Yesterday,
while engaged in some unrelated online research (the doctrine of the Trinity),
I happened upon a Christianity Today article (LINK
- posted on June 21st, 2015), that came as quite a shock to me: the resignation
of Tullian Tchividjian (a grandson of Billy Graham), as senior pastor of the
famous Coral Ridge Presbyterian Church in Fort Lauderdale, Florida due to an affair with "a friend".
As
most probably know, the former senior pastor (and founder) of the Coral Ridge
Presbyterian Church was D. James Kennedy, a postion he held from 1960 until his retirement on
August 26, 2007 (he passed away a mere ten days later). I started listening to
D. James Kennedy's radio ministry, Truths That Transform, way back in
the mid-80s, and did so faithfully (five days per week) for over ten years.
I also took in his weekly Coral Ridge Hour, and ended up spending a fair amount of money on various products offered through his Coral Ridge
Ministries.
My zeal
for D. James Kennedy's ministries waned after I left the Reformed tradition in the late
90s, but I retained some interest until his death in 2007. After that date, my
knowledge of events concerning the Coral Ridge Presbyterian Church were non-existent until
yesterday. I did not know that in March 2009 the membership of the Coral Ridge
Presbyterian Church voted in Tullian Tchividjian as their senior pastor. I was
also unaware that this event subsequently spawned a substantial schism—note the
following:
Internal divisions at
Coral Ridge Presbyterian Church burst into the open this past weekend as six
members were ordered to stay off the premises.
The six have called for
the ouster of the Rev. W. Tullian Tchividjian, saying he is deserting the
heritage of his revered predecessor, the Rev D. James Kennedy. In reply, the
Fort Lauderdale church has accused them of spreading rumors and disrupting
church unity. Among the six is Kennedy's daughter, Jennifer Kennedy Cassidy.
Stresses are common
whenever a longtime pastor is replaced, observers say. But with a huge,
successful church with long-entrenched traditions - and a new pastor nearly two
generations younger - the effects are heightened.
"I'd be surprised if
it didn't happen," said Lesley Northup, a specialist in religion and
culture at Florida International University. "Change is inevitable with a
new pastor. And change produces discomfort. And it's magnified in a highly
publicized place, where both the predecessor and the current guy are
well-known."
Tchividjian, 37, a
grandson of evangelist Billy Graham, was elected March 15 as pastor at Coral
Ridge, which had lacked a leader since Kennedy died in September 2007. But if
he thought he had a mandate for change, the small but vocal coterie of critics
has hotly disagreed.
They have mass-mailed
accusations to congregants, accusing Tchividjian of heavy-handed tactics such
as downplaying the church's traditional service in favor of contemporary
worship. They've criticized Tchividjian for replacing some Coral Ridge staff
with his own people, and planning to sell land at the church's west campus
"to make up for budget shortfalls."
Their recommended
solution: a petition to put an end to Tchividjian's 4-month-old pastorate. More
than 1,600 copies of the petition were mailed to church members on July 24.
The church sent the six a
letter on Aug. 4, saying that if they step onto church property, they will be
considered trespassers. A second letter on Thursday, signed by Tchividjian,
gave the rationale: "No church government can tolerate such an
insurrection from those who will not listen to admonition, refuse all counsel,
and will stop at nothing until they have overthrown legitimate authority and
replaced it with their own." (LINK)
Kennedy's daughter,
Jennifer Kennedy Cassidy, and a number of other dissidents, went on to form the
New Presbyterian Church in Pompano Beach, Florida. See THIS LINK for information on the schismatic church.
Certainly
some very sad events within the tradition I once embraced. My prayers go out to
those souls who have been adversely affected...
Grace
and peace,
