The Southern Baptist Convention is expelling a Texas church that hired a registered sex offender as pastor.
Ranchland Heights Baptist Church in Midland was disfellowshipped by the SBC's executive committee during a meeting in Nashville on Tuesday of this week.
The more than 80-member body voted to boot the church after its congregation hired Phillip Rutledge.
The Texas Department of Public Safety says Pastor Rutledge must register as a sex offender for life for the aggravated sexual assault of a child.