Several things really jump out at me about Haggard.

#1 One of the qualifications for being an elder in the Church is to be “above reproach”. It’s understood that we are all sinners and will sin.  However one of the primary responsibilities he had was to remain “above reproach” . Unfortunately Mr. Haggard that ship has sailed.

Translation : Get a job… and quit scheming as to how you can regain and maintain the comfortable lifestyle you lost. The circuit he’s on with his hand out to everybody might end up being more devestating than the scandel itself.

#2 He’s directed so much angst towards those he percieves have betrayed him, namely his church family in Colorado Springs. Well, who taught and trained those very people for years and years ?

#3 People are people, we all fall short. If the Haggards feel that they are victims of backlash let’s remember how this story broke… the evening news, cable news, state newspapers. It’s not like Haggard walked before his people and humbly confessed and asked for forgiveness (of course he did after the fact, in written form if I remember). Betrayal takes time to get over, forgiveness has to be processed and I can’t help but wonder if he expected forgiveness to come, not in simple words but in a six figure job offer, a house in the burbs and a book deal… beacause that seems to be what he’s pursuing now.

The victims here are Mr. Haggards Wife and Children. I think the family would do a whole lot better if he simply got a job in the real World and quit dragging himself along on this pity party.

Guys, I would say that while I understand your thoughts, where is grace in this for you? While Haggard sinned and in a very visible and public way, the Jesus you love and follow, is the same one that loves and forgives you and Ted Haggard.

I struggle with the way Haggard has dealt with this sin. I don’t feel that he has really owned this entirely. But I cannot know his heart. It may well be that he and God are farther down this road (of forgiveness and healing) than we are with him.

While it is easy to be upset and angered at Haggard, I can hear the words of Jesus in the back of my mind as I think of your comments and my thoughts about Ted, “how can you see to remove the speck from your brothers eye...”

You know where I am going. While we may not have sins that are similar to Haggards, but we each have sin and must come to grips with the fact that Jesus really did pay for THIS sin as well as ours..

CS,

Good thoughts.

jud,

(I can’t believe I’m saying this) I totally agree with your first point. No, I don’t agree with the characterization in your follow-up, but in terms of your concerns #1, 2, and 3… I totally agree, I think, with every sentence.

In the church today, it’s up to us who are leaders to make ourselves accountable. Ted didn’t. Would this have happened if he had had some people in his face with grace? Perhaps, but it might have been more difficult.

CS,

I understand where you are coming from on your point about Pastor Furtick. What’s amazing is that there was nothing about Jesus’ APPEARANCE that would draw people to him, but when you visit churches and their web-sites and see young pastors who we are esteeming it often seems that appearance is the paramount goal! The April 27 edition of Newsweek has an articlle entitled “Generation Me” (p48 by Raina Kelley) which speaks to the same thing you are getting at I believe.

It is the epidemic of narcissism.

It’s a big reason why Ted Haggard simply has to remain in the publics gaze and it’s the reason SO many upstart churches are, it seems, as obssessed with branding their image and marketing that image than fulfilling the Great Commission.

And it all seems to start with the recognition and personality of the senior pastor.  As I’ve called it before… Cult of Personality. 

I don’t think this narcissism it’s limited to mine and Furtick’s generation (X) but it is pervasive throughout our culture.  Even churches who elevate “missional” to the top of their platform meticulously document (through video, photos and print) anything they have done… and even Market it.

CS, it goes BEYOND a hunch on your part when you see that message series at Elevation Church include an extended series on leadership (Purple People Leader). Humans don’t need to be taught how to lead, we need to be taught how to follow!!! Leadership is THE topic of this generation of church planters. The huge problem I have with that is that it puts the focus on people, the self proclaimed leaders. Excuse me but we already have our leader, The Holy Spirit, we need TEACHERS. The problem is… teaching is a role of humility (thats coming from a public school teacher here) Teachers simply point to Truth.

Leaders require the “gaze of the masses