After more than 24 years of marriage, Joel and Ellen Cave, who founded the popular Glow Church in the Gold Coast, Australia, have separated and stepped down as senior pastors, the church has announced.
In a statement sent to church members and shared with The Christian Post, Glow Church Chairman Dave Weatherall said Ellen Cave initiated the separation, and it was not due to “moral failure or infidelity.”
“Due to some very recent information that has been submitted, the Board has made the decision for our Senior Pastors to step back from all ministry responsibilities,” Weatherall explained. “This follows a period of personal challenges that have led to, as it currently stands, a period of separation as requested by Ellen. This is not a result of moral failure or infidelity.”
“Joel is currently in a period of medical and pastoral recovery,” Weatherall stated.
Weatherall did not disclose Joel Cave’s medical ailment but stated that the couple and their children would “continue to be a part of the church family, surrounded by care, prayer and support.”
“We ask for prayer, understanding, and respect for the privacy of Joel, Ellen, the children, and the Cave Family. We thank God for the evident blessing on Glow Church, as we face the future together,” the Glow Church chairman said.
Joel and Ellen Cave founded Glow Church in 2013, according to the church’s website. The congregation grew into a multisite megachurch known for its large young-adult membership and contemporary, tech-focused worship services.
“It is the style of music we have, the use of technology, we have a lot of cutting edge screens lighting and sound,” Joel Cave told the Gold Coast Bulletin in 2018 about his approach to ministry. “Most people spend all day looking at screens and we use them because it helps people connect with our messages.”
Joel Cave was a former Kings Christian College teacher before he started the church with his wife, some friends and family on a Gold Coast balcony on January 13, 2013.
The church, which is part of the Australian Christian Churches movement, previously had multiple locations across Australia, but locations outside of the Gold Coast were released in 2024 to become autonomous churches.
As the church asks for privacy for the Caves, Weatherall suggested in his statement that leaders intend to walk alongside the family with a goal of restoration.
“The Board has taken this step with careful consideration and prayer, prioritizing our Senior Pastors wellbeing and the health of the church community. It reflects a need for both Joel and Ellen to focus on their health, healing, and family’s wellbeing during this time. The Board remains committed to walking alongside them,” Weatherall said.
“Let us remember that the same grace and hope we preach is the grace that sustains and restores us all. As we move forward, we keep our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, trusting that His work of healing and restoration will continue in each life and in our church.”
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