Billy Graham’s grandson to stay leading megachurch

Sep 21, 2009 1 min read

FORT LAUDERDALE (AP) – The grandson of the Rev. Billy Graham will continue to lead a South Florida megachurch, even though some members have called for his ouster.

Tullian Tchividjian (TUH’lee-uhn chuh-VI’-juhn) took over this year as the new pastor of Coral Ridge Presbyterian Church in Fort Lauderdale founded by the Rev. D. James Kennedy who died in 2007. Some members circulated a letter with a petition urging a meeting to consider firing Tchividjian. The letter called him “a disaster” who has shown “a complete lack of respect.”

But the motion was denied Sunday by a majority vote.

Tchividjian’s appointment represented change at Coral Ridge, which under Kennedy’s leadership, was seen as fiercely conservative.