Ex-Southern Baptist professor Matthew Queen resigns from Friendly Avenue Baptist Church

Weeks after failing to reach an agreement with Pastor Matthew Queen to vacate his position after he pleaded guilty to making a false statement to federal authorities about a sexual abuse investigation, Friendly Avenue Baptist Church in Greensboro, North Carolina, announced that he has resigned.

In a brief statement released Friday, Friendly Avenue Baptist Church said the resignation of the 49-year-old former Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary evangelism professor is "effective immediately."

"Dr. Matthew Queen is stepping down from his role as Lead Pastor at Friendly Avenue Baptist Church, effective immediately. While this has been a challenging season, we continue to trust in God's sovereignty and remain focused on our mission," the church said. "As we move forward, we encourage our congregation and the wider community to stay focused on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith."

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Last month, church elders weighed how to move forward without Queen, who was still on administrative leave from the church after his guilty plea took them by surprise.

Darin Humbard, chairman of the church's deacon board, said that the deacon special committee met with Queen before his guilty plea and discussed resolutions regarding his ongoing relationship with the church. But they could not come to an agreement.

In response to questions from The Christian Post, Friendly Avenue Baptist Church reiterated that Queen was on paid leave and would remain their pastor until they could address his relationship with the church, according to their bylaws.

The church did not say what prompted Queen's resignation.

Queen pleaded guilty as part of a plea agreement weeks before he was expected to go on trial in the U.S. Southern District of New York on Nov. 13 for making a false statement in connection with a U.S. Department of Justice investigation of the Southern Baptist Convention.

The crime carries a maximum sentence of up to five years in prison, but the pastor's attorney, Sam Schmidt, believes the judge will recommend a sentence of several months.

The case against Queen was opened after the DOJ and the Federal Bureau of Investigation launched a probe into the SBC and its affiliate entities following the release of a Guidepost Solutions report showing leaders failed to protect victims of abuse.

It stems from a November 2022 report of alleged sexual abuse committed by a Texas Baptist College student, Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, noted in a May 21 statement. Seminary officials later said they helped facilitate the arrest of the student who withdrew from the college. 

Before the sexual abuse allegation in November 2022, the Justice Department issued a grand jury subpoena to the seminary in October 2022, which required the seminary to produce all documents in its possession related to allegations of sexual abuse against anyone employed by or associated with the seminary, among other things.

In November 2022, a seminary employee identified as Employee-1, now revealed by the seminary to be Terri Stovall, dean of women, interim associate dean in the Jack D. Terry School of Educational Ministries and professor of educational ministries, received a report alleging that a current seminary student had committed sexual abuse. Stovall notified campus police, and no further action was taken. The allegation wasn't reported to the U.S. Attorney's Office.

Stovall reportedly documented the allegation in January 2023 and the seminary's failed response. On Jan. 26, 2023, she then met with Queen and another executive staff member of the seminary, identified as Employee-2 by the DOJ and confirmed by the seminary as their former chief of staff, Heath Woolman, who is now lead pastor of Fruit Cove Baptist Church in St. Johns, Florida. 

"During that meeting, and in QUEEN's presence, Employee-2 directed Employee-1, in sum and substance, to destroy the document," the Justice Department's statement contends. 

In May 2023, the U.S. Attorney's Office and the FBI interviewed Queen, who "falsely stated that he had not heard Employee-2 direct Employee-1 to destroy the document."