The ERLC Podcast

Cooperation with Baptist State Conventions Before the Supreme Court

July 17, 2025

Welcome to the ERLC Podcast, where our goal is to help you think biblically about today’s cultural issues. I’m Lindsay Nicolet, and today we’re featuring a panel from SBC25 in Dallas with Texas and Tennessee State Baptist executives discussing cooperation with Baptist state conventions.

This summer, in conjunction with anticipated Supreme Court decisions, we hosted a conversation about how Baptist state conventions are partnering with the ERLC to protect their churches’ biblical convictions when they are challenged at the Supreme Court. Panelists Nathan Lorick, executive director of Southern Baptists of Texas Convention; Julio Guarneri, Executive Director of Baptist General Convention of Texas; and Randy Davis, executive director of Tennessee Baptist Mission Board, talked with ERLC President Brent Leatherwood about how both states filed amicus briefs alongside the ERLC in Supreme Court cases for 2025. 

Additional Resources on Cooperation with Baptist State Conventions Before the Supreme Court

Brent Leatherwood

Brent Leatherwood was elected as president of the Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission in 2022, after a year of leading the organization as acting president. Previously, he served as chief of staff at the ERLC, as well as the entity’s director of strategic partnerships. He brings an expertise in public policy to his work, having been the executive director of the Tennessee Republican Party, the director of communications and policy strategy in the Tennessee General Assembly, and working for several years on Capitol Hill.

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Lindsay Nicolet

Lindsay Nicolet serves as the director of communications for the ERLC. She oversees the communications strategy, together with a talented team, from the Nashville office. Lindsay completed her Master of Divinity in Christian Ministries at The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary and her B.A. in Public Relations from the University of Florida. She is married to

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Julio Guarneri

Dr. Guarneri was born in Mexico City, attended elementary school in Monterrey, Mexico, and completed his education in Texas.  He holds degrees from present-day Texas A&M University Kingsville, Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary and Dallas Baptist University.  Most recently, he served for 13 years as lead pastor of Calvary Baptist Church in McAllen. Prior to being elected 21st

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Nathan Lorick

Dr. Nathan Lorick is currently the Executive Director for the Southern Baptists of Texas Convention. His desire is to see a movement of God in this generation through intentional evangelism, missions, discipleship and church planting. He has served the Southern Baptist Convention on the nominating committee as well as a trustee for the International Mission

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Randy C. Davis

Dr. Randy C. Davis became the executive director of the Tennessee Baptist Mission Board in 2010 (formerly Executive Board of the Tennessee Baptist Convention) after 34 years of pastoral ministry, serving churches in Mississippi and Tennessee. Forever a pastor at heart, Davis feels most blessed that more than 100 young men under his leadership have

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