Pastor at Kannapolis church dismissed after past sexual allegations surface

KANNAPOLIS, N.C. — Leaders at Charity Baptist Church in Kannapolis said longtime pastor Marty Payton is no longer on staff after serious past sexual misconduct allegations from before his tenure surfaced. The church said the alleged actions did not involve members of its congregation and that leaders took immediate steps to ensure safety.

Payton had been the pastor at Charity Baptist since 2004, according to the church’s website, but that changed this week.

The congregation learned about it on Sunday morning when leadership announced it. The accusations didn’t involve his time at Charity Baptist.

“So, if he is not following the word, how is he going to make you follow it?” said resident Sean Pruitt.

Pruitt is not a member but he, like a lot of people in the community, have questions.

“Charity Baptist was recently made aware of serious allegations of a sexual nature against our pastor, Marty Payton, occurring prior to his tenure at our church,” according to a statement released by the church. “The alleged actions did not include any other individuals in our congregation. Marty Payton is no longer on staff at Charity.”

“As a victim of sexual abuse, as a child, it actually caused me to be closer to God and cling to my faith,” said a woman, who did not want to be identified.

She is not a member at Charity Baptist, but she has worked on church boards before.

“I don’t know their process of hiring folks, but I know that sometimes, people are fooled and maybe don’t have all the information and just make a quick judgement call about something, because they need a position filled,” the sexual abuse survivor told Channel 9.

The church has not been specific about the nature of the allegations when and where they occurred.

Payton reportedly worked at churches in Kansas, Texas, and Louisiana before moving to North Carolina.

“It doesn’t affect the faith,” said resident Mark Rushmeyer. “It just keeps me from wanting to go to the actual church.”

Church officials said they took immediate action to ensure the safety of the congregation.

Channel 9 ran a criminal background check on Payton but couldn’t find where he had been arrested or charged with anything that aligns with the church’s statement.

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