Turmoil at R.C. Sproul’s Legacy Institutions Leads to Stephen Nichols’ Departure
Three closely connected Reformed organizations founded by the late R.C. Sproul – St. Andrew’s Chapel, Ligonier Ministries, and Reformation Bible College – have all parted ways with prominent church historian and author Dr. Stephen Nichols amid escalating conflict at the Florida church.
St. Andrew’s Chapel (Sanford, Florida) excommunicated Nichols and his wife, Heidi, on March 10, 2026, for “contumacy” (defiance of church authority). The couple had already resigned their membership in December 2025 after the church voted to leave the Presbyterian Church in America (PCA). They immediately joined another PCA congregation and say they remain in good standing there. Nichols has stated publicly that the underlying issue involved the family reporting suspicions of sexual abuse of their daughter by then-youth pastor Stephen Adams; the church, however, pursued charges against the Nicholses and excommunicated them for refusing to participate in its judicial process after they had left.
Ligonier Ministries quietly removed Nichols’ profile as chief academic officer and teaching fellow last week. His popular podcast (5 Minutes in Church History), videos, and articles remain available for now.
Reformation Bible College, where Nichols served as president for 12 years, announced his tenure will end on May 31, 2026, describing it only as a “season of transition.” He is expected to finish out the current semester.
The three ministries share a campus and have long collaborated to carry on Sproul’s legacy, so the rapid, coordinated departures have drawn significant attention. The moves follow years of internal tension at St. Andrew’s, including:
- Senior pastor Burk Parsons being suspended by the PCA for being harsh, domineering, and quarrelsome (he is appealing the ruling).
- The church’s subsequent decision to withdraw from the PCA.
- A public feud between Nichols and former youth pastor Stephen Adams, who resigned from ministry in recent weeks.
Nichols has described the process as unfair, noting there was never a full trial on the original accusations. St. Andrew’s elders maintain that excommunication was necessary because the Nicholses refused to submit to the church’s authority.
Neither Ligonier nor the college has given a detailed public explanation for Nichols’ exit. Nichols, through statements on social media and to supporters, has thanked the ministries for handling the transition graciously while expressing pain over the personal attacks and narratives circulating online.
This situation highlights ongoing fractures in one of the most influential networks in American Reformed Christianity, rooted in a mix of church governance disputes, leadership style clashes, and serious personal allegations.
