On 6 January 2026, author and speaker Philip Yancey confessed to an extramarital affair with a married woman. The affair had lasted eight years.
In an emailed statement to Christianity Today, the 76-year-old said he would retire from speaking and writing, marking the end of a career spanning more than five decades.
“My conduct defied everything that I believe about marriage,” the American wrote. “It was also totally inconsistent with my faith and my writings and caused deep pain for her husband and both of our families.”
Yancey has been married to his wife, Janet, for 55 years. In 2022, he was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease.
His books, including The Jesus I Never Knew and What’s So Amazing About Grace?, have sold over 15 million copies worldwide and been translated into more than 40 languages.
Council of Churches Malaysia general secretary, Rev. Philip Lok, said his first response to the news was sadness for Yancey’s family and those shaped by the author’s writings over the decades.
“But in a world where new societal patterns are leading to increased incidences of extramarital affairs, we must be humble to acknowledge that Christian leaders are becoming more vulnerable. Hence, we need to be on guard, both spiritually and matrimonially,” he told Asian Beacon.
“I pray that Yancey will be able to experience the grace of forgiveness from his wife and those he has hurt, as he seeks healing from God’s throne of grace,” he added.
Rev. Dr. T. Jeyakumar, the Bishop of the Methodist Church in Malaysia, acknowledged that Scripture treats serious moral failure with gravity, especially among those entrusted with spiritual leadership.
“When leaders fall, the harm extends beyond those involved, affecting families, congregations, and the church’s public witness. These painful moments also expose the dangers of celebrity culture, where prominence can outpace accountability and gifting can be mistaken for character,” he observed.
In his statement, Yancey said he grieved over the devastation he had caused.
“I realise that my actions will disillusion readers who have previously trusted in my writing. Worst of all, my sin has brought dishonour to God,” he said. “I am filled with remorse and repentance, and I have nothing to stand on except God’s mercy and grace.”
His wife, Janet, also sent a short statement to Christianity Today.
“I am speaking from a place of trauma and devastation that only people who have lived through betrayal can understand,” she wrote. “Yet I made a sacred and binding marriage vow 55 and a half years ago, and I will not break that promise.”
She continued: “I accept and understand that God, through Jesus, has paid for and forgiven the sins of the world, including Philip’s. God grant me the grace to forgive also, despite my unfathomable trauma. Please pray for us.”
Bible College of Malaysia (BCM) president, Rev. Dr. Victor Lee, told Asian Beacon that he had first read Yancey’s books as an undergraduate student at BCM.
Yancey’s writings had deeply impacted his life, and he is grieving along with the family.
“Nonetheless, I am reminded that no one is invulnerable to temptations. No amount of achievements, titles, or ministry experience can absolve us from the responsibility to maintain our spiritual walk with God,” he said. “I pray for God to continue His redeeming work with all the affected people.”
Bishop Jeyakumar noted that for many believers, such revelations can raise difficult questions about trust and credibility of Christian leaders.
Yet even in our disappointment, he said firmly, we are called to keep our eyes focused on Jesus Christ.
“The Christian faith does not rest on the integrity of its leaders but on the faithfulness of Jesus Christ. Even amid human failure, we can hold this truth with confidence: Christ has not failed us,” he concluded.
Looking ahead, Yancey said his focus is now on rebuilding trust and restoring his marriage. Acknowledging that he has disqualified himself from Christian ministry, he confirmed that he will retire from writing, speaking, and social media.
“I have confessed my sin before God and my wife, and have committed myself to a professional counselling and accountability program… I am now focused on rebuilding trust and restoring my marriage of 55 years… I need to spend my remaining years living up to the words I have already written. I pray for God’s grace and forgiveness, as well as yours, and for healing in the lives of those I’ve wounded,” he said.
For many believers, Yancey’s confession serves as both a sobering warning and a reminder that repentance is not merely spoken, but lived.
While his public ministry may have come to an end, his remaining years, he said, will be devoted to the quieter, harder work of faithfulness, accountability, and restoration before God.
