Ervin v. Lilydale Progressive Missionary Baptist Church

This appeal arises from a simple set of undisputed facts. In 2003, a church’s board members voted to remove a pastor from his pastoral duties. The church’s bylaws provided that the congregation could vote to terminate a pastor’s service, and no provision permitted the board to terminate a pastor’s service without a vote of the church’s members. The pastor sued for an injunction to prevent the church from terminating his service as pastor without such a vote. The church responded that the employee handbook and the church covenant gave the board the power to remove the pastor. After a trial,…