Ted Haggerd

[e lansing]

This is probably an old question, however, I seen a T.V. show about this fallen believer and how he is doing now. My question is how do you think the body of Christ handled this situation? And what message are we sending to the world?

Edited January 9, 2010 by e lansing

[Believer1997]

As far as I am aware his church took necessary steps to remove him from his position. When it became obvious that he had serious issues they did what needed to be done. He was in no Spiritual position to minister to his congregation or preach. What message do you think it sent to the world? I don't know that "we", whoever that may be, is sending a message. When I last heard, he was making the talk show circuits with an adoring wife at his side and appeared quite animated, though I felt they were both in some type of denial about the situation. I hope he gets well.

[elizabetht]

I believe the church did the right thing in removing him from his position, however, it also exiled him from his home town. The church not only wanted him out of the congregation, but out of site as well. He was in exile for quite sometime ( may be still) and was forced to move from place to place, and to depend on the kindness of others. All while the home that he and his wife owned (outright) sat empty.

I believe he is able to move back to Colorado Springs at some point if he hasn't already. In my opinion the church went too far on that one.

P.S. If and when Ted and his family do return to Colorado Springs, he is not allowed on church property.

[riel]

This is probably an old question, however, I seen a T.V. show about this fallen believer and how he is doing now. My question is how do you think the body of Christ handled this situation? And what message are we sending to the world?

More importantly--how did Ted Haggard handle his sin(s)? Has he truly confessed, repented, and ask forgiveness, and been delivered from the spirits of lust, homosexuality, etc?

This is just another situation that reveals the truth that born again believers can and do allow ungodly thoughts to come into their minds and, as a result, sin is allowed to reign which soon becomes a demonic addiction.

[e lansing]

As far as I am aware his church took necessary steps to remove him from his position. When it became obvious that he had serious issues they did what needed to be done. He was in no Spiritual position to minister to his congregation or preach. What message do you think it sent to the world? I don't know that "we", whoever that may be, is sending a message. When I last heard, he was making the talk show circuits with an adoring wife at his side and appeared quite animated, though I felt they were both in some type of denial about the situation. I hope he gets well.

Hello sis in the Lord

I am in no way deffending his actions, i'm suprised that he did'nt serve jail time. What i saw was that he and his family were living in hotels and all of his belonging where in a U-haul with them. The only job he has been able to find is selling ins, and it the only compony that has given him a chance. He was ran out of the church, his home, and it looks like the town he was ministering in. I agree he should never work with youth and for that probably should never be in leadership, however, shoud'nt the body of Christ act like Jesus, in terms of restoration of a brother? It seems as Christians when we see the sin of others we want judgment, when we sin we want grace and mercy. I don't think this is the message we want to send, however, it's what the world sees. For this i am saddin.

e lansing

[Miss Elly]

This is probably an old question, however, I seen a T.V. show about this fallen believer and how he is doing now. My question is how do you think the body of Christ handled this situation? And what message are we sending to the world?

I think the church went too far in running him out of his home and town. God lifts up and God puts down - he has been judged by God and man and found wanting. But people need to forgive or God won't forgive them. I don't say to restore the man back into the ministry, if he is truly repentant, he should be willing to clean toliets in any church that would receive him, if any would. However, I don't understand how if God forgave him, why shouldn't we? I sense some of the outrage is hurt pride on the part of the church. He embarrased them and they prefer to think that he should vanish off the face of the earth. If he truly repents, he will be in the same heaven they are.

[Believer1997]

As far as I am aware his church took necessary steps to remove him from his position. When it became obvious that he had serious issues they did what needed to be done. He was in no Spiritual position to minister to his congregation or preach. What message do you think it sent to the world? I don't know that "we", whoever that may be, is sending a message. When I last heard, he was making the talk show circuits with an adoring wife at his side and appeared quite animated, though I felt they were both in some type of denial about the situation. I hope he gets well.

Hello sis in the Lord

I am in no way deffending his actions, i'm suprised that he did'nt serve jail time. What i saw was that he and his family were living in hotels and all of his belonging where in a U-haul with them. The only job he has been able to find is selling ins, and it the only compony that has given him a chance. He was ran out of the church, his home, and it looks like the town he was ministering in. I agree he should never work with youth and for that probably should never be in leadership, however, shoud'nt the body of Christ act like Jesus, in terms of restoration of a brother? It seems as Christians when we see the sin of others we want judgment, when we sin we want grace and mercy. I don't think this is the message we want to send, however, it's what the world sees. For this i am saddin.

e lansing

I remember reading about his story when it first broke. I had watched him before and simply did not like his message and felt there was something fake and phony about him (I have this feeling about a lot of TV Evangelists though). At any rate, I don't know the full and complete story of living arrangements after his disgrace. If he was forced out of his home, I'm almost sure the church must have had some ownership of the property or it was in a church trust of some type. As I said, he seems to have re-invented himself on the talk show circuit and from what I saw - he and his wife appear to be in some denial over the whole situation... As I said earlier - I hope he addresses his lifestyle and he gets well.

[AnotherTraveler]

The reports in the news have been tragic, and I don't for a minute trust the news as complete truth. Whatever sin he might have sinned, he should be surrounded by those that ministered with him on the way up to the high place he fell from. Where are his fellows??? To abandon him and his family to become outcasts wandering without hope is not the call of God to us.

By all means speak the truth IN LOVE. If your brother sins, rebuke him, if he repents, FORGIVE HIM. Moses interceeded for the people as they were rebelling against him, where is the intercession for this man and his family?

I am not so concerned with what this says about Ted Haggerd as what it says about the condition of the church in general. We have become vicious in attacking the ones among us that fail, that sin, that get confused, that get overwhelmed, where is the mercy that was shown to us all? We who all deserve hell fire but were spared by God's mercy and grace, are we offering mercy to the ones from among us that have sinned?

Exhaulting leaders to high positions is unscriptural, yet we do it all the time. Something in us wants to make a person out to be greater than they really are, and when they fail that illusion (and it is an illusion), we turn on them and hatefully destroy them with all our power, and should we not be able to reach them in the natural, we speak against them in slanders and gossips, not knowing that we are sinning in doing so, somehow washing ourselves of any responsibility for our own words.

I am not saying condone sin. However, I have worked for years in the rescue missions and seen many a minister fall into sin and find little or no help from his "brethren" that formerly professed great love for him. Is our love so fickle that we have no time or energy to weep with those that weep? Ted's wife, Ted's children, what did they do? Why are they not assisted and encouraged and strengthened and supported?

I don't advocate restoring Ted to high position, but then I don't advocate putting ANYONE into these false towers of man worship and ego, for from there the only direction is downward.