Billy Graham’s grandson resigned from his position as the leader of a Florida megachurch after admitting to church leaders he had an affair with a friend when he discovered his wife’s own affair.
Tullian Tchividjian was the senior pastor at Coral Ridge Presbyterian Church in Fort Lauderdale before resigning after admitting to ‘moral failure’ because of ‘ongoing marital issues’.
The 96-year-old evangelist’s grandson has been married to his wife Kim since 1994 and they have three children together.
The church and Tchividjian, 42, both confirmed that he is no longer working at Coral Ridge Presbyterian, according to the Washington Post.
He said in a statement from himself and his wife: ‘I resigned from my position at Coral Ridge Presbyterian Church today due to ongoing marital issues.
‘As many of you know, I returned from a trip a few months back and discovered that my wife was having an affair.
‘Heartbroken and devastated, I informed our church leadership and requested a sabbatical to focus exclusively on my marriage and family ‘As her affair continued, we separated.
‘Sadly and embarrassingly, I subsequently sought comfort in a friend and developed an inappropriate relationship myself.
‘Last week I was approached by our church leaders and they asked me about my own affair.
‘I admitted to it and it was decided that the best course of action would be for me to resign.’
After his resignation, Tchividjian on Sunday tweeted: ‘Welcome to the valley of the shadow of death…thank God grace reigns here.’
Tchividjian is the middle of seven children born to Stephan Tchividjian and Graham’s eldest daughter, Gigi.
He attended school in Florida, but at 16 he dropped out, spending the next five years partying on South Beach, seeking the company of women and getting high.
Tchividjian said he eventually bottomed out, recommitted to Christ and then joined the seminary and became a minister.
He started working at Coral Ridge Presbyterian in 2009 after being appointed to follow Rev James Kennedy, who was pastor at the church until his death in 2007.
Tchividjian started a church of his own, New City Presbyterian, which merged with Coral Ridge.
At the time of his appointment, he said: ‘I think that politics is one strategic area of cultural engagement.
‘But I also think that the sphere of art and the sphere of education and the sphere of media and technology are also strategic.’
