Matt Chandler Is Latest Fall From Grace in American Evangelicalism

The lead pastor of an evangelical megachurch near Dallas announced on Sunday

[{"selector":"#anim-4526aebf-90f4-4794-9c23-5d4010803e17 [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(54.14690291906995%, 0, 0)","translate3d(0%, 0, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-d1f567c7-b719-466a-adee-37c060c1d93b","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-1fc896f9-5cbb-405c-8a91-c45feacbe2f8","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, -544.3251%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}]

that he would be taking a leave of absence because of an inappropriate online relationship he had with a woman who wasn't his wife.

[{"selector":"#anim-980b65f1-13c1-4061-856a-5bcc86c4e943 [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(54.14690291906995%, 0, 0)","translate3d(0%, 0, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-aa309d86-cf13-458a-a8d3-63f022d4f106","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-f7d4b053-a5ef-491a-bb76-eab0c68a7a74","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, -373.65708%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}]

Matt Chandler told the Village Church congregation on Sunday that the relationship was not romantic

[{"selector":"#anim-e91ff15a-5d08-443d-bf67-8333cce99fb4 [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(54.14690291906995%, 0, 0)","translate3d(0%, 0, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-e67a63c9-6b56-4a41-a84c-fe3f5d2e16a3","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-547d60b6-f649-478b-b1df-e992e48eef41","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, -438.70676%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}]

sexual but that elders deemed the frequency and familiarity of the direct messages he exchanged with the woman on Instagram "unguarded and unwise."

[{"selector":"#anim-266991e6-32a4-4559-b9f0-9d8206a0ed21 [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(54.14690291906995%, 0, 0)","translate3d(0%, 0, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-0ecdaf6d-fde9-44b7-bbd0-63d9803c5254","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-2038aa73-ca84-4e6b-b3fc-8f930e9f5d3b","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, -328.45681%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}]

Chandler's abrupt departure marks the latest fall from grace for an American evangelical leader

[{"selector":"#anim-eb6fdfca-49ef-49c6-9b01-51b62d0abbd9 [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(54.14690291906995%, 0, 0)","translate3d(0%, 0, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-cc0c098e-8047-41da-a0b8-cadf311fceeb","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-ec09ab28-b0d0-40f0-92ac-90724e2e22d5","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, -438.70676%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}]

as recent years have seen a number of men removed from church leadership

[{"selector":"#anim-02bc6044-9105-4a36-bd3e-d3b043e0dbe9 [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(54.14690291906995%, 0, 0)","translate3d(0%, 0, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-26f5f10b-3208-4067-bcb7-b4c40951e078","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-5130a700-9da3-4ae8-aade-ac6b72d43a93","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, -544.3251%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}]

disgraced by revelations they behaved inappropriately

[{"selector":"#anim-ec61010c-f504-4840-812b-89e36c0b5872 [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(54.14690291906995%, 0, 0)","translate3d(0%, 0, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-53d2a07a-43b3-4b3d-8834-b278f96f6193","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-c87c27aa-5625-409c-9d63-ef09469613ef","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, -735.72648%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}]

engaged in sexual misconduct or abuse.

[{"selector":"#anim-c8bda3e1-9dd6-4504-83b4-7dac1e7537a1 [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(54.14690291906995%, 0, 0)","translate3d(0%, 0, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-22d283c6-26e5-4dcb-a521-3a32c400c51b","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-c7cdcb84-4926-4d04-98be-1d94859acdcf","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, -735.72648%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}]

Watch our previous story Taylor Swift Stuns In Starry Jumpsuit At VMAs Party After

[{"selector":"#anim-6f2e3c54-394e-472d-87ff-1de6a9b540d5","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-76c6fbde-91a9-47ed-aec9-cc77708a2f63","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, -544.3251%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-10a234d5-fc19-4716-a243-611e1d714a94 [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(12.514648210040342%, 0, 0) translate(25%, 0%) scale(1.5)","translate3d(0%, 0, 0) translate(0%, 0%) scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.14,.34,.47,.9)","fill":"forwards"}] Learn more