Nashville pastor Scott Sauls was forced to leave due to bullying allegations

Rev. Scott Sauls, a well-known pastor and author of evangelical Christianity, has been granted an indefinite furlough from the Nashville congregation he has led since 2012 over allegations of bullying and leading a toxic culture at the church.

The furlough was made public following a membership meeting on Sunday, May 7 at Christ Presbyterian, a well-known congregation of the Presbyterian Church in America.

In a video message to the congregation, Sauls apologized for an unhealthy leadership style that hurt those who worked for him and the church.

“I expressed insensitive and verbal criticism of the work of others. I have used social media and the pulpit to silence dissenting views. I have manipulated facts to follow the paths I desire,” Sauls said in the message the religion news service.

Sauls made it clear that he had not engaged in any substance abuse or sexual offenses. While on leave, he said he would seek therapy, confess his sins, and work to make amends to those he wronged.

Several parishioners allegedly accused Sauls of bullying and creating a toxic environment

“I’m sorry to say I hurt people. I want to tell you all I’m sorry,” Sauls said.

In another segment of the apology obtained by the Tennessee, Sauls accepted that he had not practiced what he preached.

“While I want to live by what I write and preach, my sin and my blind spots have created gaps between my message and how I show up and lead,” he said. The pastor called his behavior toward staff “transactional.”

One of the church elders says in the audio that it is up to the “elders of this church and the pastors of this church who should take the lead in being the main forgiver and the main convert,” according to the newspaper.

The elder, David Filson, also apologized to parishioners.

“We recognize the gravity of this moment and recognize that leadership in a church like ours does not happen in a vacuum. We’re sorry for the way we didn’t lead well,” Filson said.

An investigation into Saul’s conduct had been conducted by both Christ Presbyterian and the Presbyterian Church in America.

Among those responding to Sauls’ suspension was The Federalist founder Sean Davis.

“This should have happened years ago. Sauls is a leftist ideologue who has repeatedly abused his position to push leftist politics in direct defiance of the Bible. He has a well-documented history of openly defying Church doctrines and teachings,” Davis tweeted.

Christ Presbyterian Church in Nashville is one of the most prominent of its kind in Tennessee

In an apology, Reverend Sauls accepted that he had not practiced what he preached

An August 2022 letter from several former Christ Presbyterian associates expressing concerns about Sauls’ actions as a leader sparked the investigation.

Christ Presbyterian members also heard from the elders of the church at the Sunday meeting, who expressed their hope that the furlough will lead to healing and reconciliation.

The elders also recognized their own shortcomings in allowing a toxic culture among church personnel.

In addition to his furlough, Saul’s pastoral status will also be reviewed by the Nashville Presbytery. The rectory is the only group that can end the pastor’s furlough and bring him back into the fold.

A senior member of the parsonage, Neil Spence, told the Religion News Service that Sauls has a “good reputation” with the group.

“Nashville Presbytery will meet shortly to deal with all matters properly presented to us. The Presbytery as a whole will decide whether a censure such as suspension is warranted. It would be unwise to try to predict what the parsonage will do,” Spence said.

The Tennessean notes in its report that the church is affiliated with several influential figures in Nashville, including Governor Bill Lee and Senator Marsha Blackburn, who regularly attends services with her husband.

Sauls found himself in the national spotlight in April when his church held funerals for three of the six victims of the Covenant School shooting.

The Christ Presbyterian operates a separate school, Christ Presbyterian Academy, which is spread across three area campuses.

In his first shift after the shooting, Sauls talked about the fact that tomorrow is not guaranteed.

“None of us are guaranteed tomorrow, much less the next hour,” Sauls said. “The only comfort in life and death, for body and soul, is that we belong to our faithful Savior Jesus Christ.

The promise of the gospel does not diminish the pain and sorrow, Sauls added.

And he recognized that scripture is limited when it comes to answering the why question: “Why this child?” Why this beloved educator and wife and mother and grandmother?’

The suspect, Audrey Hale, 28, was a former student of the school. Hale did not target specific victims — including three 9-year-olds and the school’s principal — but did target “this school, this meetinghouse,” police spokesman Don Aaron said at a news conference in the wake of the attack.

Before landing in Nashville, Sauls was a pastor at Redeemer Presbyterian Church in New York City.