Why cancelling Sam Allberry is unbiblical

We worship with David’s psalms, honour the deeply flawed people included in Hebrews ‘hall of fame’ in Hebrews 11 and gloss over the Apostle Paul’s early life. But Christian leaders who admit to failures today can find themselves being cancelled and their previous ministry discredited before the ink dries on their resignation letters.

Earlier this week, apologetics author and speaker Sam Allberry resigned as pastor of Immanuel Church, Nashville, over “an inappropriate relationship with an adult man in 2022”. In a statement, the church said that they had initially been made aware of the relationship in 2024 and had conducted an inquiry. But “new information” came to light earlier this year and ultimately led to Allberry’s resignation.

Allberry has always been open about his same-sex attraction and advocates for celibacy as a calling for gay Christians (sometimes called Side B theology). He has authored popular apologetics books, including the best-selling Is God Anti-gay? and 7 Myths about Singleness (The Good Book Company).

Keep or cancel

When news broke earlier this week, The Gospel Coalition, a group of pastors and churches that “put the gospel of Jesus Christ at the centre of all activities” immediately announced that it would be removing all of Allberry’s content from its website and channels.

In contrast, Living Out, the organisation co-founded by Allberry to encourage Christians to “live out their sexuality and identity in ways that enable all to flourish in Christ-like faithfulness” took a different position.

In an online statement, they confirmed that Allberry’s “many past contributions to this site retain their value, and they will not be taken down”, adding that the organisation “exists because of people like Sam, for people like Sam.”

Two Christian organisations. Two very different reactions. Which is the more Christian attitude?

I’m worried the response of many churches and Christian organisations to leaders who ‘fall from grace’, strikes a discordant note with how we regard biblical characters. People like David - who committed adultery with Bathsheba, arranged the murder of her husband and had many wives and concubines. Or Paul who, as Saul, mercilessly persecuted Christians. Or several of the people praised in Hebrews 11 as faithful servants, including Rahab, who was a prostitute, or Samson, who struggled with lust throughout much of his life.

I’m not sure it’s correct to take such a strong stand when a leader fails – going beyond the resignation of their current role to discarding all that they have preached or written before.

Abuse or sin

Clearly, the nature of the offence matters. The abuse of children or vulnerable adults, domestic abuse, workplace bullying, sexual harassment, theft or adultery are serious - often criminal - matters and must be treated appropriately.

And at times, churches and denominations have wrongly shown too much grace – alongside a horrifying lack of concern for victims – when strict penalties, including the involvement of the police and other statutory bodies, should have been swiftly and rigorously applied.

But in situations where no law has been broken, can we sometimes take a different view? Is there still value in a person’s previous Christian ministry, even when they fall short of the (rightly) high demands we place on those who exercise authority in the Church?

In a connected, media-savvy world, is it even possible to remove everything produced by a leader over decades from the internet? Does it actually achieve anything?

I’d say very little.

We would do well to remember that the Holy Spirit works through broken human beings to exercise Christian ministry. And the Holy Spirit was influencing the leader’s preaching and writing long before they fell. There is still value in the ministries of leaders who have had to resign their roles.