(from another newspaper that doesn’t have an up-to-date website)

By Elizabeth M-K Kruse
Mt. Juliet News – Jan. 15, 2003
An anonymous tip from three informants led to the arrest of Green Hill Church Music Minister Mark Lancaster last Wednesday by agents from the Federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms after they were told of Lancaster’s cache of at least 15 automatic weapons.
Since the arrest, there has been some speculation in the community that the informants could be members of Victory Baptist Church a congregation of about 350 members which broke from Green Hill about two years ago due to disagreements about Lancaster’s contemporary musical selections.
An affidavit filed by ATF Agent Patrick Hand specifically states that all three informants were from Green Hill Church. Hand interviewed the group at the church about a week before the arrest and seizure.
Prominent Mt. Juliet citizen Ron Britt is a member of Victory Baptist Church. Britt was a member of Green Hill for 22 years before he and more than 100 members became unhappy with the music ministry. When Dr. Lane Fordham was named pastor of the church in 1998.
Lancaster was hired as the new music minister. Lancaster’s approach to church music did not sit well with the church’s more traditional members.
“Lancaster had decided to go with contemporary music verses traditional,” Britt said, speaking for himself and not a representative of the church. “That’s all it amounted to.”
The addition of drums guitars and a band seemed foreign to what Britt described as historically traditional Southern Baptists. The overall leadership of the church supported the new music style and this was enough to spur members to leave, Britt explained.
Britt said he would be surprised if rumors were circulating that it may have been members of VBC who informed ATF agents about Lancaster’s cache of guns.
“I really would be shocked if it was form my church,” Britt said. “We now have a congregation of like-minded folks in terms of philosophy…and we have a great spirit.”
“I really regret this happened,” Britt added. “And I can honestly say my wife and I take no pleasure in seeing this happen because it’s not an ‘I told you so’ issue. What happened with the break-away was bigger than one individual.”
Lancaster is in custody and while the outcome for him is unknown, a community of concerned Green Hill Church members waits here at home.
In an effort to help the church’s young people deal with the situation, Associate Minister of Youth and Music Andy LaValley spent some time with Green Hill youth at Mt. Juliet High School last week.
“We always see our kids on Wednesday,” LaValley said.
“Really right now is a bad time to discuss this,” LaValley said when asked about Lancaster. “For the safety of the church’s integrity it would be better if we wait to discuss this.”
Kathy Kee, 16, is a junior at MJHS and has attended Green Hill for the past year. She is also a member of the choir.
“I’m disappointed in what happened,” Kee said. “Mr. LaValley just wanted to let us know that we need to keep our hopes up and that everything will be fine.” Lancaster “never struck me as strange or anything like that.”
Lancaster is scheduled to appear before the federal magistrate in Nashville tomorrow. He could face up to 10 years in prison and fines up to $250,000. Tomorrow’s hearing will determine if Lancaster must continue to remain in custody or be released on bond. Fordham, head pastor at Green Hill Church, did not return requests for comment. Chuck Grover, pastor of Victory Baptist was unavailable as well.