MOORE — A former official with Moore’s First Baptist Church is suing the church for his termination, and for “spreading false rumors about his mental health throughout the community,” court documents show.
Jimmie D. Lady, the church’s associate pastor, filed the suit in Cleveland County District Court last week seeking $10,000 in actual damages and $10,000 in punitive damages for “severe emotional distress and mental anguish as a result of statements made about him when his job was terminated.”
Lady’s attorney, Andrew Hicks of Houston, claimed church officials terminated Lady for being bi-polar, then spread rumors about Lady in the community.
“Although a man of God, Dr. Lady cannot ignore the dramatic, adverse effects these untrue and unfair accusations have had on him and his family,” Hicks said. “First Baptist Moore’s efforts to tarnish Dr. Lady’s reputation have threatened his family’s livelihood. Through this suit, we hope to restore Dr. Lady’s good name.”
Church officials denied the allegations.
In a statement e-mailed to The Transcript, Dr. Kevin Clarkson — First Baptist’s senior pastor — said the church “regretfully acknowledged” Lady’s suit.
“We regretfully acknowledge that Jim Lady has filed a lawsuit against First Baptist Church raising various issues that we strongly disagree with and...we will timely and appropriately respond,” Clarkson said. “In that the matter involves employment-related issues involved in litigation, our policies preclude significant responses and public announcements.”
According to court documents, Lady served as First Baptist’s associate pastor for four and a half years, until Aug. 2. On that day, the suit claims, the church terminated Lady by contacting his wife and informing her church officials believed Lady was bi-polar and was “not to come back” to the church.
Hicks said Lady is not bi-polar and the former pastor “has no idea” why he was terminated. “It’s been a mystery we’re trying to figure out,” he said.
Lady, Hicks said, does suffer from diabetes but has no mental health issues and exhibited “no signs of strange behavior.”
Following his termination, Hicks said Lady attempted to “resolve the matter amicably,” but church officials rejected those efforts and, instead, threatened to terminate Lady’s severance benefits if he “made any trouble.”
Clarkson said church employment matters, and those regarding ministerial staff members, are “spiritual decisions reached after great prayer.”
“The proper functioning of the ministerial staff is critical to the Lord’s calling on our church and the ability of our church to fulfill God’s call and command to impact our community in a positive way for the glory of Christ,” he said. “We believe the religious freedoms acknowledged in the First Amendment of the United States Constitution protect our church from this claim, but the claim will be thoroughly investigated and properly defended as necessary.”
Clarkson also denied Lady “was in any manner” mistreated.
“We regret his decision to force us to respond publicly to what should be a private matter,” he said. “However, we still continue to wish both he and his family the best as he moves forward with his life.”
While Lady’s suit seeks $10,000 in actual damages and $10,000 in punitive damages, Hicks said the final amount sought “remains to be seen.”
“We haven’t yet quantified damages,” Hicks said. “Not only has this impacted Dr. Lady’s livelihood, but the rumors that have been spread impacted his ability to obtain suitable employment. Plus the damage for mental and emotional stress caused by this.”
The case has been assigned to District Judge William C. Hetherington, Jr.
Jimmie D. Lady, the church’s associate pastor, filed the suit in Cleveland County District Court last week seeking $10,000 in actual damages and $10,000 in punitive damages for “severe emotional distress and mental anguish as a result of statements made about him when his job was terminated.”
Lady’s attorney, Andrew Hicks of Houston, claimed church officials terminated Lady for being bi-polar, then spread rumors about Lady in the community.
“Although a man of God, Dr. Lady cannot ignore the dramatic, adverse effects these untrue and unfair accusations have had on him and his family,” Hicks said. “First Baptist Moore’s efforts to tarnish Dr. Lady’s reputation have threatened his family’s livelihood. Through this suit, we hope to restore Dr. Lady’s good name.”
Church officials denied the allegations.
In a statement e-mailed to The Transcript, Dr. Kevin Clarkson — First Baptist’s senior pastor — said the church “regretfully acknowledged” Lady’s suit.
“We regretfully acknowledge that Jim Lady has filed a lawsuit against First Baptist Church raising various issues that we strongly disagree with and...we will timely and appropriately respond,” Clarkson said. “In that the matter involves employment-related issues involved in litigation, our policies preclude significant responses and public announcements.”
According to court documents, Lady served as First Baptist’s associate pastor for four and a half years, until Aug. 2. On that day, the suit claims, the church terminated Lady by contacting his wife and informing her church officials believed Lady was bi-polar and was “not to come back” to the church.
Hicks said Lady is not bi-polar and the former pastor “has no idea” why he was terminated. “It’s been a mystery we’re trying to figure out,” he said.
Lady, Hicks said, does suffer from diabetes but has no mental health issues and exhibited “no signs of strange behavior.”
Following his termination, Hicks said Lady attempted to “resolve the matter amicably,” but church officials rejected those efforts and, instead, threatened to terminate Lady’s severance benefits if he “made any trouble.”
Clarkson said church employment matters, and those regarding ministerial staff members, are “spiritual decisions reached after great prayer.”
“The proper functioning of the ministerial staff is critical to the Lord’s calling on our church and the ability of our church to fulfill God’s call and command to impact our community in a positive way for the glory of Christ,” he said. “We believe the religious freedoms acknowledged in the First Amendment of the United States Constitution protect our church from this claim, but the claim will be thoroughly investigated and properly defended as necessary.”
Clarkson also denied Lady “was in any manner” mistreated.
“We regret his decision to force us to respond publicly to what should be a private matter,” he said. “However, we still continue to wish both he and his family the best as he moves forward with his life.”
While Lady’s suit seeks $10,000 in actual damages and $10,000 in punitive damages, Hicks said the final amount sought “remains to be seen.”
“We haven’t yet quantified damages,” Hicks said. “Not only has this impacted Dr. Lady’s livelihood, but the rumors that have been spread impacted his ability to obtain suitable employment. Plus the damage for mental and emotional stress caused by this.”
The case has been assigned to District Judge William C. Hetherington, Jr.
Comments
Even to have such lawsuits with one another is a defeat for you. Why not just accept the injustice and leave it at that? Why not let yourselves be cheated?
Too many times have I seen these 'great' churches operate as a business and cut out a man of God when he is no longer willing to operate in their style of business as usual. One of the proofs is they privately tell a man to leave 'quietly' or lose all severence benefits and no hope of re-employment in another similar role. How can a church who calls a man of God by congregation vote then fire him without the congregation being at least informed? No my friends, the church has placed herself under the rule of law and I believe it is high time a man of God stand up and let God answer in the public realm on who was right in this travesty.
As a result I wrote the book, "Surviving Bipolar's Fatal Grip." I had began preparing for a lawsuit and later decided not too. My concern that they would continue to hurt leaders as they did me and two others; for different reasons. They broke the laws of the land... which could have resulted in my suicidal death. And they knew what they were doing.
Also, I thought this church was accountable to the denomination and it was not.. so.. I had no recourse and could not hold the pastor accountable to anyone.
This is tough stuff and not simply black and white. At least that is my take on it from the standpoint of the persecuted one.
David
Candace Dineley