Texas
megachurch pastor Matt Chandler returned to The Village Church on Sunday
following a three-month leave of absence.

In
August this year, Chandler confessed to an inappropriate online relationship with
a woman who was not his wife. Although the church stated that the messages were
not sexual or romantic, he was advised to take leave by the church’s elder board, who also called his leave ‘disciplinary and developmental’.

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In
an email sent to congregants this week, elders of The Village Church at Flower
Mound announced Chandler’s return to preaching for the Church’s 20th
anniversary.

Matt
Chandler is married to Lauren Chandler and they have three children together.

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Who is Lauren Chandler?

Lauren
Chandler is a Texas-based writer, worship leader, and speaker.

She is also a Gospel singer. She has an
album The Narrow Place, released in 2012. Chandler often performs at the Village Church.

Chandler has
authored the children’s books Praise Him, and With Us in the Wilderness. Her book Goodbye to Goodbyes was published in 2019. 

On her website, she has described herself as ‘loved by God’. 

“I enjoy studying God’s word and writing. More than anything, I love to stir up people’s hearts to know, receive and connect with the God of the universe who loves them–particularly through worship.”, her website states. 

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She met Matt Chandler when he was the
youth camp pastor and she was one of the students at the camp. They married on
July 31, 1999. They have three children, Audrey, Reid, and Norah.

On her birthday this year, Matt Chandler
wished her on his social media calling her ‘the most gifted woman’. “You teach,
sing and live God’s Word consistently and beautifully LC! In front of large
groups and in the not-so-quiet of our home, you have the aroma of Christ on
you.”, he wrote.