On September 1st, 2015, I issued an open letter to the Ruling Elders of the South Florida Presbytery. That letter was a strong call to action based on the activities of Tullian Tchividjian. A few days later I published something of a retraction as new information came to light. Well, more new information has come to light.
In a pair heart breaking posts by a woman named Rachel, one of the women which Tullian identified, groomed, manipulated, and ultimately committed adultery with, details her account of her relationship with him.
It is clear from the timeline of the account that the repentance which Tullian demonstrated was illusory at best. Not only was the South Florida Presbytery fooled, but the Session of Willow Creek was also fooled. Willow Creek, through their Sr Pastor Kevin Labby, has issued a statement indicating that Tullian should not be engaging in “any form of public or vocational ministry.” This includes his repeated speaking engagements at Spring Hills Church, guest posts on public blogs, guest interviews on podcasts, or the forthcoming book which is rumored to have been previewed on the expastors website previously linked.
I am in 100% agreement with Kevin Labby that Tullian should “immediately return to his church of membership, submit to its leadership, and pursue healing and renewal through repentance in the context of his local church.” It is unclear exactly where that is, but from what I can understand regarding PCA polity and the chain of events that happened between August of last year and today, his membership still rests with the South Florida Presbytery.
Tullian has repeatedly demonstrated that he is not repentant, and at this point continues to live in unrepentant sin. His divorce did not occur according to Biblical standards as understood by the Presbyterian Church in America. His remarriage was not approved, as far as I can tell or imagine, by the South Florida Presbytery.[1] This is a direct act of disobedience, and his remarriage to Stacie Tchividjian (Phillips) represents a state of ongoing and unrepentant adultery.
I am urging you brothers, for the sake of Tullian, his family, the congregations at both Coral Ridge PCA and Willow Creek PCA, and for the peace and purity of Christ’s Church at large, to issue a statement which directs Tullian to take heed of Kevin Labby’s admonishment within a defined set of time, with the penalty of excommunication for refusal. This is your biblical obligation according to Matthew 18.
- http://www.pcahistory.org/pca/divorce-remarriage.pdf – p252
For a thorough timeline of events regarding Tullian Tchividjian’s history, please see Resource Bibliography on System Issues Related to the Tullian Tchividjian Situation. By linking to this site I am not endorsing the site as a whole, nor testifying to the veracity of the information present. However, the timeline presented does appear to be accurate to the best of my knowledge and research.