In a surprising turn of events, a prominent pastor from an Alabama megachurch has stepped down, leaving his congregation in a state of bewilderment and speculation about his reasons for departure.
Rev. George Wright, who led the Shades Mountain Baptist Church in Birmingham, Alabama, resigned unexpectedly on May 3. His sudden exit sent shockwaves through the church’s community of 7,800 members.
During his final sermon, Wright alluded to a leadership conflict within the church, likening his departure to the biblical disagreement between Paul and Barnabas from the Book of Acts. However, he did not provide specific details about the nature of the dispute.
Wright’s lack of explanation fueled rumors among churchgoers, with some speculating about possible misconduct.
In an effort to quell the rising chatter about potential scandal, the church convened nine leaders, including executive staff, committee heads, and deacons, to address the congregation. They assured members that Wright’s resignation was solely due to a non-specific disagreement.
According to a report by AL.com, leadership conflicts had been simmering within the megachurch for several years before coming to a head this month.
While praising Wright as a ‘great preacher’, insiders told the outlet that the reverend frustrated many of his 76-person staff at the church, creating allegations of a hostile environment.
At least 15 deacons reportedly resigned in protest of Wright before he eventually quit.
Rev. George Wright, a renowned pastor at the Shades Mountain Baptist Church megachurch in Alabama, left his congregation scrambling for answers after he abruptly resigned and compared his ordeal to a biblical tale
Wright, pictured delivering his final sermon, said he had a leadership dispute with the church and compared his exit to a dispute between the biblical characters of Paul and Barnabas in the Book of Acts as he left the church abruptly
Church leaders were quick to deny any bad behavior on the part of the religious leader, amid swirling rumors of impropriety from Wright sparked by members of his congregation.
Church treasurer Randy Pittman said Wright’s vague explanations for leaving opened the door for speculation of misconduct, but he said there was no criminal or sexual wrongdoing on his part.
‘He didn’t steal anything, there was no marital infidelity,’ Pittman told AL.com.
‘They’re not true,’ he warned. ‘Don’t go there.’
In a release to congregants this week, the church added: ‘This situation did not involve marital infidelity, criminal behavior, or doctrinal concerns.’
Wright joined the megachurch in 2021, and had gained a following for his sermons about religious teachings.
But Pittman, a member of the megachurch’s Personnel Advisory Committee that reviewed Wright’s performance and compensation, said issues between Wright and church leaders arose as early as 2023.
He said he had tried to fix the situation for years, but ‘at the end of the day, he had lost the trust of his team.’
‘He chose to resign himself and I applaud him for that decision because it took a great deal of maturity to stand up and say, ‘I’m really not fitting in this role as well as I need to,” Pittman said.
Wright, seen with his wife Megan, allegedly frustrated staff at his megachurch which led at least 15 deacons to resign
Insiders at the church described Wright as a ‘great pastor’, but said he did not get along with many of his staff and deacons in recent years which left him feeling ‘like a square peg in a round hole’
Another pastor at the megachurch who worked under Wright, Lisa Davis, added that she came to believe there were issues soon after Wright began, alleging that she did not approve of his leadership.
Davis said he would conclude staff meetings by declaring that ‘the executive staff has approved’, even if she knew that they had not done so.
‘That’s where my concerns began,’ she said.
Davis said she soon came to understand that ‘you don’t question’ Wright, saying that she vocally disagreed one time but ‘clammed up after that… it was clear that you didn’t question.’
Deacon Greg Morrison said that behind-the-scenes arguments intensified in January 2024 when his fellow deacons came up with a plan for Wright to instruct him on improving relations, which he said failed to help the situation.
‘These were matters that became a pattern of behavior,’ he said.
Around that time, 15 deacons resigned from the megachurch, and Morrison said he recalled Wright complaining that he ‘felt like a square peg in a round hole.’
‘No church wants to be in this position,’ Morrison said of Wright leaving.
‘In the history of this church, I am not aware of anything happening like this,’ Pittman concluded. ‘If I learned anything, it’s to be flexible and to trust in the Lord.’
The Daily Mail has contacted Wright via social media, and has reached out to Shades Mountain Baptist Church for comment.
