Worship leader Chandler Moore has apologised over a photo from his wedding that critics compared to a sexual act.

The Maverick City member posted the controversial photo to his Instagram page among a number of pictures from his wedding to Hannah Grace last week. 

Moore struck a provocative pose with his wife bent over in front of him in the photo booth set up at their wedding. 

The caption to the photo was equally provocative, with Moore saying his wife "knows how to twerrrrrrrk. #hallelujah JEEESUS." 

The picture garnered a lot of criticism from Christians who called it "ungodly" and unbecoming of a believer. 

Some high profile worship artists like Israel Houghton and Hillsong's Joel Houston have defended him. Houston said "don't stop" in a comment accompanied by lots of love hearts, while Houghton said people could just unfollow if they didn't like the photo. 

Moore later apologised but has refused to remove the picture from his Instagram. 

"We weren't doing a 'sexual act.' As I said in caption, she was dancing ... That's all. If it offended you that I posted it, I apologize," he wrote in a lengthy statement posted to his Instagram. 

But he followed up by criticising the critics, whose "demeaning" comments about the photo had been "saddening". 

"No part of that is Christlike," Chandler wrote. "The first principle of correction is... you need proximity to someone to give healthy correction. 100% of those who posted publicly or commented literally do not know me."

He continued, "Shame me & post about me all you want. Don't care lol. But to have people who call themselves CHRISTIANS speak against my wife, our marriage, and our union is super heartbreaking."