Dallas-area Pastor Matt Chandler Reinstated to Pulpit by Church Elders

Dallas-area megachurch pastor Matt Chandler returned to the pulpit Sunday (Dec. 4) after a three-month leave of absence. The Village Church’s board of elders reinstated him following disciplinary actions for Chandler’s “inappropriate” social media relationship with a woman who is not his wife.  His congregation greeted his return with a standing ovation.

In an email to the congregation obtained by Julie Roys, the elders told the church congregation Chandler had been “diligently working through the development plan” they gave him, including “time spent in study and prayer, personal reflection, and multiple intensives with trusted outside experts.”

Chandler’s return coincided with the 20^th anniversary of his being hired as lead pastor of The Village Church in 2002.

Although the elders wrote in their email they did not plan Chandler’s return to coincide with the anniversary, “We did not think it was appropriate to delay Matt’s return to avoid it falling on the anniversary,” they said. “We decided to stay true to the plan for Matt to return when the goals were met, and we embrace the beautiful coincidence of the timing.”

The original elder statement did not include a specific timeline, but said it would be based on “the expectations the elders have laid out for his development.”

In an Instagram post on December 2, Chandler reflected on his 20 years as lead pastor of The Village Church and his gratefulness for the congregation he calls family.

“Over the past 20 years I have watched God do INCREDIBLE things almost all of which were despite me. I survived a bout with brain cancer in 2009, needed to publicly repent more than once and have been loved deeply and cared for fiercely by the men and women of The Village.”

Access to MinistryWatch content is free.  However, we hope you will support our work with your prayers and financial gifts.  To make a donation, click here.

Chandler hinted at his return in a post about six weeks ago, saying Jesus has been his “sustaining grace” through the process.

The church planting network Acts 29, where Chandler serves as president and chairman of the board, also asked Chandler to step aside from speaking engagements on behalf of the organization while undergoing the requirements set by the church.

Acts 29 did not immediately respond to request for comment about Chandler’s status with the organization.

On August 28, the church elder board suspended Chandler after an investigation by an outside law firm found he had violated the church’s social media policy by having an online relationship with a woman other than his wife.

While the messages between Chandler and the woman were not romantic in nature, Chandler admitted the communications were “unguarded and unwise” and were characterized by a “frequency and familiarity” that he said was wrong.

The board of elders statement about the messages acknowledged that friendship between brothers and sisters in Christ is encouraged, but that “there are boundaries around what’s appropriate in these kinds of friendships.”

Main photo: Matt Chandler preaching at The Village Church Dec. 4, 2022 / YouTube Screengrab