RAYTOWN — A longtime Missouri Baptist pastor has resigned after admitting moral failure.
Paul Brooks, pastor of First Baptist Church of Raytown, stepped down July 7 after acknowledging that he and an unnamed staff member had engaged in activity that "would potentially amount to moral failures under the Church's guidelines," according to a press release from the congregation.
Chairman of the Pastor Advisory Team Jeff Phillips explained in the release that team members became aware over the July 4 holiday weekend of some concern about Brooks and the staffer's behavior. Both admitted the activity and resigned.
According to Lucretia Raby, spokesperson for First Baptist's personnel committee, Brooks also has retired and will retain the retirement package already in place. No details about the package were released.
In a retirement letter to the church, Brooks said, "The greatest days of First Baptist Raytown are in its future." He also expressed appreciation to the church and vowed to pray for and support his successor.
"It's a very unfortunate circumstance," Phillips said in the release. "Brother Paul was instrumental in the growth of FBR and the spiritual development of its members. He did many fine things and he brought much to the Church community, but his recent moral failing made the retirement appropriate."
First Baptist already has a transition team in place to continue its services and ministries. The search process for Brooks' replacement will begin "in the near future," according to the release.
