Twenty months after hiring Ted Max as its lead pastor, he and the multi-campus Parkview Christian Church in Illinois have mutually decided to take a step back from that decision.
Max and Randy Moll, chairman of the church’s eight-member board, told congregants in an announcement Sunday that they concluded after months of discussions he was not the “best long-term fit” for the job, noting that a scandal did not prompt this course of action.
“Over the last 20 months, it’s been an incredible honor for me to get to be here on this stage to preach, teach and lead our church in this season, and to walk alongside you during this season. But during that same time, I’ve been in discussion with the church leadership, and together, we have come to an agreement that I am not the best long-term fit for this role at Parkview,” said Max, who previously served for 17 years at Vale Church, which is also in Illinois.
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“Today, beginning in this moment, I’m going to be taking a step back from the role of lead pastor but continue to teach for a period of time, for a season. And the church leaders and I are still determining what that looks like and for how long that period will last,” he added.
He urged congregants to continue giving, serving, attending church services and refrain from speculating why the partnership didn’t work.
“Don’t be dissension stirrers. Don’t be pot stirrers. Don’t get out on the internet and post stuff. Some of you [are] like, ‘I can’t wait to get out and post something.’ Stop it. Don’t do it,” he warned. “It’s not what God wants.”
Moll said that over the last two months, the board had “a lot of big conversations” with Max that were both thoughtful and “at times tough.”
“Through those conversations, Ted came to a courageous conclusion that, ‘Hey, in a few key areas, we may not be fully aligned, and that’s OK,'” Moll said.
Max suggested he step out of the lead pastor role with a plan to leave Parkview completely, and the board “unanimously agreed.”
“It’s a very natural thing for people to wonder and speculate in situations like this, so let me just say this plainly: there’s no scandal, there’s no sin, there’s no disparagement or disagreement over theology or teaching or anything like that,” Moll stated.
“We will be all in praying for support for Ted as he looks for what’s next and what God has in store for you,” Moll added. “We’re going to pray fervently for his family for clarity in God’s calling and pray that God places you exactly where you want to be to have an even greater impact than you’ve already had here.”
Max will preach with “reduced frequency,” giving him “space to explore his next steps,” according to an update on the church website.
Pastor Todd Clark, who has served at Parkview for the last 10 years, will begin to preach on more weekends throughout the year, and others will also contribute as guest speakers and teachers.
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