Fallen Megachurch Pastor Says Gospel Allows Him To Be Seen at “Most Embarrassing Worst”

2 Corinthians 12:9 But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me.

Tullian Tchividjian, grandson of Billy Graham who left his position as pastor of Coral Ridge Presbyterian Church because of an “inappropriate relationship” with a woman not his wife, is not running away and hiding in the wake of his sin.

To the contrary, Tchividjian is sharing his recovery in Christ through his Facebook and Twitter accounts to show people that God’s restoration, grace and love is very real.

What typically happens when a Christian leader falls is that they disappear and only reappear when they’re strong and shiny again. No one ever sees them in their broken and weakened condition. When we do this, we send the message that Christianity is only for good and strong and clean people,” Tchividjian said in a Facebook post.

“But believe it or not, Christianity is not about good people getting better. It is, rather, good news for bad people coping with their failure to be good. The message of the Christian faith is that because Jesus was strong for us we are free to be weak,” he added.  “The Gospel sets me free to let you see me at my most embarrassing worst.”

Tchividjian’s postings have been talking honestly about his struggles “with anger, with frustration, anger with God, anger with my wife, anger with the church, trying in some way shape or form to allocate blame for my bad decision on something or someone outside of me.”

Tchividjian also talks on his Facebook page about how he began to “believe his own press” about his strength and power as a pastor and that allowed it to change him.  He says it’s a “very subtle” process where you start to believe the things people are saying about you and lead you away from who you are and your foundation on Christ.

He calls the situation “a nightmare” and says that he is relying on Jesus alone.

“My family and I are, at every imaginable level, overwhelmed. What life will look like from here on out is completely unknown to us. And that scares me. But we are alive and not without hope. We are certain that better and brighter days are ahead,” he wrote.

24 thoughts on “Fallen Megachurch Pastor Says Gospel Allows Him To Be Seen at “Most Embarrassing Worst”

  1. Yes he has already been forgiven and its not for anyone to judge anyone no matter what the circumstances are and he and he alone will have to answer for his sin like anyone else if they haven’t truly repented and for those that are called to be pastors, preachers, teachers of the gospel, etc. according to the word of God, will be judged at a higher judgment than others if one sheep has gone astray because of it but I think that part means if it was a sin that was committed against that lost sheep. But if that one has truly repented and handled things the way God tells him to then its on the flock if they have not forgiven him. The word says to repent daily because we all fail daily in some way and sin is sin no matter what it is whether it be a lie or murder or adultery they are all the same it’s sin. Sending out my love and prayers for that pastor and I forgive him and if you don’t then God will not forgive you.

  2. What is really intense though about this kind of thing happening regarding a pastor is the affect that it has on real Believers…… and then also to the outside world….. because though they shouldn’t, people sometimes assoc. a pastor with God and Jesus ( see Matthew chpt 23 & chpt 25)…and it says it tries to (truly) turn people away from the faith. A lot of times they don’t think of it…..but all pastors, elders, priests etc will have to give and account to the Chief Shepard one day of what all they did and didn’t do…… * when someone has ‘fallen’ and gone away for a season and gotten it right and took it seriously then I think that is wonderful. * But….also I think that America and ‘religious’ America should have spiritually fought against a spirit of pornography in the land….. Attrny. Gen Edwin Meese during Pres. Reagan did his commission against the pornography industry…. a wake up call to the USA. * I also have felt led to cry out about a lot of things in the land…..and one of those things was the way women dress….worse and worse over the last 10 years or more…..and I said it was truly one of the things bringing judgement….. and that it was not good for family life….. or for an example for children growing up…..etc. * A lot of people don’t thing that God has a right to tell them what to do…. but He has good reasons for not wanting certain things done. * I had a dream recently….and in it was the verse….” I am my Beloved’s” and the word modesty. *** in the days ahead the worldy church will have no problems with joining with the rebellious part of the world…. but it wont help in eternity. * Oh and by the way….see Numbers chpt 16….. I’m sure they said that to Jesus also……who do they think that He is! Who do I think that I am when sharing the truth….just trying to do God’s will…… take care…..looking forward to being with Jesus and Revelation chpt 21 and no more contentious people….. How long oh Lord……. * all of this is a long and deep subject….. * book of Hebrews says mercy rejected! is judgement…. that is what it says….. God does long to show mercy….but some people just don’t care…… secular or religious.

  3. Why is it so HARD to follow the Ten Commandants? Those who put themselves before God and a Gospel teacher knows what he must do to serve God. Yet we are all sinners and fall short of the glory of God.

  4. Amen Monsanna! My wife used to say ( she went home in 2011) that the Church is the ONLY ARMY that shoots its’ wounded. There is no degree of sin. A little white lie is just a big of sin as infidelity.

    • Amen! Why do so many in the church fail to remember that we are ALL sinners? Why is It so easy to ‘cast a stone’ in the face of someone when they’re down because they fell to a temptation that seems so much ‘larger’ than just a ‘little’ gossip? It’s so easy to follow the crowd with the stones, it takes the GRACE OF GOD to say “JESUS DIED FOR THAT”. and lift that person up in prayer for restoration. The Lord is so FULL of Mercy. If we confess our sin he is faithful to forgive our sin and cleanse us from ALL unrighteousness. Sin is sin, I thank God he has been teaching me this valuable lesson, We’re not commanded to condone, we’re commanded to forgive – for to forgive is to love .

  5. It’s not for us to decide how to live, as the bible tells us, it is but God. And God only. If God is whispering negativity in your head, remember of that charming serpent in the desert. He’s louder and very persuasive, is he not? When we hear love, we hear God. Amen to the bible and Jesus, our saviour. Who is all loving. All forgiving. Amen! From thy seed we must keep growing.
    -Christian Gnostic

  6. i dont believe in running round but God took care of it.He needs to repent and us born again Christians need to pray for him and forgive him. for he can keep doing Gods Will winning souls for his kingdom…FOR He that is without sin cast the first stone they all dropped the stones and walked away we all have sin in our life only Jesus is perfect

  7. I really feel for this pastor. He was a impassioned teacher of the Grace message. Now he will have the opportunity to really apply that very message to his own situation. Is the bible true or is it not? that is the question. In the midst of “failure” all of us have (or will have) the opportunity to trust in the finished work of Jesus and believe that nothing takes HIM by surprise. Is the Blood of Christ sufficient to redeem our mistakes, sins and faults and restore us to fellowship with God or not? As this pastor believes God and stands against the pressures of condemnation and guilt, knowing that he has truly repented, he will be a great example to all of us who experience failure in our lives and who need the hope of the gospel.

  8. Godly sorrow produces repentance unto salvation. The Church needs to take a lesson from this. Godly sorrow is being sorry for your sin even before you get caught. Many are only sorry when they get caught. There is no Grace without repentance. His instructions for us have never changed, been abolished, or nailed to the cross. His instructions are what defines sin. The wages of sin are DEATH!

  9. I think all of the above is true. “If one is taken in a sin, let those who are spiritual restore such a one in the spirit of meekness; watching himself lest he be tempted also.” I think this means that mature, spirit filled men need to pray with and for him. I think restoration might take some time and the spiritual man or men will be well equipped with the balanced word of God and spiritual discernment and will be able to discern the person’s progress.

  10. Well, the ONLY PERFECT ONE is JESUS CHRIST! HE is always “there” (Jehovah Shammah) to pick us up, hold us close to HIS HEART and tell us HE LOVES US UNCONDITIONALLY AND HE FORGIVES US!! we thank HIM for HIS GRACE that even enables us the chance to be repentant! THANK YOU, JESUS!! Bless our brother and heal him in Jesus’ Name. mosanna

  11. Right on, Debra…Jesus said ,”Neither do I condemn you, go and sin no more”. He is obviously repentant for what he did, and that’s very important. I always ask myself, how would I want to be treated by others if I had been caught in a shameful sin like that? It gives me compassion and mercy for that person and the hope of restoration for them. I know that Satan hates restoration…which makes me love it even more!

  12. Well, if only the “church” could understand this. God bless him for having the courage to admit that he sinned – – look at King David. He messed up and GOD still used him….He became KING of Israel!! David loved GOD even in the midst of his affair with Bathsheba. God knew his heart. We need not to judge him but pray that GOD will restore him and his family.

    • Amen, Jesus taught us that we are to love everyone, be slow to anger, not to judge (cause that’s His job!) . . . AND TO FORGIVE!
      He Does!!! God bless and be with him, in Jesus name!

  13. Sadly he is deceived. If I want an example of a poor-acting Christian I can look around for anyone anywhere in the flock. But just as the post above states a leader must be above reproach. So many fallen leaders believe this prideful hype- “Jesus is strong-I am allowed to be weak and sin.” The Gospel IS about forgiven(not good) people getting better… yes… getting better! (Conformed into Christ’s image).

  14. Only the grace and mercy of God can comfort and heal Christians who have fallen into sin or who have been falsely accused of sin….God bless this pastor and his family with a wonderful restoration and recovery…may God’s people give true comfort and words of encouragement and unconditional love at this time…..the world and often the “good” people like to mock fallen believers at these times in order to make themselves feel better and not so bad as that person who is supposed to be perfect….they just don’t get it. Maybe we believers can sometimes do better with the message of what the true Gospel of Jesus really is, not perfection but only sinners saved by grace….

  15. Whenever this happens, we must refer to what the Word has to say about it? RE Fallen Pastors: “The saying is trustworthy: If anyone aspires to the office of overseer, he desires a noble task. Therefore an overseer must be above reproach, the husband of one wife, sober-minded, self-controlled, respectable, hospitable, able to teach, not a drunkard, not violent but gentle, not quarrelsome, not a lover of money. He must manage his own household well, with all dignity keeping his children submissive, for if someone does not know how to manage his own household, how will he care for God’s church”? … 1 Timothy 3:1-16 ESV

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