According to The Charlotte Observer, church members at a Charlotte, N.C., church are protesting a pastor’s leadership, saying he was fired months ago but won’t leave his post. The pastor, Andrew Rollinson of Morningstar Baptist Church in north Charlotte, says he has no intention of leaving because the process the five church leaders used to fire him did not follow the church bylaws.
“I’m the pastor. I will be the pastor until people want to follow the bylaws,” Rollinson said. “This is a group of irate individuals who want what they want and are not able to get it according to the bylaws, and they became irate.”
The letter to Rollinson dated April 28 signed by five church leaders read, “Due to his character that is not becoming of a pastor, his dishonesty, controlling demeanor, using the pulpit to disrespect his members … we are removing Pastor Andrew J. Rollinson from his duties effective immediately. May God continue to bless you and your family and we hate things had to end this way.”
This past Sunday morning, police were alerted and were parked outside the church as opposing sides of the argument faced one another before the service began. No one was arrested, and after a couple hours of shouts and protests, the two sides seemed to call a truce and go inside the building for services.
Jackie Black, chairman of the church’s board of deacons, said the drama has distracted members from the church’s vision. He also said he will involve the church’s attorney in drafting the pastor’s contract in the future. “We’re going to make sure it’s very specific so nobody can take advantage of us again,” he said.
