Free Republic

WAYNESVILLE, N.C., May 15 - From the pulpit of East Waynesville Baptist Church, the temporary pastor offered an unusual message for his adopted flock: "I don't mind telling you before I start off this morning, this is not where I want to be." No one blames him. Over the past two weeks, the modest brick church with baskets of artificial lilies on the doors has found itself at the center of a national debate, a crash test site in the mixing of politics and religion. The Rev. Chan Chandler, the young minister who led the congregation of about 100 people...

Rev. Chandler speaks out — at last Rev. Chan Chandler, who has refused to publically comment on church incidents after a religion/politics debate heated up at East Waynesville Baptist Church, told the Baptist Press (BP) Tuesday afternoon he has “never endorsed any candidate” and said his focus has always been issue-oriented, not based on political preferences or affliations. “This never has been about politics,” Chandler told the BP. “It’s always been about whether the Bible applies to the entire life of a Christian.” Chandler spoke briefly with The Mountaineer Sunday and promised the controversy, which he called a “great misunderstanding,”...

When Pastor Chan Chandler proclaimed a few weeks before last November's election that East Waynesville Baptist Church would become a political church, parishioner Ann Stokley says her "jaw dropped to the floor." That the young pastor would call John Kerry supporters out as unfit Christians may not have been that surprising during a heated election in this county of some 60 Southern Baptist steeples nestled in the Appalachians. But Tuesday night, six months after the election - and a week after nine members claim they were kicked out of the church for refusing to vote Republican - Mr. Chandler, a...

WASHINGTON — As one pastor resigned this week amid a firestorm over the role of politics in his Baptist church, a U.S. congressman continues to try to make it easier for religious leaders and their congregations to engage in partisan political activity on the church's time and dime. Rev. Chan Chandler (search) resigned his post as pastor of the Waynesville Baptist Church (search) in North Carolina on Tuesday after nine members accused him of leading other members to push them out because they didn't agree with his pro-Republican views. Chandler has denied claims that the nine were voted out because...

Insisting his words and actions have been misunderstood and misinterpreted, a Baptist pastor accused of forcing the ouster of nine church members due to their political views resigned. Chan Chandler, 33, of East Waynesville Baptist Church in Waynesville, N.C., told his congregation of about 100 last night that because the Bible teaches that a pastor should not be the cause of dissension, he had "no choice but to resign." "For me to remain now would only cause more hurt for me and my family," Chandler said at a special business meeting called to address the dispute. "I am resigning with...

A Baptist pastor accused of threatening to banish from his church anyone who didn't vote for President Bush has himself chosen to depart, leaving in his wake a divided community and a cultural chasm. The Rev. Chan Chandler, 33, walked out of the church he had led for three years Tuesday night after delivering a brief statement of resignation. With him went many of the young congregants he had attracted to the modest brick church on the outskirts of this small mountain town in western North Carolina. In leaving, Chandler did not apologize for the controversy that made him a...

WAYNESVILLE, N.C. - A Baptist preacher accused of running out nine congregants who refused to support President Bush resigned Tuesday. "I am resigning with gratitude in my heart for all of you," the Rev. Chan Chandler said as he left a closed-door meeting at East Waynesville Baptist Church.

WAKE FOREST, N.C. (BP)--Chan Chandler is one of my students. You may have heard of him. He is the pastor of the East Waynesville Baptist Church in Waynesville, N.C. According to the Associated Press, Chan ousted all the members of the church who would not support George W. Bush in the 2004 presidential election. Now, if that were true, that would be one sensational story. The real sensational story, though, has been the media’s frenzy over supposed evidence of the religious right’s imposition of a theocracy in America. What a place for right-wing Christian radicals to begin, in a church...

WAYNESVILLE, N.C. (AP) -- The pastor of a small church who led an effort to remove nine members because of their political beliefs tried to welcome them back yesterday, calling the fuss a "great misunderstanding," but some said they still want him to leave. The Rev. Chan Chandler didn't directly address the furor during the service at East Waynesville Baptist Church, but issued a statement afterward through his attorney, saying the church does not care about its members' political affiliations.

WAYNESVILLE, N.C. -- A pastor who led a charge to kick out nine church members who refused to support President Bush was the talk of the town Saturday in this mountain hamlet, with ousted congregants considering hiring a lawyer. Pastor Chan Chandler greeted people at the door of tiny East Waynesville Baptist Church on Saturday evening as the choir practiced and welcomed them to attend services Sunday -- if there's room. He would not talk with reporters about his mixing of religion and politics. Members of the congregation said Chandler told them during last year's presidential campaign that anyone who...

WAYNESVILLE, N.C. The pastor of a small Baptist church in western North Carolina has been accused of leading an effort to kick out members because they didn't support President Bush. Two members of the congregation say nine people were voted out of the East Waynesville church on Monday. And T-V station W-L-O-S in Asheville reports 40 other members have resigned in protest. The church's treasurer says, "It's all over politics." She says pastor Chan Chandler told the congregation in October and again last Sunday that people who didn't support President Bush should leave the church. The wife of one of...

WAYNESVILLE, N.C. - A pastor of a small Baptist church led an effort to kick out church members because they didn't support President Bush, members said. The nine members were voted out at a Monday meeting of the East Waynesville Baptist Church in this mountain town about 120 miles west of Charlotte. WLOS-TV in Asheville reported that 40 other members resigned in protest. "It's all over politics," said Selma Morris, the church's treasurer. "We've never had a pastor like that before." Pastor Chan Chandler had told the congregation before last year's presidential election that anyone who planned to vote for...

East Waynesville Baptist asked nine members to leave. Now 40 more have left the church in protest. Former members say Pastor Chan Chandler gave them the ultimatum, saying if they didn't support George Bush, they should resign or repent. The minister declined an interview with News 13. But he did say "the actions were not politically motivated." There are questions about whether the bi-laws were followed when the members were thrown out.

Another 40 members have left in protest. Waynesville, NC-- The minister of a Haywood County Baptist church is telling members of his congregation that if they're Democrats, they either need to find another place of worship or support President Bush. Already, the Reverend Chan Chandler has ex-communicated nine members of East Waynesville Baptist Church. Another 40 members have left in protest.

The minister of a Haywood County Baptist church is telling members of his congregation that if they're Democrats, they either need to find another place of worship or support President Bush. Already, the Reverend Chan Chandler has ex-communicated nine members of East Waynesville Baptist Church. Another 40 members have left in protest. During last Sunday's sermon, he acknowledged that church members were upset because he named people, and he says he'll do it again because he has to according to the word of God. Chandler could not be reached for comment today, but says his actions weren't politically motivated. One...

Religion and politics clash over a local church's declaration that Democrats are not welcome. East Waynesville Baptist asked nine members to leave. Now 40 more have left the church in protest. Former members say Pastor Chan Chandler gave them the ultimatum, saying if they didn't support George Bush, they should resign or repent. The minister declined an interview with News 13. But he did say "the actions were not politically motivated." There are questions about whether the bi-laws were followed when the members were thrown out.

Religion and politics clash over a local church's declaration that Democrats are not welcome. East Waynesville Baptist asked nine members to leave. Now 40 more have left the church in protest. Former members say Pastor Chan Chandler gave them the ultimatum, saying if they didn't support George Bush, they should resign or repent. The minister declined an interview with News 13. But he did say "the actions were not politically motivated." There are questions about whether the bi-laws were followed when the members were thrown out.

Religion and Politics Clash Religion and politics clash over a local church's declaration that Democrats are not welcome. East Waynesville Baptist asked nine members to leave. Now 40 more have left the church in protest. Former members say Pastor Chan Chandler gave them the ultimatum, saying if they didn't support George Bush, they should resign or repent. The minister declined an interview with News 13. But he did say "the actions were not politically motivated." There are questions about whether the bi-laws were followed when the members were thrown out.