According to the Baptist Standard news organization, the minister resigned. There's even an audio tape of the sermon he now denies having made... (???)
Click here.
Quote:
"Embattled pastor Chan Chandler--who told church members who disagreed with his political views they needed to "repent or resign"-- announced his resignation during a May 10 business meeting, surprising both supporters and detractors at East Waynesville Baptist Church.
Chandler, 33, had been pastor of the church two and a half years. He and the church became the focus of national media attention after a heated church conference May 2, in which nine longstanding members said they were voted out by a group of newcomers because they refused to endorse the pastor's political views.
East Waynesville Baptist Church in North Carolina was the center of a church-state controversy.
In an audiotape of a sermon preached by Chandler one month prior to the November 2004 presidential election, the pastor said: "If you vote for John Kerry this year, you need to repent or resign. You have been holding back God's church way too long. And I know I may get in trouble for saying that, but just pour it on." "