stafy Posted February 7, 2007 Group: Advanced Member Followers: 0 Topic Count: 0 Topics Per Day: 0 Content Count: 129 Content Per Day: 0.02 Reputation: 0 Days Won: 0 Joined: 12/29/2006 Status: Offline Share Posted February 7, 2007 I'm back on straight and narrow, vows disgraced preacher February 7, 2007 Colorado: The disgraced evangelical preacher Ted Haggard has emerged from three weeks of intensive counselling convinced he is "completely heterosexual". Mr Haggard, 50, resigned as president of the National Association of Evangelicals in November and was fired from the church he founded after a male prostitute alleged Mr Haggard paid him for sex during a three-year relationship. Mr Haggard broke a three-month silence at the weekend to email select members of his former church in Colorado Springs, the 14,000-member New Life Church. Ross Parsley, the church's interim senior pastor, forwarded an email message from Mr Haggard to the wider church on Monday. In the message, Mr Haggard revealed that he and his wife, Gayle, intended to leave Colorado and pursue master's degrees in psychology through online courses. He mentioned Missouri and Iowa as possible destinations. Mike Ware, a member of the church oversight board dealing with Mr Haggard's case, said the board had recommended the move out of town and the Haggards had agreed. "It's hard to heal in Colorado Springs right now," Mr Ware said. "It's like an open wound. He needs to get somewhere he can get the wound healed." Another member of the four-man board, Tim Ralph, said that the board had strongly urged Mr Haggard to go into secular work instead of Christian ministry. Mr Haggard admitted to "sexual immorality", and a long battle against feelings contrary to his beliefs, but told the board his sexual contact with men was limited to his accuser, Mike Jones, a former male escort. He also admitted buying methamphetamine but said he never used the drug. Mr Ralph said that three weeks of counselling at an undisclosed Arizona treatment centre helped Mr Haggard immensely and left him sure of one thing. "He is completely heterosexual," Mr Ralph said. "That is something he discovered. It was the acting-out situations where things took place. It wasn't a constant thing." Mr Jones said he revealed his relationship with Mr Haggard after he learned that the man he knew as Art, who paid him for sex on a monthly basis for three years, was a prominent preacher who publicly condemned homosexuality. The Denver Post Link: http://www.smh.com.au/news/world/im-back-a...0524096451.html I would susgest that the church has done the devils work for him, what happened to unconditional forgivness, the leaders have kicked him out of gods house and know they want him out of the state. How can the body heal when it is driving the problem underground. They would do better to open there hearts and arms and recieve this man back into there congregation where he can receive forgivness, and work through repentence. The churh is not walking the walk, where else is one to receive the love of god when he is driven away from god and back into the world. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest lnj Posted February 7, 2007 Share Posted February 7, 2007 I would susgest that the church has done the devils work for him, what happened to unconditional forgivness, the leaders have kicked him out of gods house and know they want him out of the state. How can the body heal when it is driving the problem underground. They would do better to open there hearts and arms and recieve this man back into there congregation where he can receive forgivness, and work through repentence. The churh is not walking the walk, where else is one to receive the love of god when he is driven away from god and back into the world. I guess when it's all boiled down.........he must walk the walk and not walk the talk...he MUST show fruits consistent with repentance. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cymba22 Posted February 7, 2007 Group: Diamond Member Followers: 1 Topic Count: 22 Topics Per Day: 0.00 Content Count: 588 Content Per Day: 0.08 Reputation: 5 Days Won: 0 Joined: 04/14/2004 Status: Offline Birthday: 03/06/1967 Share Posted February 7, 2007 You know. As to the question I have to say that I really just don't care. Sorry if that sounds mean-spirited, but this man's sin is between him and God. Great if he's repented. Great if he's come to the realization of his sin. Amen to that. But otherwise, I just don't have any sense to give much more thought or time to the issue. Know what I mean? absolutly Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Leonard Posted February 7, 2007 Group: Royal Member Followers: 2 Topic Count: 115 Topics Per Day: 0.02 Content Count: 8,281 Content Per Day: 1.12 Reputation: 249 Days Won: 3 Joined: 03/03/2004 Status: Offline Birthday: 10/30/1955 Share Posted February 7, 2007 Stafy: No one doubts his forgiveness. And I'm sure if he asked to just come sit as a member of the same congregation, they probably could make that arrangement. In my opinion that would be a foolish option. He needs SPACE--geographical, time-wise, and quietude--from all his old haunts. Perhaps in a few years, we might want to let him minister again; but not three weeks.......... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheoMike Posted February 7, 2007 Group: Advanced Member Followers: 1 Topic Count: 9 Topics Per Day: 0.00 Content Count: 499 Content Per Day: 0.08 Reputation: 3 Days Won: 0 Joined: 01/21/2007 Status: Offline Birthday: 01/27/1964 Share Posted February 7, 2007 I know some of the men on Ted's board, and I know them to be good, honorable and competent ministers and/or counselors. The reason this is being played out in the public is because Ted ministered in the public and people across America have been exposed to his ministry and his sin. He chose his board well and they are following the Biblical mandates, as far as I can tell from a distance. So it is important for those who esteemed Ted to know what is happening with him. Beyond that, I am with the majority of you, I really have no interest in this. As a Christian counselor, I can tell you that three weeks of therapy is not enough, but then I don't really know what the sessions were like. I am almost positive that his marriage will not survive unless they seek marriage counseling at some point. This whole notion of them going to university to become psychologists (at 50 years of age, no less) seems strange to me. Ted is an entrepreneur, he will have to start some business (ministry) someplace; it is who he is. The whole sordid affair disgusts me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Biblicist Posted February 7, 2007 Share Posted February 7, 2007 You know. As to the question I have to say that I really just don't care. Sorry if that sounds mean-spirited, but this man's sin is between him and God. Great if he's repented. Great if he's come to the realization of his sin. Amen to that. But otherwise, I just don't have any sense to give much more thought or time to the issue. Know what I mean? Do you believe that public repentance for very public sins is necessary? Say a (church) girl gets pregnant, isn't it her's, and the boys if he is a member as well, duty to confess their sins to the church and repent of them. This happened at a church we went to and the grandmother and pastor made the girl stand in front of the church and confess her sins. I will tell you, she never did that again. Anyway, don't you think it's good that he is keeping himself accountable to his followers? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheoMike Posted February 7, 2007 Group: Advanced Member Followers: 1 Topic Count: 9 Topics Per Day: 0.00 Content Count: 499 Content Per Day: 0.08 Reputation: 3 Days Won: 0 Joined: 01/21/2007 Status: Offline Birthday: 01/27/1964 Share Posted February 7, 2007 You know. As to the question I have to say that I really just don't care. Sorry if that sounds mean-spirited, but this man's sin is between him and God. Great if he's repented. Great if he's come to the realization of his sin. Amen to that. But otherwise, I just don't have any sense to give much more thought or time to the issue. Know what I mean? Do you believe that public repentance for very public sins is necessary? Say a (church) girl gets pregnant, isn't it her's, and the boys if he is a member as well, duty to confess their sins to the church and repent of them. This happened at a church we went to and the grandmother and pastor made the girl stand in front of the church and confess her sins. I will tell you, she never did that again. Anyway, don't you think it's good that he is keeping himself accountable to his followers? In the old days, someone caught in sin would stand up and testify in their church about their sin, and ask forgiveness of God and their congregation. This is, I think,a complete misreading of Scripture. We ask God for forgiveness and we ask the person or people we wronged for forgiveness and we make restitution if necessary. In Ted's case, he is a very public figure and his sin no doubt has shaken the faith of many people, so in his case, and it is a special case, a public demonstration of his contrition is essential. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Karen C. Posted February 7, 2007 Group: Diamond Member Followers: 2 Topic Count: 34 Topics Per Day: 0.00 Content Count: 662 Content Per Day: 0.08 Reputation: 5 Days Won: 0 Joined: 06/15/2002 Status: Offline Birthday: 02/01/1960 Share Posted February 7, 2007 Cowardice, Compromise and the Sin of Eli Part of a leader Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Karen C. Posted February 7, 2007 Group: Diamond Member Followers: 2 Topic Count: 34 Topics Per Day: 0.00 Content Count: 662 Content Per Day: 0.08 Reputation: 5 Days Won: 0 Joined: 06/15/2002 Status: Offline Birthday: 02/01/1960 Share Posted February 7, 2007 Fallen Ministers and Charismatic Credibility We Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marnie Posted February 7, 2007 Group: Royal Member Followers: 1 Topic Count: 811 Topics Per Day: 0.12 Content Count: 7,338 Content Per Day: 1.08 Reputation: 76 Days Won: 2 Joined: 10/06/2005 Status: Offline Share Posted February 7, 2007 Good post Karen C Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts