Pastor Scott Sauls to resign from Nashville megachurch: report

Scott Sauls, the senior pastor at Christ Presbyterian Church in Nashville, Tennessee, is poised to resign, according to reports. His decision comes amid a lengthy disciplinary process, attracting widespread attention.

An email sent to Christ Presbyterian members Friday morning details plans for a Sunday meeting where Sauls is expected to present his resignation, The Tennessean reported, saying it obtained and verified the email.

Should the congregation vote in favor of accepting the resignation, this decision would bring to an end the current discussions regarding Sauls’ suitability to resume his duties following his disciplinary suspension and guide the church through its recovery phase.

Christ Presbyterian’s leadership faces challenges with rebuilding trust, with members harboring concerns about church authority and oversight. The church’s session, its highest eldership authority, expressed in the email a desire for the meeting to advance the church’s “peace and purity,” especially given the difficult circumstances leading to this juncture.

In May, Sauls was placed on indefinite leave, with the Nashville Presbytery, the regional authority for Middle Tennessee churches in the Presbyterian Church in America, also suspending him indefinitely. This followed an inquiry led by the Presbytery’s shepherding committee into a reported toxic work environment at the church, resulting in Sauls’ discipline.

Sauls admitted to misconduct in a May video to church members, presenting a different confession to the Nashville Presbytery in a private session. Details of the latter confession have not been publicly disclosed. Additionally, the Rev. Ian Sears, former chair of the presbytery’s shepherding committee, is dealing with his own misconduct allegations and has stepped down from his ministry and presbytery leadership roles.

As The Christian Post previously reported, Sauls admitted to creating a hostile work environment, acknowledging his harsh criticism and manipulation of facts to silence dissent and support his desired paths. “I verbalized insensitive and hurtful criticism of others’ work. I’ve used social media and the pulpit to quiet dissenting viewpoints,” Sauls said at the time. “I’ve manipulated facts to support paths that I desire.”

Concerns over the church’s environment date back three years, with former and current staff advocating for a third-party evaluation. However, the church’s eldership opted for the Nashville Presbytery’s intervention, leading to the shepherding committee’s inquiry and Sauls’ discipline.

During Sunday’s meeting, the session will propose a motion to “receive and affirm” Sauls’ resignation. A Nashville Presbytery representative, not affiliated with Christ Presbyterian, will moderate the session, culminating in a membership vote on Sauls’ resignation.

Acknowledging the significance of this event, the session’s email mentioned the approach of “prayer, discussion, debate” and a notable level of agreement between the session and Sauls.

Since Sauls joined Christ Presbyterian in 2012, the church has seen substantial growth, launching three satellite campuses and the Nashville Institute for Faith and Work. Koinonia, one of these satellites, became independent in 2022.

Christ Presbyterian also runs a K-12 school, Christ Presbyterian Academy.

Sauls, author of six books and numerous blog posts, gained recognition in various Evangelical circles nationally and locally. Christ Presbyterian, formed in 1985 following a schism at Nashville’s First Presbyterian Church, joined the PCA early on. Under Sauls, the church maintained its orthodox roots while adopting a more inclusive and socially aware approach, such as appointing deaconesses and launching Koinonia in Bordeaux, a predominantly black neighborhood in Nashville.

Despite his public persona, Sauls’ leadership style faced criticism internally. Conflicts with staff in 2021 led to significant turnover. The Nashville Presbytery’s discipline barred him from preaching, teaching and social media engagement, pending compliance with disciplinary terms.

Before his tenure at Christ Presbyterian, Sauls served at Redeemer Presbyterian Church in New York City and led church plants in Kansas City and St. Louis. Alongside his pastoral duties, Sauls authored books on topics like joy, shame, anxiety and depression. In a 2018 interview with CP, he emphasized the importance of pastoral accountability, cautioning against the isolation and moral failures that can accompany church growth.

“The bigger your church becomes, you begin to have more fans and admirers than you do actual friends,” he said. “It’s really important to be surrounded by people who are close enough to you, that they can express concern with you and your character and help steer you toward Christ. Pastors need to welcome this kind of friendship, community, and accountability.”