Perry Noble fired from NewSpring Church, but urges followers to continue supporting ministry

Perry Noble urged his followers to continue supporting NewSpring Church even after he got fired as senior pastor because of alcoholism.

NewSpring Church Executive Pastor Shane Duffey took on the crucial task of telling its church members Sunday, July 10 that the church just fired its founder as well as its first and only senior pastor for issues of alcoholism and strained marital relationship. This led Noble's supporters to make an online petition with a goal of reaching 100,000 signatures calling for the reinstatement of the dismissed pastor.

"This petition was started to show Pastor P that we, as church members, friends, family, and others are standing with and praying for him in this difficult time," said a statement from the petition page. "We all love him and want him to get the help he needs."

The petition launched three days after Sunday's announcement and garnered 573 signatures and 260 comments before it abruptly closed.

Noble addressed the comments made online by his supporters that they no longer planned to go back to NewSpring after the church fired him.

"Here's what I'm gonna ask you," said Noble in a Facebook video. "If you love me, be at NewSpring this Sunday, and the next Sunday and the next Sunday. I love my church."

He also added, "I fully endorse NewSpring's decision to bring Clayton King on as interim pastor. He is a great man of God."

South Carolina's megachurch announced that King, founder of Clayton King Ministries and Crossroads Worldwide, would be serving as the interim senior pastor following Noble's termination.

Meanwhile, Noble repeated his public apology for his alcohol dependence and stressed that he fully supported NewSpring's decision to fire him and considered it as his wakeup call. He also announced his move to check himself to rehab so that he can finally beat his addiction and continue "fighting for his wife and daughter and following Jesus."