But before their plan could come to fruition, an article was released divulging Lawson’s whereabouts and the church he has been attending. Archer said:
[On] (Jan 24, 2025) I learned that an acquaintance with inside knowledge had decided to go on the record preemptively, without informing Lawson, his family, Trinity Bible Church (TBC), or OnePassion. The source of the story is a former PCA pastor who was fired by his Presbytery and is now the pastor of the church where Lawson is attending while living in Nashville. He gained the information in confidence. Yesterday he (naively?) disgorged this sensitive information to a gossip rag, widely regarded in Evangelical circles as self-aggrandizing, biased, and unreliable. He asked not to be named and rather to be referred to as “a reliable source” or “an anonymous source,” but he only thought to make that request early this morning. The article had already been posted with his name and picture!
Archer later discovered that the pastor was “genuinely trying to help,” and he informed Archer that he had “no idea that the person who contacted him for comment worked for a publication known for being antagonistic and biased.”
Archer went on to provide further details of Lawson’s story “to balance the slant of that article.”
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What started out as a friendship five years ago with a young woman didn’t turn sexual in nature until shortly after the relationship was exposed, Archer explained.
“After his adultery was discovered, Lawson confessed his sin to the elders of his church and to his family,” Archer said. “He moved to Nashville, to temporarily stay with his brother, because that is what all involved agreed would be best for the church and family, as they all processed the shocking news.” Archer added, “Lawson agreed to do so until such time that his family and church felt it was appropriate for him to return to Dallas, though no period was stipulated.”
Lawson attends church in Nashville with his brother and is in “daily contact with a few men who have experience counseling fallen pastors.” These men, Archer informed, were selected by Lawson’s spiritual leaders and have been reporting back to the elders of Trinity Bible Church and the OnePassion Ministries board.
Archer said that Lawson is in contact with his wife and has visited her, but at the request of the Trinity Bible Church elders, Lawson is still residing in Nashville with his brother.
“Lawson is fully aware that he is permanently disqualified from ministry and is not under any illusion that he could ever be restored to a teaching position or ministry capacity that requires the qualifications of an elder,” Archer shared. “He returned cash advances for book contracts he will no longer publish. He is considering avenues for secular employment.”
At first, Lawson was hesitant to provide details of his infidelity, but since repenting of that, Archer said that Lawson has “offered a full and detailed confession to his elders and family.” Lawson has also been “fully cooperative” with everyone involved who is counseling him, including the elders at Trinity Bible Church. Lawson is also providing his family with “space,” so that they can process what they have experienced through Lawson’s sin.
