Editor’s Note — This article originally ran April 19, 2017, but recently received a first place award in the news writing, single article category of Baptist Communicators Association’s 54th Wilmer C. Fields Awards Competition. We are reposting it as part of the featured award-winning articles produced by TAB in 2017.
Media coverage, coffee shop talk and discussions at all levels moved quickly to negative — and many times ugly — remarks related to former Gov. Robert Bentley.
The dramatic play-by-play of events taking place April 10, the day Bentley resigned as governor following an exhausting two-year scandal, left no question he messed up and did it in royal fashion.
But even with the seemingly unrepentant state leader leaving an embarrassing black eye on the state, the storyline is always redemption and Romans 8:28, said Jay Wolf — pastor of First Baptist Church, Montgomery, where Alabama’s new governor, Kay Ivey, is a member.
“Let’s stay anchored to Romans 8 that says ‘God works all things together for good for those who love Him and are called according to His purpose,’” Wolf said.
‘Poorly managed opportunity’
“We are blessed to live in a land that allows for accountability of our elected officials. [Former governor] Bentley poorly managed his opportunity to be the Lord’s strategic servant leader. The result of his mistakes was losing his place as governor,” Wolf said. “Let us pray for him to pursue God’s purpose for his future. We must refuse to descend into cynicism and skepticism but instead let us trust that God’s power is bigger than our problems.”
Travis Coleman — pastor of First Baptist Church, Prattville, where Bentley is a member — also urged Alabama Baptists to pray for Bentley.
“The fellowship at First, Prattville, has reached out to him and continues to pray for him,” Coleman said. “I would ask all Alabama Baptists to pray for our former governor, his spirit and to make himself accountable to the right men to help him through this very difficult crisis.”
Bentley moved his church membership to First, Prattville, after he and his wife of 50 years, Dianne, divorced in late summer 2015. He also currently attends Church of the Highlands at both its Montgomery and Tuscaloosa campuses.
Previously Bentley had been a longtime member of First Baptist Church, Tuscaloosa, where he taught Sunday School and served as a deacon before entering the state’s political arena. He was elected to the House of Representatives in 2002 and served in that role until elected governor in 2010. He was re-elected governor in 2014.
Bentley’s forced resignation came once a yearlong investigation by the Alabama Ethics Commission determined Bentley had misused state resources to cover up an alleged inappropriate relationship with a former staff adviser, Rebekah Mason, who has been part of Bentley’s inner circle for more than a decade.
While he denied a physical affair with Mason and consistently defended himself against any wrongdoing, Bentley worked out a plea agreement with the Alabama attorney general’s office April 10 once possible impeachment and criminal charges seemed imminent.
He pleaded guilty to two misdemeanor charges — knowingly converting campaign contributions for personal use and failing to file a major contribution report. While he will not serve any jail time, Bentley will be required to serve 100 hours of community service in his field of dermatology.
Resignation speech
“There have been times that I have let you and our people down and I’m sorry for that,” Bentley said in his resignation speech. “The consequences of my mistakes have been grievously unfair to you, my loyal and dedicated staff and my cabinet and all of our agencies who have continued your exemplary service to our people … in the face of difficult circumstances. I can no longer allow my family, my dear friends, my dedicated staff and cabinet to be subjected to the consequences that my past actions have brought upon them.
“I pray every morning for wisdom, guidance and forgiveness of the sins that I commit,” Bentley said. “I am thankful for a loving and merciful Savior who will always love me and you unconditionally.”
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