Posted on 06/21/2015 8:16:00 PM PDT by PAR35
Billy Graham’s grandson Tullian Tchividjian has resigned from his pulpit at Coral Ridge Presbyterian, a high-profile church in south Florida, after admitting he had an affair. He released the following statement to The Washington Post, saying it was on behalf of him and his wife:
I resigned from my position at Coral Ridge Presbyterian Church today due to ongoing marital issues. As many of you know, I returned from a trip a few months back and discovered that my wife was having an affair. Heartbroken and devastated, I informed our church leadership and requested a sabbatical to focus exclusively on my marriage and family. As her affair continued, we separated. Sadly and embarrassingly, I subsequently sought comfort in a friend and developed an inappropriate relationship myself. Last week I was approached by our church leaders and they asked me about my own affair. I admitted to it and it was decided that the best course of action would be for me to resign. Both my wife and I are heartbroken over our actions and we ask you to pray for us and our family that God would give us the grace we need to weather this heart wrenching storm. We are amazingly grateful for the team of men and women who are committed to walking this difficult path with us. Please pray for the healing of deep wounds and we kindly ask that you respect our privacy.
(Excerpt) Read more at washingtonpost.com ...
As he was one whose preaching and writing often appeared to have a heavy antinomian theme, I’m not shocked.
Bless you for changing, friend. Humbling for sure.
One cannot reason or argue with such insanity.
One can offer God in the form of one’s actions like showing up to tell the shooter he is loved and forgiven just as all of us are deeply loved and forgiven by our Creator.
“you’d think they’d have a more functional conscience.”
I doubt Tullian’s conscience was the issue. His sin nature was the issue. That’s every son of Adam’s problem. It’s our very nature. It’s THE problem. And just because a man has been born again doesn’t mean he doesn’t battle his old nature until the day he dies.
“18 For I know that nothing good dwells in me, that is, in my flesh. For I have the desire to do what is right, but not the ability to carry it out. 19 For I do not do the good I want, but the evil I do not want is what I keep on doing.”(Romans 7:18-19)
Yep. The comment about his wife seems a bit out of place here....
Sure Tullian is a good man, but he had an affair. So he shouldn’t be preaching the gospel according to our lord and savior!
If you’re sober, you’re not a drunk.
He was so wrong to throw his wife under the bus like that. Obviously the congregation knew about her affair but he didn’t have to draw attention to it again. I just feel so sorry for the kids. Can you even imagine what they are going through??
There are some compulsive types that do it for no good reason though; I will concede that.
And then there are some couples who are so compatible and in love with each other, they wouldn't even be tempted to cheat. Blessed are they.
Yes, prayers for the couple. Broken families are tragic.
I used to listen to a beloved pastor on the radio, and eventually went to a few retreats. As years went by I heard he had divorced his wife of many years and married some gal who worked in his ministry.
At first it messed with my head, and I questioned having benefited so much from the man’s teaching. Was it real? Was he a fake? I decided that, no, he wasn’t a fake and that if I can be blessed often by King David through the Psalms (along with his son Solomon), I could be blessed this pastor who erred. It was GOD who supplied the wisdom, and the wisdom STANDS!
David is proof that God is committed to His own, regardless of their sin.
“...but I will not remove from him my steadfast love
or be false to my faithfulness.
I will not violate my covenant
or alter the word that went forth from my lips.
Once for all I have sworn by my holiness;
I will not lie to David.”
I attended Coral Ridge many years and you could NOT find a better and truthful minister than D. James Kennedy. When high ranking attorneys promoted Tulian from a ware-house church in Ft. Lauderdale everything changed, even Mrs. and Ms Kennedy was not allowed on the church’s ground anymore. I never heard Tulian preaching Jesus Christ. 1/3 of the church pillars left in protest!!!
Good man, hmmm? I think ONLY God decides that.
No surprise, except throwing his wife under the bus. Hard to have respect for these family-run churches that built up untold riches that they pass on to the family as if it is their private money-making kingdom. Yet people keep giving these people money.
Only God knows whether they are heartbroken over their actions or heartbroken that discovery and publicity of those actions caused their little empire to crumble. It seems like he held himself innocent when it was just she having an affair - then makes sure we know that SHE did it first. Childish.
“I have sinned against you......”
Of course I agree it was right for him to step down. He should probably stay out of the ministry too.
When I said Tullian “was a good man” it was only to express sorrow at his fall.
I’ve scanned a couple of his books and he seemed solid in his theology to me—and they taught the good news of Jesus clearly. I respected and admired Dr. D. James Kennedy too.
I’m aware of the controversy after he came—and how factions of the church tried to have him removed. I have no idea which faction was right, or wrong... That doesn’t sound like its relevant to this sad event now however.
“I recall a story about Billy Graham and how he tried to make sure there was always a third person around if he was with a woman. And if in his office would leave the door open to the receptionist outside.”
I heard that too
I used to listen to a beloved pastor on the radio, and eventually went to a few retreats. As years went by I heard he had divorced his wife of many years and married some gal who worked in his ministry.
At first it messed with my head, and I questioned having benefited so much from the man’s teaching.
Did the Pastor repent? Ask his ex-wife for forgiveness?
1 Timothy 3:5
If anyone does not know how to manage his own family, how can he take care of God’s church?
1 Timothy 3:2
A bishop then must be blameless, the husband of one wife, vigilant, sober, of good behaviour, given to hospitality, apt to teach;
I like the notion that ‘everybody is a sinner including I’ more than the notion ‘I am saved and better than you’ attitude I had in the past.
I’m just ‘one drink’ away and need God in every moment of my life to maintain sobriety.
PFL
God uses all for good!
They both are torn toward another, both can now be publicly ashamed of themselves as Christians....
As Mother Angelica would say, Humility comes from Humiliation.
This is an opportunity to address the core problems that led to these affairs, a miserable marriage, and right things before God and Children and one another.
May they feel humbled enough now to talk it through!!! Come, Holy Spirit.
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