Billy Graham's Grandson Accepts Call To Coral Ridge

Tullian Tchividjian Takes Over Megachurch Founded By D. James Kennedy

By: Laura Stidham

EP News--- Tullian Tchividjian, 36, has accepted the call to serve as senior pastor at South Florida's Coral Ridge Presbyterian Church. New City Church, which Tchividjian founded five-and-a-half years, ago will merge with the 2,200-member Coral Ridge church. Tchividjian is only the second pastor in Coral Ridge’s history. He succeeds D. James Kennedy, who died last year.

The merger will also result in a change of denomination. New City Church, which was a part of the Evangelical Presbyterian Church (EPC), will now become part of Presbyterian Church of America (PCA). “The denominations are both theologically conservative and have maintained a good working relationship over the years,” said Tchividjian.

The members of Coral Ridge gathered for a congregational meeting and voted with 91 percent of the congregants accepting their Pulpit Nominating Committee's recommendation for Tchividjian to serve.

“I am honored and deeply humbled by the support and prayers we have received from all over the world as well as this vote and the unanimous vote of over 30 elders from both churches last week. I look forward to our future together,” says Tchividjian. “In order to make this transition smooth, the Gospel needs to be embraced and applied by all from both churches. All of us need to be willing and desirous to lay our lives down for one another because Christ laid his life down for us.”

In the coming months, Tchividjian’s focus will be on getting to know new people and working on making the transition as smooth as possible for everyone.

The merged churches will operate under Coral Ridge's existing name and in its current church facility. “We're planning for Easter Sunday to be the first Sunday that the one new church is worshipping together,” says Tchividjian. “As we continue to move in this direction, I am exhorting members of both churches to ask God even now to be preparing you for one another.”

(3/16/2009)

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