Church, Atlanta, GA
Michael S. Usey, Pastor, College Park Baptist Church, Greensboro, NC
Reverend Susan Vanhoy Burchfield, Immanuel Lutheran Church, Seattle, WA
Robert Walker, Pastor, Peachtree Baptist Church, Atlanta, GA
Andrew Watts, Professor, Belmont University, Nashville, TX
Cindy Weber, Pastor, Jeff Street Baptist Community at Liberty, Louisville, KY
Steve Wells, Pastor, South Main Baptist Church, Houston, TX
Jim West, Pastor, Petros Baptist Church, Petros TN
Gene Wilder, Pastor, First Baptist Church, Jefferson City, TN
Bill Wilson, Pastor, First Baptist Church, Dalton, GA
Richard Wilson, Professor, Mercer University, Macon, GA
G. Todd Wilson, Pastor, First Baptist Church, Clemson, SC
Reverend Lee W. Wimberly, Holy Cross Lutheran Church, Renton, WA
Philip Wise, Pastor, Second Baptist Church, Lubbock, TX
Slayden Yarbrough, Professor Emeritus, Oklahoma Baptist University, Shawnee, OK
Tim Sean Youmans, Youth Minister, First Baptist Church, Shawnee, OK
Gerald L. Young, Co-Pastor, The United Baptist Church, Annandale, VA
