Baptist church members claim pastor used $1 million without authorization (114947)

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For the second time in two months, a prominent Baltimore minister has been accused by members of his East Baltimore congregation of allegedly mishandling more than $1 million in church funds without authorization of the church trustees.

If granted, last week’s request for an injunction filed in Baltimore City Circuit Court would prevent Pastor Donté L. Hickman Sr., of the 2,000-member Southern Baptist Church on North Chester Street, from entering church property, and stop the clergyman, the trustees and the deacons of the church from controlling church property.

Among the many allegations in the latest set of pleadings are that Hickman spent more than $540,000 in church funds for the construction of his home and another $190,000 for furnishings — all without trustee approval.

The lawsuit also accuses Hickman of obtaining a $500,000 church loan from a bank without trustee approval, and of pocketing $100,000 he received on settlement of the church-financed home.

Moreover, the suit states that the church’s 2005 financial statement shows it spent more than $150,000 over budget, and that “while the Church took in revenue of $1,028,801.00, it remains liquid asset (cash) broke and ‘in the red’ by $51, 053.00.”

The latest pleadings were filed by Pastor Emeritus Rev. Dr. Nathaniel Higgs, past Trustee Chairperson Elnora Christian and others. The suit names Hickman, the trustee board and the deacon board of the church as defendants.

Hickman’s lawyer, Paul D. Shelton, did not return a call for comment yesterday; however, he has responded to similar allegations in previous court filings.

On April 4, church members filed an emergency petition for a temporary restraining order against Hickman in Baltimore City Circuit Court. The petition was denied on April 12 by Judge M. Brooke Murdock.

In court filings responding to that petition and allegations that the pastor had brought the church to “financial ruin,” Shelton wrote that the net worth of the church as of Oct. 31, 2005 — $1,982,949 — was $500,000 more than when Hickman became pastor on Jan. 1, 2003.

“Church membership, attendance at bible study, attendance in new member classes are at ten year highs,” Shelton wrote.

Hickman, Shelton wrote, “is not authorized to sign checks, count collections or make deposits for the Church,” because “all checks require two signers of which he may be one.”

But in last week’s request for an injunction, Higgs and Christian allege that Shelton misled Murdock during a hearing on the April TRO petition.

They claim Shelton promised Murdock that an annual meeting would be held this month, which would allow church members to consider Hickman’s future.

“No annual meeting has been announced,” last week’s lawsuit states.

It also accuses Hickman of appointing friendly trustees in a manner not authorized by church bylaws, and of showing “the same untrustworthiness … to a previous church he pastored” in Pennsylvania.

The suit mentions past criminal charges faced by Hickman in Baltimore. According to court records, prosecutors decided to nolle prosequi second-degree assault and malicious destruction of property charges against Hickman in 2000.

Several Baltimore ministers yesterday said Hickman is a well-known minister in the Baltimore area.

“I support Donté, I just think he is a very gifted minister,” said Rev. Willie E. Ray, adding that Hickman should “start his own congregation, because he is dealing with a lot of traditional-type people.”

Rev. James W. McEachin Jr. expressed his belief that “the Bible says that a Christian should never sue another Christian.”