Church of the Higlands Comes Under Fire for Posts Pastor Chris Hodges Liked on Social Media

Church of the Highlands, the largest church in Alabama and one of the largest in the United States, has come under fire in recent weeks after its pastor liked social media posts that some in the community considered racist and offensive. A teacher who does not attend the church noticed that Pastor Chris Hodges, who founded the Birmingham-based church in 2001, liked posts by Turning Point Founder Charlie Kirk and brought attention to it on social media.

After weeks of controversy, the Birmingham Housing Authority ended a partnership with the church that started in 2017. The church has hosted outreach programs and social services in public housing communities operated by the Housing Authority.

The next day, the Birmingham School Board voted to end its lease agreement with the Church of the Highlands. Two of the church’s campuses met at Birmingham City Schools and the School Board chose to exercise a clause that allows them to end the lease as long as they give the church a 90-day notice.

Pastor Hodges addressed the controversy in a Memorial Day weekend sermon. He told the church in an online sermon, “I understand how this has made you feel and I apologize. Honestly, it’s understandable to me. I don’t take it personally. I know people are hurting right now and they want clarity. I would love for you to not just look at a microscopic zoom-in but look at the totality…