Recently, a letter was published calling fallen ex-pastor, Tullian Tchividjian, to repentance. Without going into great detail, Tullian Tchividjian is the disgraced grandson of Rev. Billy Graham who lost his job as a pastor as well as his ministerial credentials due to more than one instance of marital infidelity (some of my posts here, here, and here).
The following is the letter along with the names of who signed it:
Dear Friends:
We join with others in expressing our shared grief regarding these latest allegations, as well as our thankfulness for the courageous women who came forward to tell their stories. We join our prayers together that they will receive the care and support that they need to heal and move forward in their lives.
In the wake of the initial revelation in June of 2015 that Tullian Tchividjian had engaged in an inappropriate sexual relationship, a group of pastors and friends reached out to him in accordance with scripture’s clear admonition in Galatians 6:1–2:
Brothers, if anyone is caught in any transgression, you who are spiritual should restore him in a spirit of gentleness. Keep watch on yourself, lest you too be tempted. Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.
In the months that followed, we were encouraged that Tullian seemed committed to walking a path of healing and renewal through repentance under the authority of his church of membership. However, later disclosures, and these most recent allegations, cast grave doubts over the sincerity of this commitment.
Inasmuch as Tullian Tchividjian has habitually and impenitently used his public platform, his family’s good name, and the name of Christ for his own selfish ends, we believe that he has disqualified himself from any form of public vocational ministry.
For the sake of his eternal soul, we implore Tullian Tchividjian to repent of his wickedness and demonstrate his repentance by submitting himself to the leadership of his church of membership, pursuing forgiveness, healing, and reconciliation with those whom he has sinned against.
We send our plea to Tullian in a spirit of gentleness and with broken hearts.
May Christ have mercy.
Pastor R.J. Grunewald
Pastor Kevin Labby
Pastor Matt Popovits
Pastor Donovan Riley
Pastor Chris Rosebrough
Paul David Tripp
Mrs. Elyse Fitzpatrick
Mrs. Kimm Crandall
Divorce Minister’s Thoughts:
1. This is a very strongly worded statement.
Inasmuch as Tullian Tchividjian has habitually and impenitently used his public platform, his family’s good name, and the name of Christ for his own selfish ends, we believe that he has disqualified himself from any form of public vocational ministry.
I totally agree with the conclusion reached in this statement here. He has no business being in public vocational ministry with the destructive sin trail he has created left unaddressed.
2. It is sad this sort of public statement is necessary in order to address a practiced–IMO–religious manipulator.
I think these pastors, leaders, and friends are serving both Tullian Tchividjian and the broader Christian community by making this public statement. They are clearly rejecting the narrative that would suggest Tullian Tchividjian can simply behave the way he did and claim “cheap” grace like so many practiced and predatory cheaters often do.
Nothing to see here. Move on. I’m covered by God’s grace…Thankfully, isn’t cutting it for them. Repentance is required.
3. This statement seems late in coming, but that is still better than never.
This is more than some faithful spouses get from pastors and cheater friends privy to another minister or Christian leader’s flagrant marital infidelity.
I wished my former evangelical denomination had been half as courageous as these individuals and had officially called my former spouse–who is a professional “Christian” therapist–to repentance. As far as I know, that did not happen.
I know I am not alone in wishing this sort of a statement happened more often than it does. Being the type of people we are as faithful spouses, we worry–which is not what God wants us to do–about the people our cheaters’ harm after harming us.
For those reasons, I am thankful these courageous men and woman have made a statement caring both for Tullian Tchividjian as well as others who he might impact in the Christian community by alerting them of his dangerous and sinful past.
