Pastor Placed On Leave For Telling Wives They “Let Themselves Go” And Called Melania Trump An “Epic Trophy”

A Southeast Missouri pastor is on leave after shaming married women for letting “themselves go” and thanking God for makeup.

Pastor Stewart-Allen Clark received backlash from members of his congregation and others who viewed his videotaped sermon circulated on Facebook and Twitter.

Clark delivered the sermon from the 1st General Baptist Church stage in Malden, Missouri, PEOPLE reported. However, the timing of the sermon is unknown.

“Your man needs an attractive wife. Ladies, don’t give him a reason to be like this distracted boyfriend,” Clark says in the video. “You hear me? Don’t give him a reason to be looking around.”

“I really don’t think women understand how important it is for a man to have a beautiful woman on his arm…it’s really important to a man,” he added.

For the most part, his congregation remained silent through the sermon and was only punctuated by a few claps or amens.

Apparently, the pastor felt the need to warn women that they must “look good” if they want their husbands to be faithful and happy within their relationship.

“Why is it so many times that women, after they get married, let themselves go?” he asks.

“I’m not saying every woman can be the epic, the epic trophy wife of all time, like Melania Trump,” Clark says, adding, “Maybe you’re a participation trophy.”

He also felt the need to discourage women from wearing sweatpants and flip-flops, saying, “That ain’t going to work. Ain’t nothing attractive about that.”

He also told women they should consult with their husbands on what looks good.

“It’s important that he thinks you’re hot! It’s important because he’s going to look, and you want him looking at you,” he says. “God made men to be drawn to beautiful women. We are made this way. We can’t help ourselves.”

He then referenced a quote from the Corinthians to conclude his sermon.

“The wife has no longer all the rights over her body, but she shares them with her husband,” he says. “So, whenever she’s not in the mood, take out your Bible.”

Following the sermon, the church posted a brief statement on its website:

“As of March 2, 2021, Pastor Stewart-Allen Clark has taken a leave of absence and is seeking professional counseling,” it said.

Clark’s church is affiliated with The General Baptist Council of Associations, which released their own statement on Facebook on March 1, saying Clark’s sermon “included comments that are not consistent with the positions and values of General Baptists.”

“General Baptists believe that every woman was created in the image of God, and they should be valued for that reason.”