Matt Chandler: A Confession

Pastor Matt Chandler confessing his inappropriate online relationship with a woman in the congregation. He also announces the board of elders has asked him to not teach and preach for an indeterminate amount of time.

A couple of days behind on this one. So, Matt Chandler, mega-church pastor, popular Christian author, and speaker has been asked by his elder board to not teach or preach for a while. And the very large and influential Acts 29 church planting organization he heads has also asked him not to do anything public.

(If you want the full story just google his name and several dozen news articles will pop up. Sadly, Chandler's name and his church and ministry will forever be wedded to this moral stumble.)

The reason for his very public censure? An inappropriate online relationship between himself and a woman who is not his wife. Apparently, nothing sexual or romantic - but "unguarded and unwise". So much so that his elder board chose to discipline him by asking him to quit preaching.

By now, most of us are likely jaded when a prominent Christian leader "falls".

Bill Hybels, Ravi Zacharias, Carl Lentz, Brian Houston, and now Matt Chandler's name is part of that unhealthy fraternity of men who "succeeded" in building large ministries but failed where it mattered most - their personal moral conduct.

But, what makes the Chandler case odd is the seemingly contradictory information we are given - what were they texting back and forth that was so serious that it deemed him to receive disciplinary action? If it was not romantic or sexual, then what was it? The whole thing is quite puzzling and I am sure the board quickly realized their fumble in how they handled this.

One thing that angers me beyond words is that after Chandler confessed to his church, he was received with shouts of "we love you" and then received a standing ovation. I have been a pastor for 20 years and have never received a standing ovation for anything - even when I did something good! So, why in the world are we applauding Christian leaders who have JUST confessed a moral lapse? What are we applauding? What is wrong with us? It is not a time for celebration - nor is it a time of public shaming or condemnation. It is a time for lament and weeping. A broken man has confessed his failure before a church. And because Chandler is so influential, the ripples of his sin reach far and wide. We need to be crying not applauding.

It has been disorienting, demoralizing, and just generally depressing to read of these moral disasters over and over again - especially of men I respected like Hybels and Zacharias. But, God revealed something to me over the past year, and it is this:

The seeds of these men's sins reside in my own heart.

If I dig deep enough - I discover the seeds of adultery, dishonesty, domineering leadership, and even murder(!) reside in the soil of my mind and heart. And it is only only only by the grace of God that these seeds have not found favorable conditions within which to sprout into something truly disastrous.

This revelation has led me to not have an attitude of smug moral superiority or pharisaical condemnation. Rather, it humbles me to search my own soul and dig out those seeds and roots that can so quickly work against my good intentions.

I am not better than a person who has a moral failure. The weakness that fells others resides in me. It is only through daily submission to God, daily infilling of the Holy Spirit, and his daily outpouring of mercy on my life that prevents me from walking down dark and dangerous paths.

I reflect today on the mercy of God in my life. There is nothing within me deserving to be spared the terrible consequences that happened to other leaders in the church. But, for reasons known only to Him, God has spared me. 

In the deep places of my soul, where only God can see, I know that I am capable of bad things. And I know the sin and brokenness that I contend with every day. Praise and glory to this kind and loving God who protects me from me.