Embattled pastor of First Baptist in Ocala Resigns
- November 28, 2008
Mark Cummins
OCALA – The Rev. Mark Cummins, the embattled pastor of First Baptist Church of Ocala, resigned Tuesday to start his own church, according to First Baptist officials and members of the congregation.
Cummins announced his resignation Tuesday night during a meeting called “to pray for Mark and his direction,” said Bob Hart, a church deacon who attended the meeting and heard Cummins speak.
“It was just on his heart that God led him in another direction and it wasn’t worth splitting the church over,” Hart said Wednesday morning. “I gotta admire a person like that to say no sense keeping a pot boiling when you can put the fire out.”
Hart said Cummins announced during the meeting, which was attended by an estimated 150 to 200 supporters, that he intended to stay in Ocala and start a new church.
“God called him to Ocala to win the lost and meet the needs of the people,” Hart said.
No one answered the phone at the Cummins home Wednesday morning.
First Baptist Church erupted in controversy two weeks ago when six associate pastors came forward with grievances against Cummins. A church personnel committee heard the pastors’ complaints but decided none of the accusations merited taking action against Cummins. Several days later, the associate pastors were fired when they declined to attend individual meetings that were called to resolve their differences with Cummins.
The firing of the associate pastors by the Personnel Committee touched off a battle that has divided the church. Days after the firings, a couple of hundred angry worshippers rushed to the altar during Sunday services to demand answers from Cummins.
Then, at a business meeting attended by about 1,000 church members Sunday night, a motion was made to place Cummins on administrative leave. Cummins adjourned the meeting and left the building with the matter still unresolved.
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