Ex- Shades Mountain pastor created hostile work environment, leaders say

By Leonardo Blair, Senior Reporter Wednesday, May 20, 2026

After Rev. George Wright resigned earlier this month as senior pastor of Shades Mountain Baptist Church in Vestavia Hills, Alabama, some church staff have alleged he created a hostile work environment that contributed to multiple resignations.

The disclosure was made during a meeting at the church last Wednesday with nine leaders, including executive staff members, deacons and committee leaders, reports AL.com.

Wright previously revealed during one of his final sermons at the megachurch on May 3 that his abrupt departure from the congregation stemmed from a leadership disagreement akin to the one between the Apostle Paul and Barnabas in Acts 15. That dispute caused the two early Church leaders to separate and pursue different, and ultimately more widespread, ministry paths.

Church leaders agreed that Wright, who was hired in 2021, was considered a “great preacher” and friend by some. Behind the scenes, colleagues allege Wright's interactions with the church’s 76-member created a hostile work environment that led to at least 15 deacon resignations.

One executive staff member also reportedly resigned because of the work environment.

Church treasurer Randy Pittman, who sits on a committee that conducts annual performance evaluations at the church, said that when the issues first emerged in 2023, Wright was offered a plan of action to correct his behavior.

“At the end of the day, he had lost the trust of his team,” Pittman said. “He chose to resign himself, and I applaud him for that decision because it took a great deal of maturity to stand up and say, ‘I’m really not fitting in this role as well as I need to.’”

Before joining Shades Mountain Baptist Church, Wright served as senior pastor at Shandon Baptist Church in Columbia, South Carolina, for more than four years, according to the Hoover Sun. Prior to that role, Wright planted Cedarcrest Church in Acworth, Georgia, and led it for 11 years.

Pittman said church leaders chose to clarify the circumstances surrounding Wright’s departure because of ongoing speculation on social media about the man who replaced the church’s longtime pastor, Danny Wood, in 2021.

“He didn’t steal anything; there was no marital infidelity,” Pittman said of the speculation. “They’re not true. Don’t go there.”

Lisa Davis, the church’s 70-year-old adults plus pastor, said she worked through transitions following the retirement of the Rev. Charles T. Carter in 1998 and Wood’s retirement in 2021. She said “we knew it was going to be tough” when Wright transitioned into the role.

Davis said Wright would summarize staff meetings by saying “the executive staff has approved,” even when there was disagreement.

“That’s where my concerns began,” she said. “You don’t question.”

Things came to a head during an April 13 meeting when the executive staff member resigned while raising the same concern.

“No church wants to be in this position,” Deacon Greg Morrison, who served as chairman of the 33-member deacon board in 2023, said, according to AL.com. “There were concerns in 2023.”

Morrison said the concerns were addressed by deacons during a January 2024 meeting after 15 deacons resigned, but Wright stated that he “felt like a square peg in a round hole.”

Responding to speculation about his resignation earlier this month, Wright said he remains committed to preaching God’s Word despite the disagreement with Shades Mountain Baptist Church leaders.

“I want to be clear. My purpose and my calling [have] not changed. There is nothing in my life that is preventing me from living out my purpose and my calling. My life purpose is this — to love and worship King Jesus by faithfully loving and serving my family, preaching God’s Word, and pursuing his mission all the days of my life,” he said. “And as I stand here before you this morning, I am more resolved and more committed than I have ever been in my entire life to live out this purpose, no matter what it may mean for my future.”