A Pastor, A Parsonage, and Parishioners lining up to see him and his family of eight evicted… how did it ever come to this?

Help the Baseley family stay comfortable after being evicted by a church.

In 2018, John Baseley left his Naval career to answer God’s call into the ministry. Baseley and his family moved from Norfolk, VA to Fort Wayne, IN, so he could attend Concordia Theological Seminary Fort Wayne (LCMS). After a successful vicarage in Nebraska, Baseley and his wife Katherine were hooked on rural life, and excited when he received a call to Trinity and St. John’s Lutheran Churches in Sidney and Fairview, MT, the following year in 2022.

After Baseley arrived in Sidney, he noticed that the parishioners at Trinity were strongly divided. Some were clearly out to make money or gain power in the LCMS. Others wanted a church that affirmed their adulterous lifestyles. It was apparent that Trinity was a place where people communicated with rumors, manipulated with flattery, and managed with malice. Baseley would not bend to the divisive power struggles within Trinity, and instead did what every pastor should do—proclaim the Word of God. He tirelessly called people to repent of their sin and be faithful to Christ and His Church. He wanted peace and unity at Trinity. He wanted to see people love their neighbor instead of lie about him or her.

Sadly, Baseley’s preaching fell on deaf ears as a faction of people at Trinity hardened their hearts. Their hatred of Baseley soon became a powerful narrative embedded in their actions including self-exclusion from service, boycotting Sunday School or other activities, and finally, slandering Baseley to the former Montana LCMS District President with complaints and lies.

In Summer 2025, during Baseley’s vacation, the schismatic faction that developed at Trinity secretly circulated a petition behind the backs of Baseley as well as the elders and leadership of Trinity who were not part of the faction. The petition was chock full of petty complaints and lies: the faction complained that they weren’t comfortable calling Pastor Baseley’s phone because they could hear children playing in the background. They lied that he did not visit members of the faction when they were ill, when in fact the faction neglected to inform Baseley that anyone was ill in the first place. They accused him of boycotting Vacation Bible School, after they boycotted the VBS at Trinity and started their own behind Baseley’s back. They complained about his worship preferences. They complained about choir being discontinued, even though they refused to show up. They even complained that Pastor Baseley closes the doors at the back of the church sanctuary at the beginning of service. Evidently, this faction of parishioners enjoyed creating their own problems and blaming Baseley for them.

When Rev. Ryan Wendt became the new district president, Baseley hoped he would have an ally and a brother in the District who would hear his case. Alas, the well was poisoned by the former district president causing Wendt to blindly side with the schismatic faction at Trinity. In the very first meeting between Wendt and Baseley, Wendt made it clear that Baseley was guilty until proven innocent—he coerced Baseley into meeting a list of his demands and threatened to remove Baseley from his call. After many months of back-and-forth, Wendt ignored Baseley’s supporters at Trinity and issued a formal letter of suspension in mid-December.

The week before Christmas 2025, the faithful people of Trinity decided to leave the faction to their poverty and establish a new, unaffiliated congregation: Genesis Lutheran Church. They called Baseley to be their pastor and he accepted without hesitation.

Baseley and his family acted expediently to purchase their own home to move out of Trinity Lutheran’s parsonage, however, and anyone who has purchased a home knows, these things can take time. Those left at Trinity recruited the Sidney Police to deliver an eviction notice to the Baseley family, forcing them out by February 3rd. The Baseley family’s offer on a home near Sidney was accepted, and if the inspections and appraisals go to plan, they will be able to move on February 10th.

The leadership at Genesis Lutheran pleaded with Trinity to allow the Baseley family one more week in the parsonage, but the members of Trinity would rather see their parsonage vacant and watch as a family of eight is evicted in the middle of a Montana winter.

Christ says that you will recognize Christians by their fruits (Mt. 7:16ff). The members of Trinity Lutheran Church in Sidney, MT, have proven they are merciless and contemptuous. Their actions vindicate Baseley’s narrative that he was trying to bring the Word of God to a contemptuous, hard-hearted people. Lord, have mercy.

I ask that you would consider helping the Baseley family with their transition into their new home either through your prayers, your letters of encouragement, or your donation which will help the Baseley family afford hotel rooms between eviction and move-in as well as storage units for their belongings. Jesus bless you for your support.