TEXAS
Christian Today
Mark Woods CHRISTIAN TODAY CONTRIBUTING EDITOR 29 May 2015
The Village Church has issued an extensive apology for its treatment of Karen Hinkley over the annulment of her marriage to Jordan Root, who confessed to watching images of child abuse over many years.
Root entered what the church called a “process of walking in repentance” which saw him removed from ministry and reported to the authorities. However, Hinkley found herself the subject of church discipline because she had her marriage annulled contrary to the church’s covenant membership provisions. The church refused to accept her resignation from membership while she was under discipline because that too was contrary to the covenant.
The Dallas megachurch, whose leader is Matt Chandler, was widely criticised for its conduct. According to a Christianity Today report, Chandler plans to apologise in services this weekend for failing to show compassion to struggling church members. He said that elders had been “domineering” in their approach to church discipline in a few cases and that this was wrong and unChristian.
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