West Tennessee Pastor Arrested
GUYS, Tenn. – A West Tennessee pastor accused of stealing another church’s name is jailed in California and is refusing to eat. Walter McGill, pastor of Creation Seventh Day Adventist church in Guys has been wanted since May for failing to comply with court orders. U.S. Marshals arrested McGill on Friday at a Seventh Day Adventist church in Loma Linda, California. He is believed to have fled West Tennessee shortly before the warrants were issued in May. But his assistant pastor insists McGill was not running but actually planning to hold a small press conference on Sunday then surrender. Barbara Isenburg said although she knew her husband would be arrested it did not make it any easier. “He was given that vision and the prophecy by God before some years back,” said McGill’s wife. McGill, who leads Creation Seventh Day Adventist Church in Guys was sued by the larger Seventh Day Adventist Church in Federal Court for trademark infringement. “It comes to a choice between jail and religion and we can’t surrender our religion. We can’t surrender our obedience to God. We would rather died than dishonor him,” said assistant pastor Lucan Chartier. “It is not the intention of the Seventh Day Adventist Church to shut down Pastor McGill’s ministry. Recent developments are the result of actions taken by the court because Pastor McGill did not comply with the court’s ruling,” stated a spokesperson for Seventh Day Adventist Church in North America According to Chartier, he and Pastor McGill had been traveling the country and confronting Seventh Day Adventist churches and its members; their last stop in California. “There are many people being a part of this lawsuit and have no idea about it. Those people need to have a chance and a right to protest and say we don’t want this to be done without money and influence, this is not Christianity,” added Chartier. The assistant pastor said it is not just about changing the name of their church, but in doing so that would be ignoring the name that God has chosen for their church and was given to them by their pastor. Isenburg said her husband has not and will not eat solid foods while behind bars. She said he was told by God to fast while in jail. “He’ll preserve him, God has a plan, he has way that he’s going to be glorified.” Chartier added that the larger church has never made it clear to them what their reasoning is behind the lawsuit but in a statement they said, “we believe that Pastor McGill has the right to exercise his religious beliefs and operate a ministry, however to falsely identify himself with an organization of which he is not a part, is not acceptable. This false association confuses the public, media and at time our own members.” It is unclear at this time how long McGill will be imprisoned
