My heart breaks for Ted and the Church at large.

He’s not perfect (nor am I), and he’s bound to make mistakes - and even sin.

I’m not saying I believe the allegations - and I probably won’t until I hear it from someone more reliable than a male prostitute with an agenda.

If he did these things he needs to repent, step down and get some godly help.  If not, then may God bring it to light, and may those who have sought to besmirch him pay the penalty, legally and otherwise, in hopes that they will repent and come to Christ for forgiveness.

Brian

The national media is gleefully reporting accusations of immorality against Ted Haggard, a highly respected national minister.

Please keep him and his family and their church lifted up in prayer regardless of the truth or falsehood of these accusations.

As Christians we must not shoot our wounded. We must pray for truth to be revealed and for repentance and deliverance to be acheived.

“He who is without sin cast the first stone.”

As Christians we are to seek God and pray that his glory to be manifested in this very challenging set of circumstances.

We are going to see more of this as time draws to a close. We must be sure to seek God ourselves and make sure that we keep our own personal walk with God healthy and vibrant regardless of what we see around us.

Stay Blessable and do not allow accusing words to rest in our lips. Satan is the accuser of the brethren...please don’t become his mouthpiece.

Danny B. Daniels II
Better Life Ministries

I Peter 5:8 “Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.”

We need to pray a “hedge of protection” for all our church leaders!  He attacks the most influential for maximum impact (damage).

I join you all in the feeling of shock and sadness. I do think it is important that we do not stand in judgment of Ted in whatever indiscretions he confesses. I am praying for Ted, his family and church.

It has also renewed my thoughts that those of us in leadership need to remain humble before God and before peers/friends in the ministry. I spoke to a pastor friend this morning on the phone and we renewed our covenant to be that person in each others lives to whom we can run when we feel tempted or when we feel like our lives are spinning out of control. There is something intoxicating about power and position, whether you pastor a church of 10,000 or 100. We have to remain “sober” and humble, because the way I look at it...I am no better and no more spiritual than Ted. I could just as easily stumble, fall or walk into sin.

I think we do not to be critical or judgmental, but I think it is benefical to use incidences like this to examine our own hearts.

Derek

Like everyone, this news puts a lump in my stomach and pain in my heart for what its implications are for Christianity and both follower and nonbelievers. On one hand I believe in “innocent until proven guilty” but it appears that with recent updates of some sort of admission (whether that be to drugs or the gay affair)… there is some validity to the claims. My gut says that we’ll hear a full admission of guilt at some point or the accuser will share enough evidence to prove it his allegations. I hope I am wrong.
What scares me the most is multi-fold. I was just reading a post on the Catalyst Blog that said “Evangelical Christian leaders are alarmed teens are abandoning their faith in droves. The concern is stoked by a controversial claim that if current trends continue, only 4% of teens will be “Bible-believing Christians” as adults.”
Evangelical leaders are alarmed? With good reason I assume. This type of incident happening with Haggard will get tried in the court of public opinion and the damage is already being done, regardless of admission of guilt or proof. I just watched an NBC special interview with Haggard a few months back and remember thinking, “Wow, this guy’s got it together.” Guess it’s another example of us being careful not to put our faith and trust in man but in God alone. People and pastors are human and just as prone to mistakes as anyone but it’s obviously such a sad day when a man of God who is such a predominant witness to others is called into such question.
Reminds me of a sermon series Rob Bell just did… “Jesus Wants to Save Christian’s Too.”

I join all of you in prayer, for New Life, for the staff at NAE, and for the Haggard family.  This is a terrible tragedy, no matter how it plays out.  I’m sick today about it.

I know the power of our enemy, he knows the vulnerable spot in each of our armor and will strike there.  I am challenged to ask God, as David did, to search my heart, show the chinks in my armor and how to insure that I am protected.

However, I have a caution in my spirit about responding to this with too much emphasis on “Satan is attacking again.” First, because there is no temptation he can bring which we do not have the power to withstand and overcome.  And second, because of the way this response plays to those on the outside looking in.  If I were not a Christ follower and I heard Christians responding to the “sin” of another Christian with words about Satan, I think it would sound like excusing . . . “it’s all Satan’s fault.” Now I’m not suggesting anyone here has done that, just a caution I feel.  Does that make sense?

I think the secular public will be watching this one for our response with more scrutiny because Haggard has been such a public and political advocate against the gay rights agenda.  It would serve us well to not be mad at the public for watching with baited breath.  In a way, Haggard invited the scrutiny (which I’m not criticizing) when he entered the public and political debate.

I have to disagree with Danny Daniels about the national media “gleefully” reporting this.  I’m no fan of the media and recognize that there is often a bias.  But I’ve read several national pieces and listened to two network reports on this, and I feel all have been factual and fair.  Again, Haggard’s position as the pastor of a 14,000 member church, president of the NAE and outspoken political voice against the gay rights agenda makes this national news. 

Wendi

I think we will find that the allegations about drugs are true but that the other is politically motivated and false.

I don’t know how anyone could be so outspoken against gay marriage while engaging in homosexual acts.  With his face on tv all the time bashing the gay lifestyle, this would be a recipe for disaster and I think Ted would be smarter than that.

Not that using drugs is much better, but at least it’s not the thing that everyone knows him for being so against.

I feel sick like the rest of you.  Ted just admitted to buying the drugs from his accuser whom he met when his hotel referred him for a massage.  He Denied using the drugs (or any sex with accuser) but said he threw them away.

His whole family is in my prayers.

When the bible tells us not to be unaware of the enemy’s schemes, the word schemes means plans.  Satan actually plans how he will take us out.

Will, you said:

“I don’t know how anyone could be so outspoken against gay marriage while engaging in homosexual acts. “

Just because someone engages in a behavior doesn’t mean that in their speaking against they are being hypocritical.  There are plenty of pastors who preach against pornography yet struggle with it, sometimes losing the battle.  Some of these are my friends.  They believe it is sin, yet the pull is great and they succumb.  I can tell you that the shame of falling is great, and the strain on their souls is huge, because they know it is sin.

Should pastors only address issues they have completely conquered?  I don’t think so.  In fact, I would be of the opinion that a person who only addresses those issues has other issues they wish to hide or ignore.

Second, and this is incredibly important: there is no proof to the allegations.  So to say he is engaging in homosexual acts is jumping the gun.  And I repeat my earlier post: I won’t believe the charges until I hear evidence from someone other than a male prostitute with an admittedly political agenda.

Brian

Great comment sid. I agree.

I’m just going to go way out on a limb and say that I find it hard to believe that Mr. Haggard - a prominent famous pastor - bought Methamphetamine for the first time from a random person that a hotel recommended for a massage.

The religious right crucified a sitting President for his “I didn’t inhale” comment, and jumped up and down with glee when he was caught on tape saying “I did not have sexual relations with that woman Miss Lewinski.” He was wrong to do both of those things, and even more wrong to attempt to justify his actions the way he did.

But I wonder if we’re willing to apply the same pressure to one of our own.

And I wonder if we’ll learn the lesson from one of our own.

We need to be extremely careful who we elevate to superstar status, and who we allow to speak for all of us. Those people need to subject themselves to the most stringent of accountability so that they are more protected from this kind of fall that threatens to take the rest of us with them.

Two thoughts…

One - Heartbreaking for his family most of all and no value to anyone to gloat or pile on.

Two - Is this inevitable risk of mega ministries and celebrity Christian leaders worth it?

This is sad, tragic, and it is not something any of us is beyond. I will pray for the Haggards, for the their church, and for the kingdom of God.

I am not sure that success makes this more likely, I am sure pastors and leaders in all chruch, large and small alike have this capacity.

Bernie:
Not to nitpick, but I’m pretty sure it IS illegal to have sex with a prostitute for money, male or female, in the state of Colorado…