COATESVILLE, Pa. -- Members of a Chester County church said they have really been at odds with the pastor since he came on board about a year ago.
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But after receiving a letter that mixed Bible verses along with threats of an arrest if they were to attend church on Sunday, that's when they said the pastor went too far.
"We are in spiritual warfare, we really are ... with our own pastor," said one woman.
It's a rift so deep that Coatesville police stepped in Wednesday to try to resolve the issue after the Rev. Malcolm Finkley of Coatesvillle's Tabernacle Baptist Church reportedly signed and sent the letter to dozens of church members.
Recipients of the letter threatening arrest included 87-year-old Waddell Tucker.
"If you don't agree with him, you've got to go," Tucker said.
Some congregation members told NBC 10 that they have not liked the way Pastor Finkley runs the church or how he conducts himself from the pulpit. When they tried to oust Finkley as they say it states they can in the church bylaws, their vote has been interrupted and not allowed to continue.
The certified letter told several members they were creating an "atmosphere of hostility" and threatened criminal charges if they showed up anymore.
"To tell someone who has been coming to this church for over 60 years that, 'You can't come into the church because I say so,' that's objectionable," said John Robinson, of Coatesville.
NBC 10 tried to ask Finkley about that, but he twice had no comment Wednesday.
Members said they went to the police to see if they could actually be placed under arrest if they showed up to worship God. They said the short answer they received was no.
"We've made multiple attempts to set up meetings with him to try to discuss some issues that we had concerns about. That was unsuccessful," said church member Charles Ward.
It's a holy war that church members said has no winners.
"Just want to go to church and praise the Lord," Ward said.
NBC 10's Jamison Uhler said that he did find members who said they were happy with the church's new leadership and direction, and they said they were sad to see that other members were standing in the pastor's way.
Images Video
But after receiving a letter that mixed Bible verses along with threats of an arrest if they were to attend church on Sunday, that's when they said the pastor went too far.
"We are in spiritual warfare, we really are ... with our own pastor," said one woman.
It's a rift so deep that Coatesville police stepped in Wednesday to try to resolve the issue after the Rev. Malcolm Finkley of Coatesvillle's Tabernacle Baptist Church reportedly signed and sent the letter to dozens of church members.
Recipients of the letter threatening arrest included 87-year-old Waddell Tucker.
"If you don't agree with him, you've got to go," Tucker said.
Some congregation members told NBC 10 that they have not liked the way Pastor Finkley runs the church or how he conducts himself from the pulpit. When they tried to oust Finkley as they say it states they can in the church bylaws, their vote has been interrupted and not allowed to continue.
The certified letter told several members they were creating an "atmosphere of hostility" and threatened criminal charges if they showed up anymore.
"To tell someone who has been coming to this church for over 60 years that, 'You can't come into the church because I say so,' that's objectionable," said John Robinson, of Coatesville.
NBC 10 tried to ask Finkley about that, but he twice had no comment Wednesday.
Members said they went to the police to see if they could actually be placed under arrest if they showed up to worship God. They said the short answer they received was no.
"We've made multiple attempts to set up meetings with him to try to discuss some issues that we had concerns about. That was unsuccessful," said church member Charles Ward.
It's a holy war that church members said has no winners.
"Just want to go to church and praise the Lord," Ward said.
NBC 10's Jamison Uhler said that he did find members who said they were happy with the church's new leadership and direction, and they said they were sad to see that other members were standing in the pastor's way.
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