The Church’s Latest Setback
The pastor’s leave is the latest blow for the church and the Southern Baptist Convention denomination the countrys second-largest faith group, of which the Village Church is a member.
Earlier this month, SBC announced that it’s under federal investigation related to sexual abuse.
“Individually and collectively, each SBC entity is resolved to fully and completely cooperate with the investigation,” read an SBC statement released Aug. 12.
The inquiry followed the release of an internal report that found SBC leaders had mishandled sexual abuse cases for two decades.
Also on Aug. 1, The Village Church announced on its website that it had settled a 2019 lawsuit alleging that one of its former children’s ministers molested an 11-year-old girl. The criminal case against the minister was dropped in 2020, Religion News Services reported.
The church wrote that after a thorough and lengthy legal investigation, “we maintain and firmly believe that we committed no wrong.”
Natalie Neysa Alund covers trending news for USA TODAY. Reach her at [email protected] and follow her on Twitter @nataliealund.
Matt Chandler Steps Down
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Prominent mega church pastor, Matt Chandler, steps down for an indefinite leave of absence from his preaching role at The Village Church in Flower Mound, TX. This is due to “unguarded and unwise” interactions between him and another woman on Instagram.
This comes in the wake of many scandals involving high profile pastors stepping down from their roles – some permanently losing their ministries.
But this situation has some nuances that few seem to acknowledge. For far too long, we’ve seen a lack of accountability in the church. Is this situation different? Did the elders at The Village Church actually do their job?
In this episode, we’ll explore the statements from Chandler and Patterson, and draw out some lessons we can take away from this situation as pastors and church leaders.
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Matt Chandler Is The Author Of Faith
Chandler likely made a portion of his net worth through book sales. He is the co-author of The Explicit Gospel with Jared Wilson. Creature of the Word: the Jesus-Centered Church. Take Heart: Christian Courage in the Age of Unbelief is his most recent work.
Some of the teachings Chandler espouses in his books and his pastoral work include complementarianism and Calvinism .
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Evangelical Leaders React As Megachurch Pastor Matt Chandler Steps Back Over ‘unguarded’ Online Behavior
Conservative and evangelical leaders are speaking out after Pastor Matt Chandler took a leave of absence following some questionable behavior online.
The Village Church leader agreed to step down for a period of time after voluntarily disclosing that he had inappropriate communication with a woman on Instagram who was not his wife.
“We are strong proponents of brothers and sisters in Christ being friends, but there are boundaries around what’s appropriate in these kinds of friendships. A pastoral role requires a greater awareness of those boundaries,” The Village Church elders wrote in an .
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“In this case, while the messages were not romantic or sexual in nature, the frequency and familiarity of the messages crossed a line,” it added. “They revealed that Matt did not use language appropriate for a pastor, and he did not model a behavior that we expect from him.”
In an August 28 sermon, Chandler told his megachurch that’s based in Flower Mound, TX that a women approached him concerned about messages he was having with her friend via Instagram. “At the time when she brought it up, I saw no issue with it,” he explained. “My wife knew about it. This woman’s husband knew about it. And so I kind of pushed against that not being okay. She said some things in that conversation, though, that were really disorienting for me.”
The Letter Goes On To Say That The Elders Later Hired A Private Law Company To Examine Chandlers Email Text Message And Social Media Messaging History
The elders came to the conclusion that Chandler had broken the churchs internal social media use guidelines as a result of the investigators report, and more importantly that, while the overall pattern of his life has been above reproach, he failed to meet the standard for elders of being above reproach, according to the statement.
Although the communications were not of a romantic or sexual character, their regularity and familiarity went too far. They showed that he did not behave as we would have expected and did not use language befitting of a preacher.
His leave of absence is both disciplinary and developmental, allowing him to focus on acquiring better awareness in this area, according to the statement.
The elders expectations for his progress will determine when he will return, according to the statement.
I just feel incredibly silly and embarrassed, Chandler addressed the audience on Sunday, I feel like Im embarrassing my wife and kids.
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Most Read In The Us Sun
According to a statement from the church, an independent law firm was hired to review Chandlers messages across his social media platforms, emails, and cell phone.
The report found that Chandler had violated the churchs policy on social media use.
We are strong proponents of brothers and sisters in Christ being friends, but there are boundaries around whats appropriate in these kinds of friendships, read the statement.
A pastoral role requires a greater awareness of those boundaries. In this case, while the messages were not romantic or sexual in nature, the frequency and familiarity of the messages crossed a line.
They revealed that Matt did not use language appropriate for a pastor, and he did not model a behavior that we expect from him.
Matt Chandler Tiktok Controversy Explained
Recently, there has been controversy surrounding Matt Chandler. After admitting to texting a female online, Chandler stirred uproar.
According to Christianity Today, Matt has resigned from his post after admitting to having an inappropriate relationship with a woman online.
He has stopped lecturing and preaching for an undetermined period of time.
The pastor made it clear that the talk was not romantic and that his wife and the womans husband were aware of it, but he believed that a guy in his position shouldnt be having such talks and came out with his admission.
People on social media have had a variety of perspectives on the subject, even if the details of the chat the two had remained a mystery.
According to reports, the woman and the pastor met in the Village Churchs foyer. Due to the delicate nature of the situation, more details about the woman have not been made public.
Since quitting his job, Chandler has received criticism from a number of Twitter users. Twitter user: At one point is grace just condoning hubris and spiritual immaturity.
Matt Chandler is in some form of scandal once every two years.
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Matt Chandler Salary Tiktok Controversy Explained: Is He Resigning
The Village Churchs head pastor, Matt Chandler, makes an estimated $66,377 annually however, he recently took a leave of absence from his duties.
A Southern Baptist preacher, Matt Chandler serves as the senior pastor of The Village Church in Flower Mound, Texas.
In addition, Chandler serves as the head of the Acts 29 Network, a group of churches that plant new congregations all around the world and the United States.
Chandler began his career in religion when he was hired as a janitor at Pine Drive Christian School in Dickinson, Texas.
However, after being invited to speak in front of an audience in high school, Chandler was given the opportunity to become a junior minister.
After finishing his studies, he was hired at Beltway Park Baptist Church, where he oversaw a Bible study group that went from a few hundred participants to a few thousand throughout his undergraduate years.
In 2002, Matt received a job offer from The Village Church, which was then known as Highland Village First Baptist Church.
The church had only 160 members when he started working there, but in the past 20 years, that number has risen to nearly 14,000 members.
To learn about his Salary, TikTok Controversy And Resigning Details, continue reading the article.
Page Contents
Before The Village Church
Chandler was hired as the pastor of First Baptist Church of Highland Village in 2002, before the church was renamed The Village Church, according to his online church profile.
He was born near Seattle, and his father served in the military, the biography stated. His family eventually moved to the Houston area. Chandler wrote he did not truly know and follow Jesus until he was 17 years old.
Chandler was the youth pastor of a small church close to Houston before attending Hardin-Simmons University in Abilene. While in college, he taught an inter-denominational Bible study group called Grace, and he was also a staff member at Beltway Park Church.
Chandler moved to the Dallas area after several years in Abilene, and married his wife Lauren in 1999. They have three children.
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Why Matt Chandler Stepped Down From Lead Pastor Role At The Village Church
Matt Chandler, the lead pastor at The Village Church, Texas, has taken an indefinite leave from his duties after sending messages on his social media account that have been described as above reproach.
Senior members of The Village Church in Flower Mound, Texas, have confirmed that Matt Chandler will be taking an indefinite leave from the organization.
The decision comes after private messages on Chandlers phone were revealed that violated the churchs internal social media use policies.
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He announced that he will cancel any speaking engagements on behalf of the group.
Chandler said that a woman approached him at the church a few months ago, telling him she was concerned with his communication with her friend.
He said he didnt think he had done anything wrong at first because his wife and the womans husband knew about the messages.
However, Chandler found the confrontation disorienting and informed a senior pastor and an elder, who reviewed the messages and found the frequency and familiarity concerning.
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Outside Of The Village Church
In addition to his lead pastor role at The Village Church, Chandler served as the board president of Acts 29, a group that that establishes new churches.
Chandler was asked by Acts 29 to step aside from speaking engagements after the announcement from The Village Church, according to a written statement on the groups website.
We hope that Matt can use this time away from speaking to focus on the process that elders have laid out for him, the statement read.
Chandler is also the author of multiple books focused on Christianity, including The Explicit Gospel, Family Discipleship, and The Mingling of Souls: Gods Design for Love, Marriage, Sex, and Redemption.
Victims Family Faults The Churchs Response
Bragg, who hadnt been raised in a church, says The Village became a community for her family and was our whole life. Her whole world shattered, she says, when her daughter revealed what happened to her at camp. And then Braggs trust in the church shattered when leaders were spiritually abusive rather than supportive of her family.
When Bragg told The Village Church leaders about the abuse claim, one responded that it was impossible because employees had to follow The Villages moral code. That code is part of a membership covenant that newcomers, including Bragg and her husband, sign when they join the congregation. Some people claim such a covenant serves mainly to protect a church legally.
New York Times reporter Elizabeth Diasalso cites a potential conflict of interest regarding The Villages use of MinistrySafe, an abuse prevention company. When Bragg sought help from MinistrySafe, she discovered that its leaders are also the churchs legal advisers. MinistrySafe founder Kimberlee Norris, a lawyer, says her job is to prepare ministries, not to work with individual victims.
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The Latest Setback For The Church
The resignation of the pastor is the most recent setback for the congregation and the Southern Baptist Convention, the second-largest religious organization in the nation, of which the Village Church is a part.
SBC revealed earlier this month that it is the subject of a government inquiry into sexual assault. According to an SBC statement issued on Aug. 12, An internal assessment that revealed SBC officials had handled incidents of sexual abuse improperly for 20 years prompted the investigation. After a long and drawn-out legal examination, the church stated that we continue and truly feel that we committed no wrong.
Following Crossing A Line In His Dms With A Woman Pastor Matt Chandler Resigns
The move was spurred by what the churchs authorities considered inappropriate messages between the two, according to Matt Chandler, the head pastor at the Village Church in Flower Mound, some 30 miles northwest of Dallas. Chandler informed his congregation of the decision on Sunday.
The pastor said how a woman contacted him a few months ago in the church foyer with worries about how I was on Instagram with a friend of hers in a statement that was videotaped and posted to the congregations website.
The 48-year-old Chandler told the audience, I didnt think I had done anything wrong in that. There were a few things my wife stated that confused me despite the fact that she and her husband both understood it.
In an effort to resolve the matter, Chandler discussed his worries the same evening with his wife Lauren and two elders, according to a statement posted on the website of The Village Church on August 28.
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Who Is Pastor Matt Chandler
The Village Churchs senior pastor is Mattt Chandler, who is based in Flower Mound, Texas. A chapel-planting ministry called Acts 29 Network is also led by Chandler. To get more intriguing facts about him, keep reading.
After being invited to speak in high school, Chandler was given the opportunity to become a junior priest, which helped him prepare for his future in the ministry. Chandlers first employment was as a janitor at Pine Drive Christian School in Dickinson, Texas.
He oversaw the Bible study group as a student, which expanded from 200 to 2,000. Beltway Park Baptist Church employed him once he graduated. Matt received a position in 2002 at The Village Church, which was formerly known as Highland Village First Baptist Church.
The church now boasts more than 14,000 members, up from barely 160 when he started his ministry. Matts estimated net worth for 2022 is $75 million. He has amassed millions of dollars thanks to a successful writing career.
A Message To Our Church Family
According to a statement by TVC titled, A Message to Our Church Family, a woman approached Chandler a few months ago with concerns about the way he was using direct messaging on social media with a woman who was not his wife. Chandler told the church yesterday that the messages were not sexual or romantic but that they crossed a line with their frequency and familiarity.
According to the church, Chandler shared these concerns with his wife and two elders that same evening and submitted to their leadership in addressing the situation. The elders in turn commissioned an independent law firm to review Chandlers messaging history across all media platforms. Their report led the elders to conclude that Matt violated our internal social media use policies, and more importantly that, while the overarching pattern of his life has been above reproach, he failed to meet the 1 Timothy standard for elders being above reproach in this instance.
The elders did not determine that this issue rose to the level of disqualification, but they concluded that Matts behavior was a sign of unhealth in his life and determined that the best course of action would be for him to take a leave of absence. They added that this leave of absence is both disciplinary and developmental, which allows him to focus on growing greater awareness in this area. And they noted, The timeline for his return will be dictated by the expectations the elders have laid out for his development.
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Israel And The Church
Chandler makes a distinction between Israel and the church, as two different bodies that God created at different points in history. Chandler sees the church as being created by God through Christ’s preaching: “God created the Church through the proclaimed gospel of the revealed Word, Jesus Christ.”
Netizens Slam Matt Chandler For Dm Controversy
Internet users did not hold back while commenting on Chandlers departure from his role. Many wrote online that they believed there was more to the scandal, which was not made public. Others also criticized his apology and condemned his arrogant tone at the congregation.
Several opined that this was probably not the first time Matt Chandler has involved himself in inappropriate acts. However, the same has not been corroborated by credible sources.
A few tweets called Matt Chandler out for his behavior, especially as they said that he must’ve done everything to ensure that his victim “wouldn’t tarnish his image.”
Not surprised to hear about Matt Chandler. At one point, I appreciated his ministry, but as time has gone on, Ive realized he is just a slightly softer version of Mark Driscoll.
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What Is Matt Chandlers Net Worth Megachurch Pastor Matt Chandlers Fortune Is In The Millions
Since church members are encouraged to donate a portion of their income to their churches, how much a pastor makes and their net worth is something of concern to parishioners. Pastor Matt Chandler, leader of The Village Church in the Dallas area, is taking a leave of absence from his position. How much is Chandlers net worth?
Chandler is the president of the Acts 29 Network, an organization dedicated to planting new churches, as well as the lead teaching pastor at Village Church. The author and pastor has stepped away from his duties due to inappropriate messaging with a woman, the Washington Post reported.
MATT CHANDLER Profile Summary
Matt Chandler is a Texas-based evangelical Christian pastor of a Southern Baptist Convention church. The 48-year-old has led the Village Church for 20 years and is also the president of a church-founding organization, the Acts 29 Network. He recently was disciplined by his church board for exchanging Instagram messages with a woman. Although Chandler isnt accused of any sexual misconduct, the church found that the messages crossed a line.
- Profession: Pastor, Author