‘The church was empty’: Congregation walks out of service after pastor echoes Trump

A pastor in Virginia is facing a revolt from his own congregation after he put up a sign echoed controversial comments from President Donald Trump.

Pastor E.W. Lucas of Friendship Baptist Church in Appomattox made headlines last week after putting up the sign “America, I love it. If you don’t love it, leave it.”

The pastor put up the sign the same week that Trump lashed out at progressive congresswomen with a racist demand they “go back” to their country of origin.

“People that feel hard about our president and want to down the president and down the country and everything, they ought to go over there and live in these other countries for a little while,” Lucas told WSET.

This past Sunday, however, members of his church walked out of the service.

According to WSET, “the church was empty for its 11 a.m. service.”

But the pastor is standing behind his message.

“I’ve tried to be honest,” Lucas told WSET. “I’ve tried to do what’s right. But I believe in my country. I love my country. And I don’t mind standing up for the country.”