The Five Shocking Reasons Pastor Chris Hodges Stepped Down From Church Of The Highlands
The religious world was stunned on February 2, 2025, when Pastor Chris Hodges, the charismatic founder and long-time Senior Pastor of the massive Church of the Highlands (COTH) in Birmingham, Alabama, announced his abrupt departure from the pulpit. This move, which saw him transition to the role of Chancellor at Highlands College, immediately sparked a flurry of speculation among congregants, ministry leaders, and the broader Christian community. This article provides the most current, up-to-date analysis of the situation, detailing the official reasons and the underlying controversies that may have led to this significant leadership shift.
The Church of the Highlands is one of the largest and fastest-growing megachurches in the United States, and its leadership has been under intense scrutiny for years. The transition, framed as a strategic move to focus on leadership development, comes on the heels of several high-profile public relations crises and persistent allegations that have impacted the ministry's reputation. Understanding the full context requires looking beyond the official statement to the complex history of the influential pastor.
Pastor Chris Hodges: A Complete Biographical Profile
Chris W. Hodges is a prominent figure in American evangelicalism, known for his dynamic leadership style and his role in founding two major organizations. His career has been defined by rapid growth and, more recently, by public controversy.
- Full Name: Christopher W. Hodges
- Date of Birth: June 21, 1964
- Age (as of 2025): 60
- Place of Birth: Clarksdale, Mississippi, USA
- Parents: Curtis and Nancy Hodges
- Siblings: Brother, Randall Hodges
- Spouse: Tammy Hodges
- Children: Five children, including Jonathan Hodges (VP of Spiritual Development at Highlands College)
- Grandchildren: Eight grandchildren
- Key Roles: Founding and Senior Pastor of Church of the Highlands (until Feb 2025), Founder and Chancellor of Highlands College, Co-founder of the Association of Related Churches (ARC)
- Authorship: Bestselling author of books including Fresh Air and Legacy Letters
- Current Role (Post-Feb 2025): Chancellor of Highlands College
The Abrupt Leadership Shift: From Pastor to Chancellor
The announcement that Chris Hodges would step down as the lead pastor of COTH to focus on Highlands College was presented as a forward-looking, planned transition. However, the timing and the nature of the change—moving the founding pastor out of the main pulpit—were widely interpreted as an abrupt shift by many observers and media outlets.
The official narrative emphasized his passion for training the next generation of ministry leaders. Hodges stated that his new role as Chancellor would allow him to dedicate his full energy to Highlands College, the ministry training school he founded.
The transition is a major move for the megachurch, which boasts a weekly attendance of over 52,000 people across multiple campuses in Alabama. The move allows Hodges to maintain a significant, albeit different, leadership role within the overall Church of the Highlands organization, shifting his focus from pastoral preaching and day-to-day church operations to institutional development and education.
Five Critical Factors Behind Chris Hodges’ Departure
While the official statement frames the move as a visionary step, a deeper look at the recent history of Pastor Chris Hodges and the Church of the Highlands reveals five critical factors—including long-standing controversies—that likely contributed to the timing and necessity of this leadership change.
1. The Lingering Shadow of the Charlie Kirk Social Media Controversy
One of the most damaging public relations crises for Hodges occurred in 2020. Screenshots circulated online showing that Pastor Hodges had "liked" several controversial social media posts made by Charlie Kirk, the president of the conservative nonprofit Turning Point USA.
These posts were widely criticized as racially insensitive and inflammatory. Although Hodges publicly apologized, acknowledging that his actions were hurtful and caused division, the incident led to a significant backlash. Several Birmingham-area agencies and organizations subsequently cut ties with Church of the Highlands, citing the pastor’s social media activity as the reason.
2. Persistent Allegations of Financial Mismanagement and Lack of Transparency
Church of the Highlands, as a large, wealthy, tax-exempt organization, has faced persistent scrutiny regarding its financial practices. Allegations have surfaced concerning questionable financial arrangements, including high honorariums paid to visiting evangelists and a lack of transparency in how the church’s vast donations are utilized.
Hodges is also a co-founder of the Association of Related Churches (ARC), a major church-planting network that has itself been the subject of financial and operational questions. The combination of these factors has fueled a narrative of financial impropriety and abuse of power, making the church and its leader a frequent subject of investigative reporting.
3. The Need for a "Fresh Start" Amidst Scandal Fatigue
Beyond the specific controversies, the Church of the Highlands has been associated with a broader pattern of scandals involving other high-profile pastors and churches connected to the ARC network. This "scandal fatigue" created an environment where any perceived misstep by Hodges was magnified.
Stepping down allows the church to signal a new season of leadership and potentially distance the institution from the personal controversies of its founding pastor. The move to Highlands College, a separate but related entity, provides a clean break for the COTH pulpit while keeping Hodges within the overall ministry ecosystem.
4. A Strategic Focus on Highlands College's Growth
The official reason—dedicating himself fully to Highlands College—is also a genuine strategic move. Highlands College is a fully accredited institution focused on training future Christian leaders, offering degrees in ministry, theology, and business.
With COTH established and running, Hodges’ expertise in vision casting, leadership development, and organizational scaling (topics he discusses frequently on his GrowLeader Podcast and in his book Legacy Letters) is arguably more valuable in growing the college into a global training hub. This transition is a clear pivot toward securing his legacy through education rather than preaching.
5. Securing a Long-Term Legacy and Succession Plan
As Hodges approaches his mid-sixties, the transition is also a crucial part of a long-term succession plan. By moving to the Chancellor role, he ensures a smooth, controlled transfer of the lead pastor role to the next generation of leadership at COTH.
This move allows him to remain an influential figure—the founder and visionary—while passing the operational and pastoral torch. He secures his legacy as the founder of both the megachurch and the college, cementing his place in Christian leadership history while avoiding a potential crisis related to an unplanned or forced exit. This careful transition is seen by some as a successful maneuver to maintain influence while navigating a complex public environment.
What Happens Next for Church of the Highlands?
With Pastor Chris Hodges now fully focused on Highlands College, the Church of the Highlands enters a new era. The church is expected to continue its aggressive growth strategy, which has long been driven by Hodges' visionary leadership and the successful ARC church-planting model.
The new leadership team will face the immediate challenge of maintaining the church's massive momentum while addressing the persistent concerns regarding financial transparency and public accountability. The success of this transition will ultimately be judged by whether the church can thrive in its next chapter, free from the controversies that have defined its founder's later years in the pulpit. The focus on developing new leaders at Highlands College, under Hodges' guidance, will be the central pillar of his continuing influence on the global church landscape.
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