COOPER CITY, Fla. -- Some members of Christ the Rock Community Church are upset their former pastor is trying to lure members to his new church, according to a report in the Sun-Sentinel.

Some are particularly miffed that he is using the church's proprietary membership database to do it.

The Rev. John J. Wagner first surprised the 6,000-member church in April by announcing he was resigning from the church and getting divorced.

In mid-May, members began receiving fliers inviting them to an inaugural service June 1 at Church of Abounding Grace in Pembroke Pines.

Christ the Rock attorney Perry Hodges said Wagner apparently used the church's membership list to mail his fliers. That information is private and belongs to the church, he said.

"The church membership database and list is proprietary information and it is privileged and should not be used by him," Hodges said.

Hodges wrote Wagner's Boca Raton attorney, John T. Mulhall III, telling him Wagner is not entitled to Christ the Rock membership information.

The newspaper reported Wagner could not be reached for comment, but a woman's recorded voice answered the phone at his new church inviting callers to the June 1 service.

Frank DaCosta, a Christ the Rock congregant for four years, told the newspaper he is appalled Wagner is trying to lure away his former parishioners.

"What chutzpah," he said. "I think it speaks to his state of mind that he would do something this combative. I don't know anybody who has said they are going to attend his church. But I'm sure there will be people who will go."