The
Ashville Citizen-Times has the story of Chandler's resignation.
My blog-journalist exclusive interviews with Lewis Inman and David Richardson had indicated that not only had Chandler crossed the line between faith and politics; he would be battled in court.
The IRS had been asked to reconsider tax-exempt status for the church, as reported by AP.
CNN reports that some at the church continued to support him until the end. One member, Rhonda Trantham, said:
"I don't believe he preached politics. I don't believe anyone should tell a preacher not to preach what's in the Bible."
Blount Osborne, chair of deacons, is alleged to have said:
"That was surprising, him leaving as quick as he did. I didn't figure he'd walk that way."
But then CNN continues to make the mistake that there were only 100 members. In fact, there are 400+ members, but on Sundays only about 100 attend.
[Ed]: I will post four more interviews over the next two days. For now there is a news story that I've written as a blog-journalist, with pieces from all the interviews, at the Chattanooga Pulse.
Update [2005-5-11 10:47:54 by southlib]: 10:30 a.m.: I spoke with one of my sources in Waynesville this morning, a member in good standing at the church, and he said that Chandler
had to resign, and there was nothing else that could be done. We had a group of about 35, and his group was about 40 people. They met in a room before he resigned. He had preached some good sermons but made one huge mistake by telling us if you voted for Kerry you were going to have to leave or come down to the altar. You know, last night, he never apologized to us or to anybody else. But I hope the deacons give him one more month in the parsonage so he can have time to find a place. I forgive him, but he had to go. We liked his family, and he's got a young son who's sweet but is blind in one eye. I feel sorry for them. But I'm disappointed that he told the Southern Baptist Convention press that he never said what he said to us in his sermons. Those tapes prove it! They were made for our shut-in ministry. And they say exactly what he was saying to us. Now my wife is really hurt because her brother was a member in the church and he walked out with the minister last night. My wife and brother-in-law's father was a good Christian man; he'd be turning over in his grave right now.