From the Chuck Baldwin Live Site and Blog:
Last Sunday, August 29, 2010, was the hardest day of my life. Even when my father made me promise that I would preach his funeral (which I did–twice: once in Indiana where he lived, and again in Florida where I live and where he is buried), that was not as difficult and gut wrenching as what I had to do last Sunday. Last Sunday, I retired as the pastor of the church that my wife and I founded 35 years ago: the Crossroad Baptist Church of Pensacola, Florida.
Think of it: all of my adult life (after college) has been spent pastoring this wonderful congregation. And the people that I spoke to this past Sunday evening are, without a doubt, the finest group of people I have ever known. They are my friends. Many of them I had led to Christ, or were saved under my preaching. Some have stood with me for twenty years; some for over thirty years. My vocabulary is too limited to express the love and appreciation I have for these wonderful people! They stood by me through thick and thin. Even when God opened the door for me to run for President of the United States on the Constitution Party ticket, they stood by me. They stood by me when enemies attacked me; they stood by me when friends forsook me.
And last Sunday evening, I had to tell them that, after 35 years as their shepherd, God had led me to leave them. I can tell you, tears flowed like rivers; and I believe my family and I cried more than anyone.
[…]
Yes, I will continue to write this column; but while we are in the process of moving (maybe 6 weeks or more), they will not be written quite as often. I will attempt (with the help of a small but dedicated staff) to produce at least one column a week (instead of two). Yes, my web site, ChuckBaldwinLive.com will be maintained. And, yes, people will still be able to support us via the website during this transition.
Yes, last Sunday was the hardest day of my life, but there will be many hard and difficult days ahead for the Baldwin family. Each of us is aware of that. We are not naïve. We know we are headed for a fight; we know it won’t be easy. But we also know that freedom is worth fighting for, and if Washington, D.C., is freedom’s greatest threat (and it is), then defiant, liberty-loving states are freedom’s greatest allies. I’ve been preaching that for several years now. I guess it’s time that I started practicing it. Therefore, Montana, here we come!
I suppose I should write a little something here about Mr. Baldwin and why this is such a big story. I have not always agreed with Pastor Baldwin; in fact, I have been known to criticize him on certain issues. However, I know Mr. Baldwin’s heart. He is, like me, a Baptist and also a born again Christian. (Although, I would tend to opine that he does a much better job at the Christian bit, than I will ever do. But, I digress.) I also know what Chuck Baldwin wants to see the Conservative movement come back to the days of Ronald Reagan and get away from the idiotic Neo-Conservative stupidity that has infiltrated that party and movement in the last 10 or so years.
I do read his column every time it comes out, and even though, at times, I disagree with it’s content; I do know that it comes from someone with a good heart and from someone who shares my love for this wonderful Country of ours.
Having said all of that, I do wish Pastor Chuck Baldwin and the Baldwin family, the very best in what they are about to undertake. I too, have had to count the cost of doing what I do and I know, like Pastor Baldwin, that in the end — it will have been worth every piece of hate mail, insults and even lies made up about us.
Good Luck Pastor and May the Lord of Hosts be with you.