Pastors Decry Vote for Baptist Leader

Hours after members of the nation’s largest black Baptist church backed its besieged president in a surprise vote, 80 prominent pastors demanded Tuesday that the Rev. Henry Lyons resign immediately or be expelled from office for allegedly mishandling church funds.

As more than 150 supporters looked on from the steps of the Denver Convention Center, the pastors denounced the vote backing Lyons, which was taken after more than half of the convention’s delegates had left.

The pastors called the timing of the vote an orchestrated effort by Lyons to bypass the membership and keep his job.

If Lyons is not kicked out of the top job, the pastors, including all four candidates who opposed Lyons in the 1994 election, said they will withhold funds from the National Baptist Convention U.S.A. Inc. They also said they would release documents showing Lyons is guilty of financial misdeeds.

The vote supporting Lyons and calling for an end to an investigation into his financial dealings came after he launched the annual meeting by asking members to forgive him.

Lyons has been accused of using church money to buy real estate, cars and jewelry for a female aide. He has denied having an affair with her or spending church money on personal items.