Yesterday, it was announced that Matt Chandler of The Village Church is taking an indefinite leave of absence that is both “disciplinary and developmental.” Rather than me rehashing it, I encourage you to read TVC’s statement that details the reasoning for this move. The video of the announcement in their Sunday service is also at that link.
Right up there with John Piper and Tim Keller, Matt Chandler is one of the best known teachers within Reformed evangelicalism. His falling, though it seems it could have been much worse, is a shock. While we can and should be thankful that the reason for the leave of absence is not due to outright sin, the fact that yesterday Matt Chandler of all people stood on stage and publicly confessed to his congregation a lack of wisdom in interactions he’s had with a female via social media is surreal.
For me personally it is gutting. Chandler is one of my greatest ministry and spiritual heroes. I was saved through a YouTube video that used excepts of his sermons, I have tried to model my own pastoral ministry after his own to the extent that is healthy, and I have always respected his dead-settedness on being a local church pastor while also acknowledging the degree of notoriety he has. As much as one can learn from a distance, he has also been an example to me of what a Christ-centered husband and father is to look like. I learned “biblical manhood” largely from his teaching ministry. I admire him. I have attempted to imitate him as Paul commands (Philippians 3:17).
Him too?
I have no reason to disbelieve the elders at TVC or Matt himself and so I won’t. I believe he was called on some lack of wisdom he had a blind spot to, he relayed that to his wife and the elders of his church, and his is submitting to their discipline and care for him to have space to process why he himself wasn’t aware of his lack of prudence on his own. And I praise God it had not gotten farther down the road of sin.
Still, you don’t stand on stage, publicly confess, and take time away from preaching and teaching if there is no sin involved—even if that “sin” is more of a missing the mark of wisdom and a failure to live above reproach rather than outright immorality. Catching your foot on a crack in the pavement is still a stumble.
Of all the recent pastoral “fallings” this one has rocked me the most; which is funny, because, at least as it stands now, it is the least objectively sinful one. But maybe that, combined with my looking up to Chandler, is precisely why it has shaken me so much. Because it is so seemingly innocuous. “It was just a lack of wisdom.” “It could have been so much worse.” “At least it wasn’t that.”
And yet, for any pastor, there just are no small potatoes. The qualification (and the first one at that) to live above reproach makes it so (1 Timothy 3:2).
Matt Chandler is no superhuman saint. He is human to the core. Fallible at his best. But should that comfort me? How could it? Zach Hollifield is no superhuman saint. He is human to his core. Fallible at his best. Whence hope, then?
As I spent time in Scripture this morning the Lord led me to these passages. There are probably others better suited but these are where the Spirit led me as I prayerfully pondered my own life and ministry. Some comfort. Some warn. Some charge. Some shake.
All of them are grace the Monday after a pastor you’ve sought to imitate announces he’s fallen.
—Galatians 6:1
1) Brothers and sisters, 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. 2) Bear one another's burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ. 3) For if anyone thinks he is something, when he is nothing, he deceives himself. 4) But let each one test his own work, and then his reason to boast will be in himself alone and not in his neighbor. 5) For each will have to bear his own load. 6) Let the one who is taught the word share all good things with the one who teaches. 7 Do not be deceived: God is not mocked, for whatever one sows, that will he also reap. 8 For the one who sows to his own flesh will from the flesh reap corruption, but the one who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life. 9 And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up. 10 So then, as we have opportunity, let us do good to everyone, and especially to those who are of the household of faith.
—1 Corinthians 10:12
Therefore let anyone who thinks that he stands take heed lest he fall.
—1 Corinthians 9:24-27
24) Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one receives the prize? So run that you may obtain it. 25) Every athlete exercises self-control in all things. They do it to receive a perishable wreath, but we an imperishable. 26) So I do not run aimlessly; I do not box as one beating the air. 27) But I discipline my body and keep it under control,[a] lest after preaching to others I myself should be disqualified.
—James 3:1-2
1) Not many of you should become teachers, my brothers, for you know that we who teach will be judged with greater strictness. 2) For we all stumble in many ways. And if anyone does not stumble in what he says, he is a perfect man, able also to bridle his whole body.
—1 Timothy 5:19-21
19) Do not admit a charge against an elder except on the evidence of two or three witnesses. 20) As for those who persist in sin, rebuke them in the presence of all, so that the rest may stand in fear. 21) In the presence of God and of Christ Jesus and of the elect angels I charge you to keep these rules without prejudging, doing nothing from partiality.
—Jude 24-25
24) Now to him who is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you blameless before the presence of his glory with great joy, 25 to the only God, our Savior, through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, dominion, and authority, before all time and now and forever. Amen.
Praise God for the gospel of grace. Lord, keep me.