Burk Parsons Found Guilty by Church Commission, Suspended From Office

Parsons is also a teaching fellow with Ligonier Ministries.

This article was updated on 6/13/2025 to include a statement from Ligonier Ministries.

Burk Parsons, senior pastor of St. Andrew’s Chapel and chief editorial officer and teaching fellow for Ligonier Ministries, has been found guilty by a church judicial commission on three charges and indefinitely suspended from his role as a teaching elder in the Presbyterian Church in America (PCA).

Burk Parsons / Video screenshot

At a public meeting on June 12, the judicial commission of the Central Florida Presbytery announced the decision. The defense told the commission it plans to appeal.

Specifically, Parsons was unanimously found guilty on three charges of “being harsh, ungentle, and unkind to those under his care or with whom he interacts”; “not being a humble servant leader but instead ‘lording it over others’ (i.e, autocratic) and being domineering, contentious, and quarrelsome/pugnacious in his leadership so that those in his care and in his ‘leadership orbit’ were intimidated, bullied, and/or afraid”; and “slandering and/or demeaning other servants and churches of our Lord.”

He was found not guilty on two other charges, which were not specifically listed in the report.

According to the judicial commission’s report, Parsons’ trial was held between May 12 and 28 and included over 55 witnesses and 45 hours of proceedings.

Parsons is indefinitely suspended from his duties as a teaching elder, including preaching, teaching, administering the sacraments, and participating in church courts. He is not suspended from receiving the sacraments.

The suspension “remains in effect until satisfactory evidence of repentance is provided.”

The commission noted that Parsons pleaded guilty to similar charges in 2019 and was admonished at that time.

“This, along with subsequent reports of relational harm and unhealthy leadership environment, taking place both before and since the 2019 event, indicate an unresolved pattern, and thus led the Commission to discern that indefinite suspension was the appropriate censure,” the report stated.

While Parsons’ suspension from office is a “serious step,” the commission said it is not a final or permanent one.

“Restoration remains a real and prayerful possibility if he ‘shall exhibit for a considerable time such an eminently exemplary, humble and edifying life and testimony as shall heal the wound made by his scandal,’” the commission said, quoting from the PCA’s Book of Church Order.

“The Commission’s decision, although difficult, seeks to protect the integrity of gospel ministry while encouraging personal reflection and healing within the body of Christ,” it added.

St. Andrew’s Chapel was founded in 1997 as an independent Reformed congregation. Dr. R.C. Sproul was its first pastor. It joined the PCA in 2023.

The congregation has hosted a meeting to discuss leaving the denomination. Another is scheduled for June 22 with a congregation vote planned for July 20.

In April, the Central Florida Presbytery sustained a complaint against St. Andrew’s for failing to provide budget expense details that had been requested. While the Book of Church Order does not explicitly require that the Session — board of elders — provide all requested budget details to a congregant, the presbytery said the congregation is entitled to know the salaries of its teaching elders.

Aside from being the senior pastor of St. Andrews, Parsons is employed by Ligonier Ministries. Ligonier does not file an informational Form 990 with the Internal Revenue Service, which includes salary information for certain employees. According to the last Ligonier Form 990 in 2019, Parsons was paid $136,309 as the chief publishing officer.

Ligonier’s audited financial statements are not posted on its website, but can be requested by contacting [email protected].

According to its membership profile with the Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability, Ligonier had over $19 million in revenue from January 1 through June 30, 2024. It has changed its financial year-end to June 30 from December 31.

In the MinistryWatch database, Ligonier has a D transparency grade and a donor confidence score of 33, meaning donors should withhold giving.

MinistryWatch reached out to St. Andrew’s and Ligonier for a statement and will update the story if we receive a response.

Update: Ligonier Ministries acknowledged the verdict of the judicial commission, noting that “[t]hese are not criminal matters nor severe moral failings, such as sexual or financial sins.”

“Dr. Parsons remains a valued colleague and board member, and continues as Executive Editor for Tabletalk magazine. Ligonier seeks to honor the church and its disciplinary authority at local, regional, and national levels, so our board will await the outcome of the appeal and the actions of the Session of Saint Andrew’s Chapel. Please pray for the PCA courts, Dr. Parsons and his family, Saint Andrew’s Chapel, and all involved. We trust the Lord to lead His church in righteousness and peace. Our commitment to producing faithful discipleship resources is unchanged,” the Ligonier Care Team email stated.

TO OUR READERS: The mission of MinistryWatch is to help Christian donors become more faithful stewards of the resources God has entrusted to them. Do you know of a story that will help us fulfill our mission, or do you want to give us feedback about this or any other story? If so, please email us: [email protected]