This kind of stuff is probably going on a lot more than the mainstream press guesses -- godless reporters! -- but our own western North Carolina Baptists have hit the national spotlight, and not in a pleasant way.
Last October just prior to the national election, Rev. Chan Chandler, pastor of East Waynesville Baptist Church, preached a fiery sermon against abortion and homosexuals and concluded his remarks by demanding that anyone planning to vote for John Kerry for president should leave the church. Apparently, a few church members obliged him on the spot. But this past Monday, at what was supposed to be a deacons' meeting at the church, a group of about 20 of Chandler's supporters voted to oust nine members who apparently weren't. Those nine were voluntarily followed out the door by another 40 who said that what was going on not only wasn't biblical, it wasn't even Baptist.
Fellow pastor Robert Prince III of First Baptist Church of Waynesville said he was appalled to hear about what was going on but had noticed a lot of Southern Baptist ministers endorsing President Bush in November's election. "One rule has been to speak to issues but not to endorse particular candidates," he said. "It's a disturbing development that Baptist pastors are crossing this line and are endorsing specific candidates."
The N&O managed to talk to one of the ousted members, Isaac Sutton, 75, a deacon who was voted out after 12 years at the church: "He [Chandler] went on and on about how he's going to bring politics up, and if we didn't agree with him we should leave. I think I deserve the right to vote for who I want to." Naive Southern Baptist, that one!
Selma Morris, 78, a member for more than 30 years and the church treasurer: "I told [pastor Chandler], 'You owe God an apology, and you owe the congregation an apology, because you used his pulpit for political purposes.' You don't do that in a Baptist church." Used to, Selma, but since Karl Rove got hold of the church reins, things are a little different now.
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