Dr. Stephen Nichols Announces Excommunication from St. Andrew’s Chapel Following Contumacy Allegations

Dr. Stephen Nichols, former president of Reformation Bible College and Ligonier Ministries Teaching Fellow, has addressed recent rumors about his family. St. Andrew’s Chapel, the church founded by Dr. R.C. Sproul and located adjacent to Ligonier Ministries, announced that Nichols and his wife Heidi were excommunicated for contumacy. The church defined contumacy as the “willful and persistent refusal to submit to the lawful authority of the church.”

In a recent letter to supporters, Ligonier President and CEO Chris Larson announced that Nichols would conclude his tenure at Ligonier and Reformation Bible College on May 31, 2026. Larson expressed gratitude for Nichols’ years of service, noting the significant growth of the college under his leadership. Robert Wohleber, chairman of RBC’s board, echoed this sentiment, celebrating Nichols’ twelve years of faithful service and the college’s development into one of America’s strongest Reformed Christian colleges.

Nichols shared his appreciation for the time spent at RBC and Ligonier, expressing gratitude for the people he served. He noted that both institutions handled the transition with “amicable, gracious, and honorable” conduct, and that his family sought to do the same.

St. Andrew’s Chapel, which recently left the Presbyterian Church in America following the suspension of its pastor, Burk Parsons, by the Central Florida Presbytery, stated that the Nichols family was excommunicated due to their refusal to comply with the church’s authority. Nichols now shares his perspective, stating, “Since others have shared their version of events, we believe it is appropriate to share ours.”

In January 2024, Nichols’ daughter Grace’s counselor reported suspected sexual abuse of Grace by Stephen Adams, the former associate pastor of youth and family ministry at St. Andrew’s. Adams denies the accusation and filed a police report against the Nichols family in January 2025 for defamation. He recently resigned from his position at St. Andrew’s “against the wishes of [his] fellow elders,” adding that he was not fired.

After realizing they “were at an impasse with [the] church and that [they] had different perspectives on how to handle this situation,” Nichols said his family began looking for another church in the area. The situation continues to unfold, with both parties maintaining their positions.

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