What the feedback on Second Baptist's school?

It's been the hot school for people to want to transfer to. Curious why?

Yeah. I'm assuming it's a decent school. It was just suddenly this year that 2-4 kids (out of 20ish in the grade) decided to try and transfer there.

I don't know that I understood what the reason was. I don't think any of them are really Baptist or anything.

I would say that the majority of Second Baptist families are not "Baptist" nor attend church there. I see it as a great school with really good athletics and fine arts opportunities. There is definitely a Christian foundation with Bible classes and weekly chapel.

I have 3 at Second (8th, 6th, and 3rd). I wouldn't say the homework load is nothing, but it's also not overbearing. 6th was probably the biggest homework load so far for whatever reason. It's a good school, not en elite educational school like some, but in our minds more than good enough. But what we found was the top end educational schools didn't have the religious aspect, and we wanted our kids to get a little Jesus at school too, so we like it.

I don't know if I'd say the majority don't go the Second for church. We've found most at least of our kids friends are members. But they don't offer much of a tuition break for church members like others do, so maybe that's a reason.

Bert315 said:

---

Jack Klompus said:

---

P.H. Dexippus said:

---

On a related note, it seems like the HFBC parking lot has been more crowded the past few Sundays.

---

Yes, the 11 am service has been much more crowded since about Easter.

---

We are seeing lots of movement from SB to HFBC and Kingsland out by us. Ive heard that the West campus for SB is really struggling with people leaving. I think the only solution is for Ben to step down but he won't. It speaks volumes that he had to be placed and not selected by the elders/deacons. Most churches have a search that the church body votes on.

---

We went to Second Baptist West for well over 10 years and really loved it. We thought Ben was OK and pretty good sometimes, but never really thought he should take over as head pastor. When he took over the music immediately became more contemporary. I prefer a blended service at least for Sunday morning. I can't recall what else I didn't like but knew it was time to try new churches.

We tried Kingsland Baptist first. We tried another but I really liked Kingsland right away. I think the pastor is fantastic. It has grown a lot and next week they are adding a 4th service. If you live in the area, I would highly recommend visiting. The church tends to have more local families and has a little more charm. Jeff from Veritas has performed with the choir a few times so he may have moved over too.

I hope everything works out for Second somehow.

Mega Lops said:

---

MarjorieM said:

---

Bert315 said:

---

Jack Klompus said:

---

P.H. Dexippus said:

---

On a related note, it seems like the HFBC parking lot has been more crowded the past few Sundays.

---

Yes, the 11 am service has been much more crowded since about Easter.

---

We are seeing lots of movement from SB to HFBC and Kingsland out by us. Ive heard that the West campus for SB is really struggling with people leaving. I think the only solution is for Ben to step down but he won't. It speaks volumes that he had to be placed and not selected by the elders/deacons. Most churches have a search that the church body votes on.

---

We went to Second Baptist West for well over 10 years and really loved it. We thought Ben was OK and pretty good sometimes, but never really thought he should take over as head pastor. When he took over the music immediately became more contemporary. I prefer a blended service at least for Sunday morning. I can't recall what else I didn't like but knew it was time to try new churches.

We tried Kingsland Baptist first. We tried another but I really liked Kingsland right away. I think the pastor is fantastic. It has grown a lot and next week they are adding a 4th service. If you live in the area, I would highly recommend visiting. The church tends to have more local families and has a little more charm. Jeff from Veritas has performed with the choir a few times so he may have moved over too.

I hope everything works out for Second somehow.

---

---

I appreciate the meem. And it's awesome.

I also hate how this saga is tearing a church apart.....and seems it will do so for a while.

P.H. Dexippus said:

---

Ben Young & crew filed a Notice of Removal to the new Business Court 11th Division. They are not wasting any time spending their parishioners' money on attorney fees- they have retained Liskow & Lewis here in Houston, Bill Jones out of Austin, and famed Trump attorney Jay Sekulow out of DC.

I am not sure how best to share.

https://www.hcdistrictclerk.com/Edocs/Public/ViewFilePage.aspx?Get=ELmtCnu4b/N6MNLPkCAJynpFCTNc4wADPF6pykjz8amqM8V4odyHa5xNUbdZ1S359QFV2MQz+nCHUKwBm3AU4nJm4dxcXS/yCMpOhFWgpzdOkDgNDMJyjL1KpT01VPM97uRTm5FLFe0=

---

The case was removed to the business court, which I am not sure is a savvy move for Defendants. They are going to want the situation viewed not in a business and bylaws context, but a religious one.

I see that 2nd/Young filed a Plea to the Jurisdiction on ecclesiastical abstention as well as dispute standing grounds, as was predicted:

Quote:

---

III. Plea to the Jurisdiction

A. Ecclesiastical Abstention and the Constitutional Guaranty of Church Autonomy
21. Ben Young, Homer Edwin Young, Lee Maxcy, Dennis Brewer, Jr., and Second Baptist Church ask this Court to dismiss Plaintiff's suit because of lack of jurisdiction. "The ecclesiastical abstention doctrine prohibits civil courts from delving into matters of theological controversy, church discipline, ecclesiastical government, or members' conformity to the church's moral standards." In re Texas Conf. of Seventh-Day Adventists, 652 S.W.3d 136, 143 (Tex. App.Fort Worth 2022 [mand. denied]) (citing Serbian E. Orthodox Diocese v. Milivojevich, 426 U.S. 696, 71314, 96 S. Ct. 2372, 2382, (1976)). Similarly, the First Amendment to the United States Constitution's "guarantee of church autonomy gives religious institutions the right to define their internal governance structures without state interference." Catholic Charities Bureau, Inc. vs. Wisconsin Lab. & Indus. Rev. Comm'n, No. 24-154, slip op. at 1 (June 5, 2025) (Thomas, J. concurring). As the Petition asks this Court to "meddle in church government," this Court must dismiss. Texas Conf. of Seventh-Day Adventists, 652 S.W.3d at 143.

B. Lack of Standing
22. "An individual shareholder ordinarily has no individual cause of action for a wrong done to the corporation. But a derivative suit allows a shareholder to step into the shoes of a [for-profit] corporation and sue on its behalf." Tran v. Hoang, 481 S.W.3d 313, 316 (Tex. App.Houston [1st Dist.] 2015, pet denied). The causes of action asserted in Plaintiff's Original Petition are clearly derivative. But the Church is a non-profit organization. The cited case makes clear that, in contrast to for-profit corporations, the Business Organizations Code does not confer "this status upon the members of a nonprofit who are not authorized to sue by the organization itself." Id. Only shareholders may bring a derivative suit and "members of nonprofit organization are not shareholder, and thus lack derivative standing." Id. Furthermore, the fact that the Plaintiff seeks declaratory relief does not suffice to overcome their lack of standing. The Texas Uniform Declaratory Judgment Act "does not confer jurisdiction where none exists. Id. at 318. As members of a non-profit corporation (Second Baptist), Plaintiff's directors would have no standing to bring derivative actions as urged in this lawsuit. As the individual members of JCC lack standing, so too does JCC. As such, this case must be dismissed.

---

The Jeremiah Counsel filed a lengthy response, citing the recent Southern Methodist Univ. v. South Cent. Juris. Conf. of the United Methodist Church, No. 23-0703, 2025 WL 1797692 (Tex. June 27, 2025) decision that the case should be decided on neutral principles rather than religious ones.

To further pad their roster and burn parishioners' funds, 2nd has hired yet another team of lawyers, this time lead by Wallace Jefferson.