Modern Evangelical is a failure.
Matt Chandler is set to resume the pulpit at his church soon, after stepping down in August for "inappropriate" texting with a woman who works at the church.
"“The volume of exchanges and the familiarity, which played itself out in kind of coarse and foolish joking, is just not okay for someone who has been put in the position that God has placed me in,” Chandler said." - Roys Report quoting Chandler's statement.
"The elders commissioned an independent law firm to conduct a review of Matt’s messaging history across social media platforms, cell phone, and email. The investigators’ report led the elders to conclude that Matt violated our internal social media use policies, and more importantly that, while the overarching pattern of his life has been “above reproach,” he failed to meet the 1 Timothy standard for elders of being “above reproach” in this instance."
1) Chandler is disqualified from being an elder:
1Ti 3:2 An overseer, then, must be above reproach, the husband of one wife, temperate, prudent, respectable, hospitable, able to teach,
1Ti 3:7 And he must have a good reputation with those outside the church, so that he may not fall into reproach and the snare of the devil.
Titus 1:6 if any man be above reproach, the husband of one wife, having children who believe, not accused of dissipation or rebellion. 7 For the overseer must be above reproach as God's steward, not self-willed, not quick-tempered, not addicted to wine, not pugnacious, not fond of sordid gain, of sordid gain,
2) Lawyers have nothing to do with a biblical church. It is the elders, deacons and the people who are to judge all things going on inside the church. If they cannot evaluate reality and test it against Scripture, they should examine themselves to see if they are in the faith and those leaders are also disqualified.
3) Man's policies are never the standard by which to apprise a ministry. It is Scripture ALONE that is the SOLE standard to judge elders, deacons, and the people in a local church, not a law firm.
If Chandler violated the church's policies but not Scripture, then it's a false standard.
If Chandler violated Scripture but not the church's policies, it's a false standard.
Source: Julie Roys, TVC (proceed with caution--I do not endorse her website or TVC's).