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By now, you’ve heard about Ted Haggard and the “alleged” homosexual encounter with a male escort.
This morning at New Life Church a letter from Ted Haggard was read to the congregation - around 14,000 strong.
Matt D. and I were driving back from Salina, Kansas last night listening to talk radio about it. You can imagine the comments. From both extremes.
One of my favorites lines was from the DJ - “What a freakin’ money-loving hypocrite. How the ____ can a (donkey) like that represent Jesus? He can’t and he doesn’t. Neither does any of those mega-hypocrite churches in the Springs.”
Matt asked me - how the heck does a guy get either that stupid or dark. In the immortal words of Ron White - you can’t fix stupid BUT you can fix dark…with light.
I’m hoping that this week becomes the best week of Ted’s life. The week were the charade ended and hope was restored. I’m hoping for that.
“He was framed. You know he was.” Are we kidding each other? Maybe he was but you don’t think Billy Graham is a target either? What about every other pastor or youth worker? If you advance the name of Jesus you are a target. That’s not a surprise nor should it be an excuse.
Stuff That Bothers Me About It
What Ted isn’t doing. If he’s guilty - the only way home to healing is to come clean with it all. No more “I don’t know this man” on Thursday, “I do know this man but have never been alone with him” on Friday, “I paid him for a massage and meth in a motel” on Saturday confessions.
The meanness of elementary and middle school kids. Another family of kids who get to reap the consequences of someone elses sin.
The shame of a bride.
I’m not worried about Jesus or His church. He loves her and He can take care of himself. Besides - it appears that our lost friends understand this has nothing to do with Jesus.
In the meantime, I’m praying for all parties involved.
1 response so far ↓
1 bp in ks // Nov 8, 2006 at 11:27 am
A friend sent me an article today entitled “Ted Haggard and the Importance of Accountability”. You can read the entire article at http://www.khouse.org/enews_article/2006/1139/print/
An excerpt I felt was key:
Aside from his apology, however, Haggard said something in his letter that every church leader in the country, and indeed every Christian, should take note of. He said, “when I stopped communicating about my problems, the darkness increased and finally dominated me.” In other words, when he stopped being honest, when he stopped making sure he stayed accountable to somebody, that’s when he lost the fight and slid into the pit.
James 5:16 says, “Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.”
We are all susceptible to sliding into that same pit when we pretend we have it all together and fail to admit that we are flawed, sinful human beings.
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