Todd Wagner, senior pastor and co-founder of Watermark Community Church in Dallas, Texas, has reportedly retired since heading the church for more than two decades.
"We are fully convinced that today, in the interest of Christ, for me and for my family, and for Watermark in this next season, it would be best served by me ending my season in serving as pastoral elder of Watermark Community Church," said Wagner as quoted by CBN News from his video statement posted on the church's website.
Wagner's resignation was confirmed after he announced last September that he was temporarily standing down from the pulpit owing to the sin of pride, according to the Christian Post (CP).
"For the first time in 20 years, I'm stepping back from what I usually do so I can do the hard work of hard work," Wagner reportedly told the congregation.
"So don't be looking for some scandal. Don't even think this is scandalous. What is scandalous is when a Christian plays with, overlooks or welcomes sin, respectable or not," he added.
It is uncommon for the sin of pride to hit the news, but Wagner said that he is attempting to be completely transparent about it. He also thanked God for surrounding him with friends who helped him, emphasizing that "pride kills."
"And I would call what I've heard my friends describing and telling me, pride. That's the sin. And it's really interesting because you know I don't think of myself or I fool myself into thinking I'm not a prideful person because I never look in the mirror and clap," he said.
In-House Protocols
In November of 1999, Wagner and a handful of friends initiated the church. According to CP, the church currently has about 11,000 weekly worshippers spread over two campuses.
Wagner's resignation was confirmed by church elders Kyle Thompson and Mickey Friedrich in a statement on Sunday, three weeks after Elder David Leventhal resigned from his role as an elder and a staff member.
Leventhal, his wife, and their children had been active members of the Watermark congregation since its inception. He said that he resigned due to a loss of confidence in Wagner's capacity to serve as senior pastor and elder.
"We believe both men are seeking to be faithful to the Lord and honor one another in this process," explained the elders. "At the same time, we land at a different place than David and Todd regarding why we have arrived here. After hundreds of hours of conversations over several months, every member of the Elder team, Elder Emeritus team, and the various community groups involved all affirm these decisions."
According to their letter, after a trying season, Leventhal and Wagner are reconciled and will work again on the Elder Emeritus committee. Present alternatives are also being explored to determine how each person can best support the mission in the coming days.
Additionally, the elders announced that another nominee has been chosen for the role of elder and is currently undergoing the nominee procedure.
