Garner previously served as interim pastor at Englewood Baptist Church in Rocky Mount, North Carolina, when the abuse was alleged to have taken place in 2010. More than a decade later, an anonymous online complaint was submitted to a hotline overseen by SBC’s hired firm, Guidepost Solutions. At that time, Garner was working at Everett Hills Baptist Church and employed at The King's Academy.

In January 2023, the SBC Executive Committee sent a letter to the leadership at Everett Hills noting that a credible complaint had been received. That same letter was forwarded to Tennessee Baptist Mission Board President Randy Davis, who then passed it along to The King’s Academy, where Garner was on staff. Garner was then placed on leave and ultimately fired.

Additionally, a separate church that had extended a job offer to Garner later withdrew it due to the contents of the letter. This series of events prompted Garner and his wife to take legal action. In May 2023, the Garners filed a lawsuit against multiple SBC-affiliated entities and individuals, including the Executive Committee, the Credentials Committee, Guidepost Solutions, and the Committee Relations Manager, Christy Peters.

Court Rejects Dismissal on Religious Grounds

In their legal response, the SBC tried to have the case dismissed based on legal protections tied to religious autonomy. They argued that the ecclesiastical abstention doctrine, which bars courts from interfering in religious questions, should apply. The SBC also invoked the Tennessee Public Participation Act, which shields certain expressions under free speech protections.

However, in January 2024, a trial court declined to dismiss the case on ecclesiastical grounds. The court found that the case revolved around defamation rather than internal religious decisions. This prompted the SBC to take the matter to the Tennessee Court of Appeals later that year.

In a September 2024 ruling, a panel of appellate judges in Knoxville unanimously sided with Garner. Writing for the panel, Judge Kristi Davis stated that the SBC’s actions were not tied to “any religious canon” and reviewing the case would not require a court to weigh in on theological matters.

Appellate Panel Finds SBC at Fault

Judge Davis emphasized that whether Everett Hills Baptist Church was in “friendly cooperation” with the SBC had no relevance to the defamation claims brought by the Garners. Her opinion noted that the SBC’s intent or religious affiliation did not shield them from scrutiny regarding how they handled the complaint.

Davis also addressed the SBC's assertion that their letter merely reported a factual claim: the existence of a complaint. Still, she concluded that sharing it without full context led to a damaging outcome for Garner. “Truth is not available as an absolute defense,” she noted in the court's opinion.

Further complicating the SBC’s free speech defense, the appellate panel ruled that the trial court incorrectly interpreted the Tennessee Public Participation Act. While the ecclesiastical argument was rejected, the TPPA issue was sent back for further judicial review.

Looking Ahead to the State Supreme Court

With those mixed results on appeal, the SBC has now sought a review from the Tennessee Supreme Court. At issue is whether church entities can rely on constitutional protections when flagging abuse allegations and whether those protections apply amid disputed facts that could damage reputations.

The SBC maintains that its actions were rooted in a responsibility to protect the public from potential harm connected to abuse allegations. A spokesperson for the SBC has defended their procedures surrounding the hotline managed by Guidepost Solutions.

No timeline has been announced yet for whether the Tennessee Supreme Court will take up the case. If accepted, the decision could clarify how religious organizations interact with civil courts in defamation matters involving clergy and staff.