Video: Area Church Still Divided, One Group Speaks Publicly

STARKVILLE, Miss. (WCBI-TV) – A Starkville church is still divided as one side voiced their concerns Tuesday.

A pastor, Joseph Stone, is in a dispute with trustees at Starkville’s Second Baptist Church. Trustees say he bypassed them to give a construction contract for a new sanctuary.

That contractor, Don Crowther, didn’t follow through. He admitted in court to fraud and a grand jury indicted him. He’s awaiting trial.

The church trustees want to get back the $450,000 the church spent for the project. Today, piles of dirt are the only signs of construction adjacent to the church, a year and a half after the groundbreaking.

Leaders supporting the pastor held a press conference Tuesday. They say they don’t want church funds paying for the trustees’ lawyer.

“The bylaws clearly state that the pastor is the overseer,” minister Timothy Bush said.

They say a majority of church members agree with them.

“Clearly, it’s in the church’s minutes:  the vote is with the church body moving forward.” Bush said.

They say the church will file a civil lawsuit on the issue.

Church members supporting the trustees and opposing the pastor disagree, and say most members want that half-a-million dollars back, even if it means paying lawyer fees.

“It’s a mess,” church member Charles Ware said. “I’d like to see us regain our respectability and let’s get this parking lot restored.”

The trustees’ lawyer tells WCBI that the leaders supporting the pastor have given the same arguments in court that they gave today. Judges in Oktibbeha County ruled in favor of the trustees and the State Supreme Court dismissed appeals.

The court proceedings are ongoing.