Family Friend Releases Haggard Email
- Posted by: Todd
- Posted on: Thu, June 26, 2008
- Viewed 74
- (26) comments so far
Here’s a link to the article...
A couple lessons from this…
1. As Perry wrote yesterday… you have to be careful… someone is ALWAYS watching, and you can’t forget: “EVERY word I speak and action I take communicates to everyone I meet how I really feel about Jesus.”
2. The truth will come out, eventually.
3. On a more practical note… email is only private until you hit the ‘send button’
4. Even friends of 20 years have a tendency to want their day in the limelight, even if it means sharing your deepest, darkest secrets.
5. If you doubt that, refer back to #1.
What do you think?
Longtime Ted Haggard friend, Kurt Serpe has released a private email he supposedly received from Haggard. The email, released to a Colorado television station, tells graphic details of what brought about Haggard's fall from grace two years ago, and was the result of Serpe asking Haggard point-blank for the truth. "I thought it was important to know, so I could have clarity." Serpe has known the Haggard family for more than 20 years. His family began going to New Life when Haggard held services in the basement of his home. Serpe stopped going to New Life after Haggard was forced to resign.
Serpe shared the e-mail with the media because "he felt the truth needed to be told." At first he was shocked by what Haggard wrote, but is happy to finally know the details...
Comments
if you want a Globally Recognized Avatar (the images next to your profile) get them here. Once you sign up, they will displayed on any website that supports them.
Leonard on Thu, June 26, 2008
Todd, it is all just sad. That is what I think. Dr. Hunt has it right when he says we should hate our own sin.
Peter Hamm on Thu, June 26, 2008
I refuse to read the linked story. This was an inappropriate release of information, imho. Let’s take the high road and drop it.
Andy Wood on Thu, June 26, 2008
It’s an example of why pastors tend to avoid accountability and communicate even with closest friends at a “press conference” level.
Peter Hamm on Thu, June 26, 2008
It’s also why I’m VERY careful about what I share and who with in many areas of my life.
Good advice out of this… Be REAL careful to have “safe people” and be real careful with them even when you determine that they are safe. I have NOT had to learn this lesson the hard way so far…
btw, Todd, I didn’t mean to criticize your posting of the story above. I just hoped that the discussion would turn away from gossip. Perhaps it will.
Andy Wood on Thu, June 26, 2008
Peter, the irony of it all is that I believe like every other believer, pastors crave a safe relationship where they can authentically share their struggles, and when the fear of exposure/failure/rejection, etc. causes us to isolate, it only heightens the temptation to “rage against all wise judgment” (Proverbs 18:1).
bishopdave on Thu, June 26, 2008
If you’ve been friends for 20 years, and he’s still not trustworthy—who is?
A carpenter or accountant does this, we keep the secret; the pastor does it, it’s in the paper. Andy is exactly right—as much as we’d like to be honest, the fact that we would be sharing with another sinful human means the risk is too great.
Joe Louthan on Thu, June 26, 2008
So Ted fell.
So his friend blabbed about it.
So what.
How does that change what we do as leaders?
Nothing.
Leonard on Thu, June 26, 2008
I agree Peter, I also did not link. It is imperative to have confidants and accountability but finding that is also hugely difficult.
Andy McAdams on Thu, June 26, 2008
A friend of 20 years thinks this needs to come out, so he goes to the newspaper, rather then the leaders? Some friend.
CS on Thu, June 26, 2008
bishopdave:
“If you’ve been friends for 20 years, and he’s still not trustworthy—who is?”
Jesus. And that’s some great news. =)
—
CS
Anthony Leroy Trask on Thu, June 26, 2008
It is SO wrong that his friend sent this email to the media and for the media to repost it. The details of Mr Haggard’s moral fall are none of our business; instead we should be examining our own sin.
pastordon on Thu, June 26, 2008
I am totally confused why Serpe would send a private email to the press. Isn’t it simply wrong? If he is truly Haggard’s friend, should he not go and confront Haggard privately first and ask Haggard to tell the truth?
Being in the ministry is already a challenging thing. The loneliness is not easy to bear. I consider it extremely difficult to find a friend or accountability partner to whom I can be transparent and vulnerable. I need my brother to be with me. This is perhaps how God wired me. Now, knowing that what I share privately might be used against me at a later time, and even publicly, really bothers me.
Lori on Thu, June 26, 2008
I don’t know what would possess someone to release this information. However, after 15 years in the ministry I have learned:
1. I need a confidant and accountability partner - not a subordinate staff or volunteer nor a member of my church but someone outside of my church.
2. Be careful what you do and say.
3. Never put anything in writing that you would be loath to the have the world see.
4. Trust the Lord in all painful, stressful etc times.
anon on Fri, June 27, 2008
You guys have learned zilch from Brother Ted’s example (EXCEPT to keep your personal deceits entirely Hush Hush).
May I suggest to you that Brother Ted didn’t get to where he is today because a male prostitute jerked him off and sold him drugs. It’s because Ted built a big-box career upon the foundation of DAMNING OTHERS TO HELL for the sin he himself thoroughly enjoyed in his personal life. It’s that “contrast” between public leadership and private immorality that offends, not the immorality itself. You Elmer Gantries might think about that, seeing as how your number one concern, expressed in these comments, is only to cover your own butts.
Oh, and please tell me you’re not so ignorant of the manipulative personality that you believe Ted’s e-mail confession covers all of the shenanigans that occurred between him and that prostitute.
Leonard Lee on Fri, June 27, 2008
Hey Anon, it is easy to shout people down anonymously. I agree with you on this. Ted lived 2 lives and that is what was so harmful to so many. I do not see anyone seeking to cover their own butts here. Try this, don’t be anonymous, try to have a conversation without accusation and I think you will find people around here will engage you, even if we disagree. Thanks,
Page 1 of 2 pages 1 2 >
Post a Comment