Tullian Tchividjian: A Call to Repentance

Chris Rosebrough of Pirate Christian writes:

tullian-tchividjian-3Dear Friends:

We join with others in expressing our shared grief regarding these latest allegations [below], 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

Republished with permission. Original blog post can be found here

Related:

Billy Graham’s grandson steps down from Florida megachurch after admitting an affair

Tullian Tchividjian: Christianity is about Good News for Bad People

Church Discipline, Contemporary Grace Style

Tullian Tchividjian: Master of Manipulation 

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7 Responses to Tullian Tchividjian: A Call to Repentance

  1. Edwitness December 5, 2016 at 2:20 pm #

    I approached a pastor of the church I attended to convince him of his need to practice better manners with the women of the church. He was always touching and rubbing their shoulders. And very open about it.
    I told the leadership there, of which I was a part, that we needed to get a handle on this because his overt manners were a sign of something very wrong in his heart. That he was either getting close or was already involved with someone at the church.
    I was met with well,…indifference. I was surprised. So I prayed about it, and after trying to encourage the pastor to repent from his overt behavior, or worse, and being met with responses like “deal with it”, I left that church. A few months later he was caught, by his wife I think, and confessed to the church that he had been involved with a woman at the church.
    It took some time, but after several months of other clergy trying to help him see that what he did needed to be laid completely at Jesus’ feet and that he needed to step down, he decided to leave and start anew somewhere else.
    I have noticed this in others who have found themselves in these circumstances. Jimmy Swaggart, Jim Bakker,…. These seem to think that their only response needs to be “I’m sorry”. Then get right back to the “business” of “their ministry”. I’ve heard Bakker say he was wronged. He explains it in such a way that it seems he never did anything wrong. But, at least he had a period of years before he went back on tv. Kind of forced on him though by a prison term. I don’t know all the details of the events that landed him in prison, but I’m sure there were issues that warranted it.
    After having been in thriving businesses- I purposely will not refer to them as ministries- they have the tools/experience to do it again, whether God is prompting them to or not. So they use these tools to begin a business again.
    This is evidence of the kind of judgment exercised by men who will not practice the method God has given in His word for church discipline. And a church that all too often is not humble enough before God to exercise it.
    Let’s hope this ends differently. It’s too often that it doesn’t though. Which is one reason this site and others like it are such a blessing.

    Maranatha!!
    Blessings:-}

  2. Manny1962 December 5, 2016 at 4:49 pm #

    You said it Ed, they get back to “business.” I think these folks have forgotten the warnings about being a teacher at best, at worst they’re not saved bilking the simple sheep out of their money, that’s why the wanton need to get back to “ministry.”

  3. larry December 5, 2016 at 6:45 pm #

    In this world we need anyone we can get that claims to know Jesus–

    • Paula December 6, 2016 at 7:26 pm #

      I think you’re being sarcastic larry, correct?

  4. Robert Trohon December 5, 2016 at 9:03 pm #

    To Edwitness:

    Thanks brother Ed for your comment on leaders falling to temptation.
    I know in my case, the only thing that has kept me from falling TOO far has been the grace of God.

    Paul states his problem in Romans 7 very nicely: verse 19

    For the good that I will to do, I do not do; but the evil I will not to do, that I practice.

    And Paul wraps it up with verses 24 and 25:

    O wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death?
    I thank God—through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, with the mind I myself serve the law of God, but with the flesh the law of sin.

    As Paul says in 1Corinthians 9:27

    But I discipline my body and bring it into subjection, lest, when I have preached to others, I myself should become disqualified.

    Also, as Paul speaks to the Corinthians about the truth of God’s Gospel and it’s power, not from men, but from God himself. 1 Corinthians 2:5

    that your faith should not be in the wisdom of men but in the power of God.

    and 2 Corinthians 6:7

    by the word of truth, by the power of God, by the armor of righteousness on the right hand and on the left,

    and 2nd Corinthians 12:9

    And He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.”…

    So, as I see it…in my strength I have no power over the areas of my life in which I am weak. And for many pastors, that is sexual, or monetary, or pride from power.

    We need to be in constant vigilance, and prayer and fasting, if we want to remain qualified to keep our position of serving God from the pulpit.

    May we all find the strength of God’s grace in our lives that we may be able to continue to serve Him….. because He is able, not me…nor you.

    Blessings,

    Robert Trohon
    La Via-The Way (Calvary Chapel of the Calvary Chapel Association)
    Managua, Nicaragua

    • Edwitness December 5, 2016 at 9:57 pm #

      Amen brother Robert. When we are weak then He is strong. The safest place to be no matter what:-D
      Blessings:-}

  5. Paula December 6, 2016 at 7:25 pm #

    it’s too bad they can’t acknowledge they were wrong when all of us could see as clear as day that his repentance was fake and he just wanted to get on with his lie/life.

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