Sam Allberry Disqualified From Ministry After Relationship Revelation

sam allberry was disqualified from ministry by the elders at Immanuel Nashville after they said he had an inappropriate relationship with another adult man. He resigned as an associate pastor at the church and as a fellow of The Keller Center for Cultural Apologetics.

The Gospel Coalition said it was informed by Allberry yesterday about “an inappropriate relationship with another man a few years ago” and that an announcement would be made at Immanuel Church regarding his resignation as a pastor. It also removed all of his content from its website and social media channels.

Immanuel Nashville action

Immanuel Nashville identified Allberry as an associate pastor, placing him in church leadership before the elders said he was disqualified from ministry. The church also lists T.J. Tims, Barnabas Piper, Vince Greenwald, Tony Shepherd, Russell Moore, Ray Ortlund and Gavin Ortlund among its leaders.

Allberry’s resignation affects both his local church role and his fellowship at The Keller Center. For readers who followed his writing and speaking, the immediate change is that he is no longer serving in those posts, and his published material is being pulled from one of the main platforms that carried it.

The Gospel Coalition response

The Gospel Coalition board of directors said, “TGC was informed yesterday by Sam Allberry about ‘an inappropriate relationship with another man a few years ago’ and that an announcement would be made today at Immanuel Church regarding his resignation as a pastor.” The board added, “We are heartbroken over this news, and we continue to pray for Sam, Immanuel Church, and everyone affected.”

Allberry grew up in England. He became aware that he was same-sex attracted when he was 15 years old and became a Christian when he was 18. He has written for The Gospel Coalition, Desiring God and Living Out, and he is the author of Is God Anti-Gay?, What God Has to Say About Our Bodies and Biblical Manhood.

Sam Allberry's ministry record

Those details explain why the announcement reached beyond one congregation. Allberry’s work has appeared in books and on multiple Christian platforms, so the removal of his content from The Gospel Coalition marked a wider shift than a church resignation alone.

The next step named in the statement was the announcement at Immanuel Church regarding his resignation as a pastor. For anyone following Allberry’s teaching or the church’s leadership, that is the point at which the practical changes become visible: his ministry posts have ended, and his material has already been taken down from one major channel.