Art Azurdia, Calvinistic pastor of Trinity Church of Portland in Portland, Oregon was recently fired over sexual misconduct allegations. The church released the following public statement:
On Sunday, June 24, the elders of Trinity Church of Portland received an accusation that Art Azurdia has been in a sexually immoral relationship with a woman from outside of Trinity Church. The elders of Trinity Church, after an initial investigation, confronted Art with the accusation. Art admitted to the immorality. He also admitted to a previous sexually immoral relationship. Based on these facts and the biblical qualifications required of an elder (1 Timothy 3, Titus 1), the elders have removed Art Azurdia as Senior Minister of Word and Worship at Trinity Church, as an elder, and from all pastoral ministry at Trinity Church. We grieve the shame this brings to the Gospel and the sorrow it brings to God’s people.
Pulpit & Pen, lamenting the fall of one of their own, had this to say about Azurdia:
Many thousands have been blessed by the preaching of Art Azurdia, especially in circles that are considered to be more theologically sound. Along with his role of pastor at the church he planted, Trinity Church, Azurdia also served as a professor of theology at Western Seminary and taught homiletics.
Azurdia is from the San Francisco Bay Area, and attended California State University where he got a degree in music. He received his M. Div. from The American Baptist Seminary of the West in Berkeley , California and his Doctorate in Ministry from Westminster Seminary in California. Prior to planting Trinity Church, he had served another congregation for nearly twenty years. Azurdia founded the Spurgeon Fellowship at Western Seminary. His preaching became very popular around 2007-2008 and many know him from clips played on Wretched Radio and elsewhere.
circles that are theologically sound? hmmmmm. not safe sex, then?
Easy. He may have manipulated the women and abused their weaknesses. Remember them, too. #metoo
I loved Art Azurdia’s preaching. The pain for me is about how well he drew people into his seemingly “sound theological preaching” and posed as a faithful husband through the “charisma” of all he stood for, all the while he knew he was deceiving everyone ….. EXCEPT God. Did he struggle with his secret at all? Did his wife live with it all in secret – did she know? For how long did she suffer in heartbroken pain to keep it silent for his reputation sake? How could he let so many down because of his living lies. Anger for the deceived come before Arts restoration. Lord have Mercy. We all sin. No one is immune.