The pastor of a prominent Dallas-Fort Worth megachurch said he had an inappropriate online relationship with a woman and will step down from preaching and teaching.
Matt Chandler, pastor of The Village Church in Flower Mound, told his congregation Sunday that the relationship was not sexual or romantic. But elders at the Southern Baptist church believed the messages exchanged over Instagram were “unguarded and unwise” and “revealed something unhealthy in me,” Chandler said.
Chandler is also president and chairman of Acts 29, an international church-planting group. Acts 29 said on Sunday Chandler will halt any speaking engagements on behalf of group.
“We cannot be a church where anyone is above the Scriptures and above the high heavenly call into Christ Jesus,” said Chandler, who has led the church for 19 years. “The Word of God holds me to a certain standard. And I fell short.”
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The announcement comes at a time when some entities with the Southern Baptist Convention face a federal investigation of sexual abuse, and the denomination recently published an internal report on mishandling of abuse.
Chandler said a woman approached him at the church several months ago and told him she was concerned with his communications with her friend. He said he initially did not think he had done anything wrong, as both his wife and the woman’s husband knew about the messages.
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