BIG NAME Texas Megachurch Pastor Resigns: Restoration Fail? Chris Lindberg. Life Fellowship Church

[00:00:01]Let's talk about it. A Texas megaurch pastor has now resigned. However, questions have been swirling surrounding this entire ordeal that go all the way back to May because the pastor and his wife were both placed on leave for what the church elders, the board had called a restoration period.

[00:00:30]And since then, questions about what exactly is the restoration process entailing?

[00:00:38]What did the pastor actually do? Is he coming back? When is he coming back?

[00:00:45]The answer is at least with one of those questions that no, he is not coming back. But again, congregation left in the dark about what happened here. the church elders, they did inform the congregation about now the pastor's resignation. We'll talk about this.

[00:01:07]We'll try and sort it out, get you all the information that we do have here in just a moment. Before we do that, I would like to welcome all of you to Not by Sight News. Yes, a blind Christian guy here reporting to you. Reminding you as always that we walk by faith, not by sight. And for someone like me, yeah, that's kind of my only option. If you guys can do me a huge favor, please hit the like button for me. Help me reach my 1,000 likes goal on this video so we can get this information out to a wider audience. It is a quick and easy way to support what I do. Share the video across your social media platforms and hype the video if you can. That always helps us tremendously. Thank you so much for that and I hope that you are all having a blessed day. Let's talk about it. It's Life Fellowship Church. The mega church in McKini, Texas for the past 16 years. The church had been led by pastor Chris Lindberg and his wife Tatum. Now, his wife Tatum had also been listed as a pastor, an executive pastor who also handled guest experience as well as overall pastoral care.

[00:02:21]Now, in May, church leaders had announced to the congregation that Pastor Chris Lindberg along with his wife Tatum had been placed on leave for a period of what they called intentional rest and renewal, a restoration process.

[00:02:43]Now, the only thing that they said about the reason was that Pastor Chris had disclosed to church elders at the end of 2025 and early 2026. He disclosed what they called, these are their words, past personal struggles. That was it, past personal struggles.

[00:03:10]And that being said, he would be placed on leave and they would work with this restoration. Now, understand that this is a church that is an Assemblies of God church and that not only would church elders be part of this restoration, but as would Assemblies of God leaders. But again, nothing said about what this look like. What is he being restored from?

[00:03:38]Okay. What are the past personal struggles? That could mean anything.

[00:03:42]Now, you could understand why congregants would be speculating about what it might be. If the church is not willing to be transparent about it, well, you can't really blame church members for asking these questions and wanting some accountability.

[00:03:59]That could be just the the smallest of things to something a lot more severe.

[00:04:04]But again, we don't know. We have no idea.

[00:04:08]Now one thing that also had not been said was did it involve any sort of a investigation criminal? Nothing said like that at all. Okay.

[00:04:21]Everything was very just tight lipped.

[00:04:24]Now, there was an interesting development in this entire story and that came on July 7th because on July 7th, you had church leaders that sent out an email to members. This is an update. Okay? So, this is like basically the first time that they had spoke out about his restoration since May. It was around May 15th. And in that email, they expressed to members, they can understand the frustration. They know that this is very hard and they're not trying to be secretive about anything. However, they mentioned privacy and they said that they felt that they were getting closer to being able to reveal more information.

[00:05:13]However, there just was nothing else other than this. They did confirm that for the past couple of months both Pastor Chris and Tatum Lindberg had been in ongoing meetings, counseling sessions, and even what they called, and this is sort of an interesting term, deliverance sessions with not just life fellowship leaders, but also assemblies of God leaders.

[00:05:48]Okay, they mentioned prayer, counseling sessions, deliverance sessions. We don't know like again past personal struggles.

[00:05:57]What is Pastor Chris needing to be delivered from?

[00:06:01]We don't know. But they had been actively participating in these now for several months. And I want you to understand too that this was both Pastor Chris and his wife Tatum. Not a situation where it was just pastor Chris by himself. So whether or not his wife Tatum had anything to do I mean she was she's been mentioned basically every time here strengthening the couple providing intentional rest and reflection. I just these words sometimes just get me. I don't know.

[00:06:36]But still nothing really transparent to the congregation about any of the specifics. Was it something more serious? Was it not?

[00:06:47]They could definitely take a lot of the attention and and the pressure off themselves if they would just tell their members exactly what is going on.

[00:06:58]Because in that same update on July 7th, they had encouraged members. They were they were talking about, "Please have patience. Extend us patience and and grace and continue to come to the church." Well, of course they're going to tell you to continue to come to the church. and that, you know, they had been having guest preachers come in all throughout the summer, but but again, they were getting close to being able to give more information, you know, and another story that I had been covering it. It involves another Assemblies of God church, and if you missed my video on it, you can go back and watch it. Uh, but it involved Pastor Nathan Peternell of Life Church in funny they both have life but Life Church in Indiana and well he was gone as well for a restoration process that involved Assemblies of God leadership. Uh, he came back recently. In fact, he came back during the church's July 5th service. Apparently his restor and I I gave my thoughts on all that. You can go back on that video and check it out if if you want to. But apparently his his restoration he he went through it all and and it was about four months or so.

[00:08:13]But in a new update, now this was sent out in an email to congregation to the congregation on Friday, July 17th. So just 10 days after the last the last update.

[00:08:26]The email said this that it had come to you know they they use you know they all use the same language after you know careful consideration much prayer and wise counsel you guys know you know these are all how many times have you heard a church statement addressed just like that after much prayer wise counsel careful consideration right Pastor Chris Lindberg and Tatum Lindberg have deced decided to resign their positions as the leaders of Life Fellowship Church and that this was also something that had been mutual. All parties agreed, church elders, the Lindbergs themselves and Assemblies of God leaders as well.

[00:09:17]They all agreed that this would be the best decision moving forward.

[00:09:22]and and pastor Chris had now this was you know this isn't again he's not up there on the platform addressing it from the service saying goodbye this was all done in an email but for pastor Chris he had thanked the congregation he thanked life fellowship he said that it had been first he said he loved the congregation he loves the life fellowship family he's been pleased to be their pastor for the past 16 years he talked about how the great work continues It's only going to get better from here, right? Again, you and not mentioning anything, but a very just basic statement, not mentioning the past personal struggles, nothing like that.

[00:10:06]He thanked everybody and again, God's hand will be on Life Fellowship moving forward. Okay.

[00:10:14]The Life Fellowship elders for their part. They thank the Lindbergs for helping to grow the church to where it is today. Over the last 16 years, they've taken Life Fellowship to to places it hadn't been before. Great work. They've talked about the prison ministry that the church, which is great. You have prison ministries. Hey, you know, let me say this.

[00:10:39]Have these churches proven that they handle many of these situations poorly?

[00:10:43]Yes. Some are getting better. Some are not. Right? It's not to say that these churches are not doing anything right. I want to make that clear, okay? This isn't just a thing, oh, we're just going to, you know, this. We're not tearing these churches apart. Okay? I have given, you know, plenty of credit where credit is due. We're talking about these specific situations. You know, how they handle their leaders when whenever they get caught up in something, whatever it may be. You know, why why not just be honest about it? Okay. But but they're not doing that. So the life fellowship elders, they again they thank the Lindbergs for all that they had done and they said that they're, you know, they're they're looking forward to their next chapter, you know, whatever that may be. We don't want what we don't know what the next chapter is. And and here's another thing, too, and it's worth mentioning. When you have, and this isn't the first church that's done this, but when you have a situation like this where a megaurch pastor, one who had, you know, been in that position for 16 years, he resigns. Okay? If I'm saying if I don't know if he's got desire to stay in ministry or what, maybe he doesn't. Okay? But if he does decide to get involved with another church, right?

[00:12:05]those past personal strugg some some may remember him from life fellowship some may not but questions will then still be there about well were those past personal struggles were they ever dealt with were they you know what were they anyway because then you might hear something in the new church that's brought to light right because otherwise why would he have been taken away from the pulpit to begin with if it wasn't something that they considered ed serious enough to where he needed counseling sessions, deliverance sessions, all of that. Okay?

[00:12:41]And again, I'm not saying he's going to pop up in another church, but there have been other pastors who have when they left their congregations when they resigned. And again, it was just very sort of quiet and nothing was mentioned, nothing specific about why they were leaving. They just up and gone like that.

[00:13:00]So that's why I bring that up.

[00:13:03]But was this a situation with the Assemblies of God where you know is this a a restoration fail?

[00:13:10]You know they they met for months. We don't know what the ultimate now now they said in the July 7th statement that their hope was that Pastor Chris would return to the pulpit. So that was just 10 days before something changed between July 7th and July 17th for the church to come out and say the Lindbergs are resigning.

[00:13:33]Did it have something to do with the restoration itself? Did they not agree to some some of the terms? We don't know. We don't know.

[00:13:42]So, the church also said this. They have plans for a new a new pastor searches is is is underway. Now, speaking of not being transparent, they said that they've selected a new interim pastor.

[00:13:57]So, they that happened quick. That happened quick. They have a new interim pastor. They did not say who it was.

[00:14:04]That will be announced according, you know, to the letter to the email in August. The big reveal will be in August about who the new interim pastor is. But in addition to that, they're going to form a pastoral, they call it a seven member pastoral search committee. It'll it'll be made up of congregational leaders as well that will assist the board in selecting the church's new senior pastor.

[00:14:33]Okay, look this whole situation again in my opinion handled very poorly. Very poorly. Not to say that Life Fellowship has not done some great work and great things and that they haven't led people to Christ.

[00:14:50]Again, we're not taking away any of the good, but this is why people have a hard time.

[00:14:56]I'm just tell I'm also speaking from personal experience because I've been in churches like this. I've been in churches where they've covered things up and they've kept things hush. Okay?

[00:15:05]You want the church to do better.

[00:15:09]But it's why I bring this up because you wonder why people are starting to become very very distrusting of churches in general. It's because of things like this. It's because of things like this.

[00:15:26]when the pastor has been been there for so long then he's not they say past personal struggles they want you to pray for them which is very and I think you should I don't I don't disagree you should pray you should pray for these leaders even if you don't necessarily like them or agree with them on their doctrine whatever it may be you should but they could say look but pray specifically for this because people are going to say well if they couldn't say what it was it had to be something really bad and if the church doesn't want people to do that then just be honest.

[00:16:01]But they didn't do that. Now will they at some point? We don't know.

[00:16:05]Now the Lindbergs are gone. They're not getting a a big going away party.

[00:16:11]Nothing like that. Now the people that are are are there and remember go back to that July 7th email where they said they told members look keep coming to the church because again they they don't want to lose people but they may especially now that the Lindbergs are gone. Those that maybe had been sticking around trying to see whether or not they were going to return.

[00:16:33]Now they're not.

[00:16:36]And maybe they don't. Maybe some will.

[00:16:38]Maybe some don't want to stick around and oh, we have a new interim pastor, but we won't tell you till August, right? They just keep pushing things further and further away. So again, poorly handled in my opinion, but you know, pray for them. Like they said, there's nothing wrong with that. You can you should pray for the church, pray for the leadership, but pray for and you know also use discernment in all things.

[00:17:09]That that is equally as important. It really is. Well, what do you guys think about this whole situation, how it was handled. You can chime in with your thoughts down below. Hey, maybe you attend Life Fellowship Church. You want to give your take on the situation and how it was all handled. Let us know.

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[00:19:10]Not just to say you're sorry and jump back to your old ways, but to actually turn from sin, which are those lifestyles, patterns, habits, behaviors, things in your life that go against the word of God. If you humbly go before the Lord though and ask him to forgive you, he'll wipe your sin away. Bible says he doesn't remember it any longer. And then you invite Jesus into your life to be your Lord and Savior. When you do that, you become born again child of God. You will have eternal life. Trust me when I tell you there is no greater decision you will ever make than the one you do to give your life to Christ. And I pray you make that decision today. Again, more information down below. Thank you all again so much for watching. I really do appreciate it. I'll be back with more. You guys take care. Please be safe out there. God bless each and every single one of you and I'll talk with you