In response to criticism—and despite a public apology for his actions—the Birmingham Board of Education voted June 9 to no longer allow the church to hold services at two local high schools. The day before, the Housing Authority of the Birmingham District (HABD) voted to no longer let church volunteers and clinic workers from the church’s Christ Health Center carry out their ministry work at public housing communities.

An Alabama pastor has come under fire in recent days after “liking” some hot-button issue statements on Facebook that some have contended were not “culturally sensitive.”

While Chris Hodges, pastor of Church of Highlands in Birmingham, has since issued an apology, the local school board and housing authority have cut ties with the church – decisions that have cost the church two locations where they hold services and ends an outreach effort where the church helped serve its community. The controversy has also stirred up debate on whether a few clicks of support on social media should warrant such a response.

Hodges leads the multi-site, multi-ethnic church, which is reportedly one of the largest and most diverse congregation in the state, drawing about 50,000 people each Sunday.

The pastor specifically came under fire after liking some tweets posted by Charlie Kirk, president of the conservative non-profit Turning Point USA. Kirk is reportedly known for being an outspoken supporter of President Trump and has taken some controversial stances related to politics, COVID-19, and while noting that racism is wrong, he contends white privilege is a myth.

Jasmine Faith Clisby, an English teacher at George W. Carver High School, took issue with Hodges affirming Kirk’s political opinions on Facebook and took her complaints to the media.

“I do not attend Church of the Highlands,” said Clisby, who told AL.com she “can’t see into Pastor Chris [Hodges’] heart.” But Clisby added that she found his support of Kirk’s posts as “culturally insensitive” and “troubling.”

“I would be upset if it comes off as me judging him,” she said.“It’s not that. I’m not saying he’s a racist. I’m saying he likes someone who post[s] things that do not seem culturally sensitive to me.”

In response to the criticism – and despite a public apology for his actions – the Birmingham Board of Education voted June 9 to no longer allow the church to hold services at two local high schools. The day before, the Housing Authority of the Birmingham District (HABD) voted to no longer let church volunteers and clinic workers from the church’s Christ Health Center carry out their ministry work at public housing communities.

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