An Arkansas bishop has been branded a squatter after refusing to leave a historic church for four years because the owners jacked up the rent.
Bishop Earnest Smith has been preaching since 2019 in a chapel that has served the Crossett community for over 100 years.
This year, leaders of the so-called Allen Temple CME were forced to close the church while they waited for a new pastor.
They claim Smith – who was preaching from home at the time – asked leaders if he could rent the building.
Trustees of the old community say Smith refused to give it up, changed the locks and defaulted on the new rent of $400 a year.
Bishop Earnest Smith, unkindly nicknamed the “squatter bishop” of an Arkansas church, is refusing to leave the building where he has held services for four years after the landlord doubled his rent
Temple member Rekandria Leach claims Smith rented out the temple for $200 a year the first year, then doubled to $400, but when the time came, Smith said he didn’t want to sign a new lease.
The bishop addressed the controversy that has made headlines locally and nationally in his Sunday service, saying he is “not afraid” of his opponents. To cheers from his parishioners, he added that he had “done nothing wrong.”
“No matter what the enemy throws at me, I am on my way back…in life we must understand that we will go through some trials and tribulations.” “The Lord does not tell us how to go through these trials and tribulations,” he said.
“We’ve all been through things in life, we’ve been accused of some things…we’ve been accused of some things in life, the difference between you and me is that I’ve been on national television.”
Smith argues that the church’s secretary, Faye Pam, told him he would receive the building after the temporary lease was finalized.
“She said, ‘We’ll probably give you the building because we won’t be using the building.’ She said, ‘Because I know you.’ I said OK.’ I said, ‘Thank you’ – I was really excited,” Smith told KATV.
‘We paid. We have never been squatters. “We paid her all the money and we have evidence that we paid her the money,” he added.
Smith also claims that the payments he made were not a lease but were simply to help cover insurance costs.
Smith argues that he did nothing wrong and abided by the agreement he made with the church secretary
Bishop Earnest Smith has been preaching since 2019 in a chapel that has served the Crossett community for over 100 years. This year, leaders of the so-called Allen Temple CME were forced to close the church while they waited for a new pastor
Trustees of the old congregation say Smith refused to give it up and changed the locks on the church, changing the name to Temple of Faith Ministries
However, a representative from his church told Fox News that any claims about him were a lie, without addressing Smith’s story.
Leach, Pam’s daughter, says her elderly mother was taken advantage of.
“My mother and her, they were very nice to him.” They bought him robes. They bought him suits, you know, because they thought they’d done the right thing. “But these days, I think pastors go into ministry just for the money,” Leach said.
“We’re not causing any trouble.” “We just want our church back.”
Smith also argues that the church technically has no owner, which trustee Claudelle Smith — no relation — says is completely false.
“What I have in my hand is the actions.” “Allen Temple CME Church, you own it,” Smith said. “Squatters come in and take over, and they get something for free if they don’t pay for it.”
Bishop Smith has spent his time leading the church and recruiting a new congregation, including Scott Adair, who says Smith is a decent man.
“I was introduced to the pastor and immediately felt a love. “It is a very unique love to see that I have a chance in life and to engage in the presence of the Lord,” Adair said.
The bishop addressed the controversy that made headlines locally and nationally in his Sunday service, saying he was “not afraid” of his opponents. To cheers from his parishioners, he added that he had “done nothing wrong.”
Smith argues that the church’s secretary, Faye Pam, told him he would receive the building after the temporary lease was finalized
Although he didn’t know about the fight, it didn’t change his opinion of Smith.
“I can honestly say that this pastor and his wife and the people of this church love us and are not redundant, but the Lord’s vision for Crossett is to create a church where whites and blacks can come together and experience true love .” “Being there for each other, and I see that happening here in this church and I’m glad to be a part of it,” he added.
Leach believes Smith’s time is up and they will eventually return to their original church.
“It took too long.” It’s time for him to go. We’ve had our locks changed many times, and he [comes] straight back in and easy [takes] above. He said he wouldn’t go. “But you will go, Earnest Smith,” Leach said.
Smith, however, says he is prepared for a fight and that his lawyer has told him he has every right to continue preaching.
“The lawyer told me since you are there and you [are] “Once it’s established, you can go in there,” he said. “Do I want to move? The flesh does it because I’m tired. But the spirit [keeps] Tell me to fight this out.’