Longtime NC Baptist pastor dismissed after sex allegations, church says
The longtime pastor of a North Carolina Baptist church has been dismissed “after “serious allegations of a sexual nature,” church officials said Thursday.
The allegations against Marty Payton, former senior pastor of Charity Baptist Church in Kannapolis, happened before he joined the church, according to a church statement to The Charlotte Observer.
He previously worked as a pastor in Texas and Louisiana, according to his website.
The church recently became aware of the allegations, according to the statement.
“The alleged actions did not include any other individuals in our congregation,” according to the statement. “Charity leaders took immediate action to address the matter, ensure the safety of the congregation, and provide care for all involved.”
“Marty Payton is no longer on staff at Charity,” the statement said. “We grieve with all those impacted by sexual sin and its effects. Our faith in Jesus Christ is unwavering. He offers hope and healing to us all.”
Church declines to give specifics
Efforts by the Observer to reach Payton and church officials by phone were unsuccessful.
No one responded to a voicemail left on Thursday morning with a phone number for Payton listed in public records.
In a reply to the Observer from the church email account, the person responding said there would be no further comment beyond the official church statement.
Payton was youth pastor at the church from August 2004 to August 2010, when he became senior pastor, according to his LinkedIn bio, which was taken down later Thursday. His website, MartyPayton.com, is down, according to a message on the site, and his Instagram profile is no longer active.
Payton obtained his master of divinity in 2011 and his doctor of ministry in pastoral leadership in 2015, both from Liberty University in Lynchburg, Va., according to his former LinkedIn page.
More on pastor’s background
An archived version of Payton’s website is available via the Wayback Machine.
He said in his bio that he was born in Texas and moved between Texas and Louisiana before settling in Ruston, Louisiana.
He also wrote that he worked at a church in Salina, Kansas, then in Lubbock, Texas. He then worked as a youth pastor at Calvary Baptist Church in Monroe, Louisiana, and also hosted a morning radio show on 88.7FM The Cross, according to the bio.
This story was originally published February 12, 2026 at 2:49 PM.