ANCHORAGE, Alaska (BP) — Randy Covington has withdrawn his resignation as executive director of the Alaska Baptist Resource Network (ABRN), and his original September retirement date remains effective. He has continued in the post uninterrupted since he announced his resignation in February, ABRN leaders told Baptist Press (BP).
Although the resignation would have cut short his planned September retirement, he remained on the job pending the ABRN executive board’s consideration of the resignation — standard procedure, ABRN President Bruce Rowell told Baptist Press.
Covington directed Baptist Press to Rowell for comment.
“The May board meeting was determined to be the time best suited by our policies to address the various components of (the) situation. Dr. Covington withdrew his resignation prior to that meeting,” Rowell said in an email. “The board was afforded the opportunity, as planned, to discuss and address the developments during the regularly scheduled May (5-6) meeting.
“With the decision to retain Dr. Covington until his retirement in September, there was no lapse in his term as Executive Director.”
Covington originally resigned Feb. 27 after apologizing for remarks made to Baptist Press following a vote by the Southern Baptist Convention (SBC) Executive Committee (EC) deeming Covington’s membership church, Rabbit Creek Church, not in friendly cooperation with the SBC.
But a month later, in a March 27 letter, Covington rescinded the resignation, said Rowell, who estimates the board accepted the withdrawal of the resignation by a two-thirds vote.
“His letter was that after prayer with Mrs. (Robin) Covington and the counsel of others, he decided to withdraw his resignation,” Rowell said. “The board determined that Dr. Covington had rescinded his resignation in accordance (with) appropriate policies and procedures.”
Covington, who began leading the ABRN in 2016 after a 22-year career with the International Mission Board, announced his September retirement a year in advance.
He temporarily changed those plans in February with his announced resignation. The remarks he gave Baptist Press at the time stemmed from the EC’s vote regarding Rabbit Creek. Based on the recommendation of the Credentials Committee, the EC said Rabbit Creek Church had a “faith and practice which does not closely identify with the Convention’s adopted statement of faith, as demonstrated by the egalitarian beliefs publicly expressed by its leadership.”
In response, Covington told Baptist Press he does not believe the church has egalitarian views, but he issued an apology for those comments with his resignation, now rescinded.
Rabbit Creek Church remains a member of the ABRN, Rowell said.
Rowell is hopeful God will continue to lead the ABRN.
“Personally, and as president of ABRN, I’m hopeful that we can clearly discern God’s will for the next executive director-treasurer of the Alaska BRN,” he said, “and have a smooth transition to continuing the cooperative missions work of Alaska Baptists.”
EDITOR’S NOTE — Diana Chandler is Baptist Press’ senior writer.
