BAKERSFIELD - The battle for control of St. John Missionary Baptist Church spilled out of a courtroom Tuesday morning.
Parishioners have sued, saying they want a church wide vote to remove the head pastor.
Supporters of the pastor say they've already had a vote and he won.
The internal struggle has forced parishioners at one of our county's largest black churches to take sides.
"All we're asking is that they follow the bylaws," said parishioner Holly Mitchell.
St. John Missionary Baptist Church is a spiritual house divided.
"We want the membership to vote on whether Pastor Alfred should continue as the pastor," said Mitchell.
There are those who back Pastor Anthony Alfred.
"It should never have come this far, and they are in total disobedience," said church member Glenda Woolfolk.
And, those who want to show the pastor the door.
"As soon as it comes up to terminate him, he says the meeting is over and gets up and walks out," said Mitchell.
Six parishioners have sued, demanding a vote to fire Pastor Alfred from his job. They say they signed petitions and brought the issue up at business meetings before the church's deacons.
"If we have a fair meeting and we have a vote, then that decides the matter, but it should not be for 16 men and Alfred and his tyrannical way of leading to make that decision," said Mitchell.
"The vote went before the Deacon Board and they were all asked if they wanted to recall the pastor, and the vote was no," said church member Linda Hoyle.
Dozens of people sat on chairs outside the small downtown courtroom after about a hundred people showed up to witness what would happen.
There were questions about the church's finances.
"Our PG&E bill has been as delinquent as $24,000 and we are on a payment plan," said Mitchell.
"There's no problems in the church. I think what it is is because they have chosen to give monetarily, they want problems to happen in the church," said Woolfolk.
While others expressed dismay citing the Bible and the belief that the church's internal matters should not have spilled into a public courtroom.
"The Word of God says Christians should not have the world system figure out our problems, that God is our only judge," said Woolfolk.
"They're wrong. People have a tendency to pull out the scripture that suits that and forget about the scripture that don't," said Mitchell.
Court Commissioner Linda Etienne will have 90 days to make a decision after all the evidence is heard.
Both sides are hoping a decision will help the church to come back together as one.
Parishioners have sued, saying they want a church wide vote to remove the head pastor.
Supporters of the pastor say they've already had a vote and he won.
The internal struggle has forced parishioners at one of our county's largest black churches to take sides.
"All we're asking is that they follow the bylaws," said parishioner Holly Mitchell.
St. John Missionary Baptist Church is a spiritual house divided.
"We want the membership to vote on whether Pastor Alfred should continue as the pastor," said Mitchell.
There are those who back Pastor Anthony Alfred.
"It should never have come this far, and they are in total disobedience," said church member Glenda Woolfolk.
And, those who want to show the pastor the door.
"As soon as it comes up to terminate him, he says the meeting is over and gets up and walks out," said Mitchell.
Six parishioners have sued, demanding a vote to fire Pastor Alfred from his job. They say they signed petitions and brought the issue up at business meetings before the church's deacons.
"If we have a fair meeting and we have a vote, then that decides the matter, but it should not be for 16 men and Alfred and his tyrannical way of leading to make that decision," said Mitchell.
"The vote went before the Deacon Board and they were all asked if they wanted to recall the pastor, and the vote was no," said church member Linda Hoyle.
Dozens of people sat on chairs outside the small downtown courtroom after about a hundred people showed up to witness what would happen.
There were questions about the church's finances.
"Our PG&E bill has been as delinquent as $24,000 and we are on a payment plan," said Mitchell.
"There's no problems in the church. I think what it is is because they have chosen to give monetarily, they want problems to happen in the church," said Woolfolk.
While others expressed dismay citing the Bible and the belief that the church's internal matters should not have spilled into a public courtroom.
"The Word of God says Christians should not have the world system figure out our problems, that God is our only judge," said Woolfolk.
"They're wrong. People have a tendency to pull out the scripture that suits that and forget about the scripture that don't," said Mitchell.
Court Commissioner Linda Etienne will have 90 days to make a decision after all the evidence is heard.
Both sides are hoping a decision will help the church to come back together as one.