Tennessee Pastors Network Calls Out National Association of Free Will Baptists on Dirty Investments

The state of Tennessee this year declared pornography a health crisis, and now, the president of theTennessee Pastors Network (TNPN, www.tnpastors.net), Dale Walker, wants the National Association of Free Will Baptists (NAFWB) to do the same.

With the National Association of Free Will Baptists’ 81st National Convention happening through July 19 in Louisville, Ky., Walker is asking three key questions in a letter to leadership:

1. Will the National Association of Free Will Baptists deem and declare pornography as a spiritual crisis?
2. Will the National Association of Free Will Baptists remove any company that profits from pornography in any manner from the Free Will Baptist Pension Plan and Free Will Baptist Foundation holdings?
3. Will the Free Baptist Pension Plan and Free Will Baptist Foundation make public all holdings in mutual funds and investments on a regular basis to the general public for viewing?

Walker wrote in his letter to the NAFWB, “Pornography is devastating to families and our culture and extremely harmful to souls.  I remind you that on page 100 of your Digest of Reports 2013, it states that the Free Will Baptist Plan will be invested in Christian-based socially screened funds that do not invest in companies that are publicly recognized as providing products and services in liquor, tobacco, gambling, pornography, abortion or Disney [emphasis added]. Based on the holdings provided to me by one of your participants, I do not believe that Free Will Baptist is following this commitment or your church covenant, and certainly not the Bible.  

“As Christians who are to care about the souls of others,” Walker continued, “we should desire to distance ourselves from pornography in our lives and investments. I commend our state leaders for recognizing this pornography crisis, and I pray that Free Will Baptist will deem pornography a spiritual crisis and take a zero-tolerance stance and remove all companies that profit from pornography in any manner in investment holdings immediately. Christians should weep over this pornography crisis—not profit from it!”

As an example, Walker points out that the Free Will Baptist Pension Plan shamefully owns stock in Comcast, which sells movies with degrading titles.

“Free Will Baptist has failed society and its pastors by placing them in holdings that are hurting souls, hurting women and families, and hurting the world,” Walker added. “Jesus shed his blood for these dear souls and died on the cross for them that they might have eternal life and be delivered from a life of sin. Free Will Baptist are owners in these companies! This is not biblical stewardship or biblically responsible investing. To revitalize your churches, Free Will Baptist should consider truly following your church covenant and follow the promise that your funds will be invested in Christian-based, socially screened investments.”

Walker encouraged those concerned with Free Will Baptist investments to visit the website www.dirtyinvesting.com for more information.

Also calling out the National Association of Free Will Baptists for its investment practices are the National Decency Coalition, Girls Against Porn & Human Trafficking and Men Against Porn.