SEVIERVILLE â A Sevier County church has been removed from the Southern Baptist Convention for employing a pastor who was convicted of statutory rape involving a teenager at another local church 20 years ago.
The Southern Baptist Conventionâs executive committee voted Tuesday to disfellowship four churches, including Antioch Baptist Church on White School Road. The decision means the churches are no longer part of the organization; it has no other impact on the churches.
Information released by the SBC indicates the local church was removed due to âknowingly employing a pastor convicted of statutory rape.â
Additional information from the SBC indicates the pastor was John Randy Leming Jr., who is listed on the churchâs website as Randy Leming. SBCâs report indicates he had served as pastor at Antioch since 2014.
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