Neither the elder’s email nor Erickson’s letter directly referenced the incident that took place over the weekend, though Erickson conceded that the church and staff would “certainly have questions” in light of his resignation.
TABC is a historic Baptist church with strong ties to both the Baptist General Convention of Texas and the Southern Baptist Convention. It was founded in 1911 and is located just two miles from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary.
Erickson earned his Master of Divinity degree from the school, at times speaking at its chapel during his three-and-a-half year pastorate at TABC. Any number of students and faculty members of SWBTS have attended or been members of TABC, including former SWBTS president Adam Greenway.
Though the TABC website previously stated that Erickson served as an adjunct professor of preaching at SWBTS, the seminary has clarified: “Erickson taught an English class in the undergraduate college of the seminary in 2013 as a teaching assistant. There is no other record of him serving in any capacity as an adjunct professor.”
Erickson was ordained to ministry at TABC in 2009 before becoming their lead teaching pastor in 2019.
Correction: This article has been updated to clarify that the charge against Erickson was for illegally carrying a weapon while intoxicated, rather than carrying an unlicensed weapon.
