By Leonardo Blair, Senior Reporter Tuesday, May 05, 2026

Former Shades Mountain Baptist Church pastor George Wright appeared to hint during one of his final sermons at the Alabama megachurch on Sunday 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.

“This is our final Sunday here at Shades Mountain, my final Sunday serving as your pastor. In Acts chapter 15, we see the Apostle Paul and Barnabas, two men of God who go their separate ways, both desiring to love and follow King Jesus, both committed to the mission that he has called them to. Both loving and desiring to lead the church to serve him faithfully,” Wright told congregants during the 9 a.m. service. “That is the moment where we find ourselves here today.”

In Acts 15:36–41, the Apostle Paul and Barnabas had a "sharp disagreement" regarding whether to take Barnabas’ cousin, John Mark, on their second missionary journey. Barnabas wanted to bring Mark, who had previously abandoned them. Still, Paul refused to take him, leading the two early church leaders to separate and pursue different, and ultimately more widespread, ministry paths.

Wright did not elaborate on the specifics of the leadership dispute, but he reiterated that his resignation was not a disqualification from ministry, and he is committed to continuing to preach God’s word.

“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.”

In a video posted on social media last Friday, Wright said he was stepping down as pastor after almost five years at the helm without stating a reason.

Leaders of the Vestavia Hills church pledged in a statement on Facebook that they remained “committed to walking through this season with care, unity, and faith, pledging continuity and calm.”

“My trust is in the Lord. And Shades Mountain, I want you to know we love you so deeply. We love this church. We love this community. We love this city. And we have been blown away at seeing the way God has been moving over these last five years,” Wright said in his statement on Sunday.

“Seeing the baptisms, seeing the life change, seeing the mission lived out in passionate ways by the people of God, I believe there is something historic happening in this city that is a direct result of the Holy Spirit of God moving in power,” he added. “And it is my prayer, it is my hope that that will continue for many, many years to come.”

News Source : https://www.christianpost.com/news/rev-george-wright-suggests-disagreement-sparked-exit.html