FLOWER MOUND (BP)—The Village Church announced Aug. 28 that lead pastor Matt Chandler will take a leave of absence from teaching and preaching following his admission to “inappropriate messaging” with a woman on Instagram.
Chandler admitted the messaging was “unguarded and unwise” though the messages were neither “romantic nor sexual” in nature, but the “frequency and familiarity” was not wise for someone in his position.
Chandler said the church’s elders determined his “inability to see this for what it was revealed something not right and unhealthy,” adding that The Village “cannot be a place that does not hold its pastors and elders accountable.”
Chandler agreed to the elders’ suggestion that he take the leave of absence and admitted to feeling “embarrassed and stupid.” He affirmed the leave of absence was both “disciplinary” and “developmentally caring” for his family and the church.
Chandler has served the 5,000-member church as pastor since 2002. He also has served as president of Acts 29, one of the largest church-planting networks in North America, since 2012. The Village Church is aligned with both the Acts 29 network and the Southern Baptist Convention. It also is uniquely affiliated with the Southern Baptists of Texas Convention.
Chandler has made several appearances at SBC annual meetings and Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission events. Most recently, he was part of a late-night panel discussion hosted by 9Marks at the 2022 SBC annual meeting in Anaheim, Calif.
During a session held in conjunction with the 2019 SBC annual meeting in Birmingham, Ala., Chandler told a group his “imperfect church” takes seriously allegations of sexual misconduct or abuse.
At the time, The Village Church was dealing with allegations surrounding a former minister who was accused of sexual molestation at a church camp six years earlier. He outlined the steps church leaders took when allegations came to light.
In 2020, the Dallas County District Attorney’s office moved to dismiss charges against the former minister, saying, “The complainant cannot and has not positively identified defendant as the person who committed this offense.”
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