A Tennessee pastor who reportedly shut down his church, seized control of the congregation’s cash and real estate, then took up another preaching job in a different town has agreed to return control of the church’s assets to the congregation following pushback from members.
Members of the congregation formerly known as Connect Church in Halls told WMC Action News 5 that their former pastor, Ron Smith, informed them on Nov. 9 that the church would close immediately due to low membership and poor cash flow.
“I’ve been in ministry 52 years. I have never in 52 years been through this. I’ve never had a church quit tithing,” Smith said in a recording of the Nov. 9 announcement, cited by WMC. “The church in its present condition cannot sustain itself.”
The independent non-denominational church has been registered as a nonprofit since 1999, but has undergone multiple name and leadership changes over the years. In 2020, when Smith became the church’s pastor, he changed the name to Connect Church.
Even though congregants had voted to keep the church open prior to Smith making his Nov. 9 announcement, he told them that the vote wasn’t legally binding because he did not approve the meeting when the vote was held.
“This little vote you had today was not called by me or approved by me. So, this little vote is null and void,” Smith told congregants in a recording.
He further stated that if they wanted to continue worshiping in their church building, they would have to meet in the building under a new name and pay rent to the Connect Church Corporation, where he sits as president and his wife, Donna, serves as secretary.
“Now, if you want to get together and you want to have a church in this building, then you’re welcome to create a new church and rent this property,” Smith insisted.
Members, like Regina Nash, told the news outlet that the congregation owned the building.
“There is no rent on this building,” she said.
After announcing the closure, Smith reportedly changed the nonprofit’s address, establishing the church at an address in Atoka, Tennessee, and replaced all board members with new ones.
Police in Halls told WMC that an investigation and found that Smith and his wife did not break any laws but made themselves the sole signees on the church’s bank account after removing church secretary Anita Cates.
Cates challenged Smith’s claim that the church did not have enough funds to operate, noting that the congregation had about $13,000 in the bank and property valued at about $400,000.
“We own two other buildings right beside … and a property on the bypass, which could have been sold to help compensate if we did get too low,” Cates said, challenging Smith’s claim of not having sufficient funds to keep the church open.
Smith pledged to return control of the church’s assets following a meeting with a mediator; however, Smith would not tell WMC when he would relinquish control of the building and bank account.
The church is now open again under a new name — Real Life Community Church.
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