Alabama megachurch pastor unexpectedly resigns

The senior pastor of an Alabama megachurch resigned over the weekend with little explanation. George Wright left his role at Shades Mountain Baptist Church in Birmingham, Ala., on Sunday. He announced his plans to resign in a video two days earlier. While Wright gave no specific reasons for the exit, he said it had become clear over the last couple of weeks that his time at Shades was at an end. He insisted that nothing in his life disqualified him from ministry.

Wright said the decision was heartbreaking, and asked congregants to pray like crazy for the Southern Baptist church. Wright had led the 7,800-member congregation since 2021, according to local media outlet AL.com.

What has the church said? Church leaders prefaced Wright’s video announcement with a written statement on Facebook. They said that they trust the Lord is guiding the church and pledged to walk congregants through this season with care, unity, and faith.

Did Wright’s last sermon on Sunday offer any more answers? During the first service on Sunday, Wright compared his departure from Shades to Barnabas and Paul’s parting of ways in Acts 15. In the chapter, Paul asked Barnabas to accompany him on a journey, but the two were divided on whether to bring John Mark, who had abandoned them in the past. The dispute ends with Paul and Barnabas going their separate ways.

“That is the moment where we find ourselves today,” Wright said. He emphasized his calling to work in ministry had not changed. Wright did not elaborate on his future plans.