I was puzzled when Coral Ridge decided to call Tully Tchividjian to be their new pastor. The merger of the 2 congregations didn’t make sense to me- they were far too different.
Additionally, Coral Ridge just lost its long-time pastor, the only Sr. pastor they’d every had. Often the replacement gets pummeled for not being just like the long-time pastor. The congregation needs to grieve and adjust, but they are so focused on getting a pastor now(!) that they are amazingly surprised that the new guy isn’t the old guy. More than that, they are actually mad he isn’t.
I’ve been there. I replaced a founding pastor. Though he was essentially removed from ministry, some people were frustrated that I wasn’t more like him. They had to decide whether or not to embrace me and labor with me instead of against me.
It didn’t take too long at Coral Ridge. Tully is not D. James Kennedy (nor is he his famous grandfather, as some narrow-minded people think). There were some traditions that Tully didn’t embrace, and this has drawn the ire of a group of long-time congregants including one of D. James’ daughters.
There are 2 sides of this that should be examined.
First, in keeping with 1 Corinthians 9 there are some traditions that Tully should have considered keeping. To Coral Ridge he should have become like Coral Ridge to win some of Coral Ridge. There are things he could have done to at least initially gain an opening to preach the gospel to them. If he had to wear robes to do that … so what.
Second, have the people of Coral Ridge substituted the traditions of men for the commands of God? Tully also had to see which of their traditions got in the way of the gospel and break with them. One example I can think of is the political sermons. This was one issue I had with Dr. Kennedy- the gospel was often obscured by his political & cultural concern sermons. Those issues can be addressed, but should be in light of the gospel- in connection with the gospel. Tully was godly & wise to not keep this tradition.
Any errors Tully may have made do not excuse the actions of the infamous 6. To employ worldly weapons against your pastor, duly called and installed, is a great wickedness. They attacked him via mass mailings and eventually the media for the great non-sin of failing to meet their expectations.
And now there will be a congregational meeting to determine whether or not Tully still has the confidence of enough of the congregation. Perhaps he won over enough hearts with the gospel. Perhaps he was too great a shock to the system for most of Coral Ridge. We will see Sunday.
But this I do know, this hampers the cause of Christ in many ways. It will clarify things for some, but for many outside (and inside) it is just another reason not to go to church with all those unruly people who can’t pursue peace together. It also may have destroyed 2 congregations. Afterall, they merged. Do they go their separate ways? Do they split and start over again? That will be incredibly painful at this point. It will be like a divorce (which is why I would have said, “Tully, don’t go!” Like Tonto, he got the snot kicked out of him).
Or do they stay together with Tully and his staff moving on to new fields of service?
See, there is no good outcome apart from the repentance of those who have unmet expectations and some minor adjustments on the staff’s part. I long for God to restore peace through repentance, mutual respect and love. All for the honor the King Jesus and the praise of His glorious grace.
You can read Tully’s very good op-ed piece about this.
Updated: Coral Ridge voted down the motion to remove Tully as Sr. Pastor.
Cavman Considers 
we sort of did this when our church was splitting, but the we sent out a mass letter to inform the congregation what a few members were doing to our pastor. 6 couples started a letter campaign to the few couples that were trying to oust the pastor without the congregation knowing. when it all came out, the few fussy ones left but not without first causing many fights and dissention along the way.
I think you mean Tullian Tchividjian. I’m not familiar with the situation but issues of church discipline (both upstream and downstream) have been on my mind lately and this is another angle with which to examine it. So thanks for bringing it to my attention.
thanks for correcting my error.
there are a slowly growing # of books thinking through these things.
re” “The merger of the 2 congregations didn’t make sense to me – they were far too different.”
This is caveman thinking not Kingdom thinking! Anything the Holy Spirit joins together is GOOD!
Take my wife and me…according to your secular wisdom we are not compatible due to being “far too different” – but God has proved you very wrong!
What about the rich and the poor? The appetitive and noetic?
This is the wisdom and glory of my omnipotent God that the world cannot understand.
Assuming the Holy Spirit joined them together. I have no such mystical knowledge.
I’m not sure my thinking is secular. What does darkness have to do with light? Christ with Beliel?
Yes, Christ is able to reconcile people with great differences (Eph. 2).
but some of the kingdom thinking I did mention is in 1 Corinthians 9, where Paul says he becomes all things to all men that he might win some. To the Greeks he became like a Greek … you aren’t all things to all people at the same time. IOW, Tully can’t be New City to Coral Ridge, nor Coral Ridge to New City. IF they can be truly integrated, forming a new community utilizing the best of both, great.
It takes a very rare leader to do such a thing- we see the churches in Galatia & Corinth, as well as Ephesians, struggling to do just that. Too often we underestimate the resistance of the flesh. True kingdom thinking recognizes the battle, not just the promises, In this case, 2 Christian communities may not become one but tear each other apart.
Thankfully they resisted the temptation to remove Tully. I would love to see the gospel make them one at heart.