Silent Protest Follows Fireworks At Tulsa Church Service

Worship services were disrupted Sunday at the Cornerstone Baptist Church. The pastor is accused of embezzling over $900,000 from a center the church helped build.

Sunday, September 21st 2014, 12:58 pm

By: News On 6

Silent Protest Follows Fireworks At Tulsa Church Service

Worship service was disrupted by arguments Sunday morning at the Cornerstone Baptist Church in Tulsa. Several church members left the service early after loud words were exchanged inside.

The pastor of the church, Reverend Willard Jones, is accused of stealing more than $900,000 from a community center the church helped build. He has pleaded not guilty to charges of wire fraud and filing a false tax return.

Jones was fired from the community center but is still leading services at the west Tulsa church.

8/22/2014 Related Story: Tulsa Pastor Pleads Not Guilty To Embezzlement Charges

Some members of the church held a silent protest Sunday in hopes of forcing Jones to resign from his position. Tulsa County Sheriff's Deputies were already in place to help keep the peace, so they were on hand when fireworks started midway into the service.

No one was arrested, and the service continued despite the angry exchanges and early departure of some members of the congregation. The silent protest also took place as scheduled.

"We can't move on with the leadership in place now,” deacon George Wilson said. “We're at a standstill as a group until this leadership is removed."

Wilson has attended church at Cornerstone for six years, and he says the congregation's efforts have made the church a pillar for the community.

"It's an emotional situation,” he said. “People really take this church stuff seriously, and a lot of these people in here are discouraged, hurt, bitterly hurt, that they can't trust this guy whom that they have been trusting with their money, their tithes and effort.”

The FBI detailed Jones' lavish spending during the six years they say he used the community center cash for his own benefit. His purchases included a Rolex, full-length mink coat, liquor, automobiles and other luxury items, according to U.S. Attorney Danny Williams.Last month he told a judge he had no money to afford a private attorney.

“These people are hurt,” church member Miss D said. “He hurt these people. He took these people's money and help them get that community center built. He hurt these people."

Miss D says she left Cornerstone Baptist Church after she had differences with the church leadership.

“When God told me to leave and get out of here, I didn't understand why at first,” she said. “I did not understand why I was hurt because I looked at him as my spiritual father."

We reached out to other members of the church who support Jones. One of the assistant pastors said this is a private issue within the congregation, and the future discussions about Jones will not be discussed in public.

"It's a tense situation, a real tense situation," Wilson said.