According to an Associated Press article by Eric Gorski on November 23, 2008 Ted Haggard, former president of the 30 million-member National association of Evangelicals and former pastor of New Life Church in Colorado Springs, Colorado, was the featured guest speaker at the Open Bible Fellowship in Morrison, Illinois earlier this month.
According to the article the former superstar pastor who was disgraced two years ago in a sex-and-drugs scandal was presented as a Christian businessman preaching a message of “contrition and defiance.” In his article Gorski wrote, “Haggard said in 2006 he bought the drugs but never used them, confessed to ‘sexual immorality’ and described struggling with a ‘dark and repulsive’ side.” The article stated that “Haggard said a co-worker of his father molested him when he was 7, an experience that ‘started to produce fruit’ when he turned 50.” Evidently Haggard did confess “I really did sin” and apologized for making his family suffer and acknowledged suicidal thoughts. The article also said that he “chastised (the) church leaders for missing an opportunity to use his scandal to ‘communicate the gospel worldwide.’”
Haggard had agreed to leave the Colorado Springs area for a period of time and not speak publicly about the scandal according to church officials however, just a few months ago he reappeared soliciting financial support in an e-mail.
According to the AP article, “Haggard’s Nov. 2 return to the pulpit was set in motion by the Rev. Chris Byrd, a college classmate from Oral Roberts University.” Evidently Rev. Byrd sought “to offer the Haggard family support, help them heal and teach his own flock about sin and forgiveness.” However, according to the article, “By then, Haggard had moved his family back to Colorado Springs and was selling life insurance at their $700,00 home down the road from New Life Church, angering some who thought he should stay away.”
Certainly there has been others over the years and even throughout Bible history who, while following the call of God upon their lives, having fallen to the “lusts of the flesh” (Galatians 5:16) experienced God’s mercy, grace and redemption from that failure to be used further by Him for His glory. As one of Haggard’s former church members stated “I can’t really judge what’s in his heart, I think we have to watch and observe and see his actions. …”, we are reminded that it is not a believer’s right to set in judgment on someone’s life as though we are above such things. However, it is our responsibility that “…if a man is overtaken in any trespass, you who are spiritual restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness, considering yourself lest you also be tempted” (Galatians 6:1). Jesus said “Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves. You will know them by their fruits. …” (Matthew 7:15-16). AP article...
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