my.thoughts

Ted Haggard

First off, If you don't want to "listen" to me rant, please move on to the previous post.
Second: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/15536263/
Third: Rant

There are two things that I must confess first about my feelings toward Ted Haggard. First, I have tremendous respect for Haggard. I have never heard him preach. Nor have I ever read any of his books. But I have read a book by one of his associate pastors named Rob Brendle, whom I've also heard preach multiple times. I have much, much, respect for Brendle and Brendle speaks very highly of Haggard, therefore I think very highly of Haggard. They say respect is earned, well Haggard earned my respect through Brendle.

Second, until I hear from the mouth of Haggard that he "commited sexual immoral conduct" with his accuser Mike Jones I will believe he is innocent. Why? Because I'm the eternal optimist and also I don't think a man who's heart is aligned with Gods, that God would let him continue to be successful (I mean come on 14,000 member church and 30 million member association).

Ok with those two points made, I'm realizing I don't have much more content left. All I really had to say was in the previous paragraphs. But will say this, we all know that the "church" is a far from perfect organization. Even those mega-churches, such as Haggards' New Life Church (btw NLC has impressed me so much that I fully believe that I will one day be a regular member there, more on that in the coming years) don't have the "business" side of church figured out. Here's what I don't understand about the church board convincing Haggard to resign based on their private investigation.
“We, the Overseer Board of New Life Church, have concluded our deliberations concerning the moral failings of Pastor Ted Haggard,” a statement from the church said. “Our investigation and Pastor Haggard’s public statements have proven without a doubt that he has committed sexually immoral conduct.”
I can pretend to look through this situation with "non-believer eyes" and I kind of understand that they don't want a man who isn't perfect representing the church. But looking upon this situation with "believer eyes" here is what I see. I see a man who sins. Even before this scandle Pastor Ted sinned. He'd be the first to tell you so. And who better to raise the believers around him than someone who grows too. I don't won't some status-symbol, picture-perfect, leader talking down to me. I want someone to be by my side not in front or above. To me it sounds as though the church has given him the boot simply because they have found a flaw in their picture perfect man. They probably wouldn't put it like that, but that's how it sounds. It's just like the many small churches around the USA that have kicked their pastors out because they found out about some small thing like addiction (drugs, alcohol, pornography, etc..) in their leader. Rather than confront him and help him, they kick him out. I'm curious where in the Bible (you know, that book sitting behind the manual) is the list of sins in order of severity. I do understand we don't want a two-faced man/woman being our leader, I get that. But I'm guessing millions of us will go to church tomorrow and listen to a man who "sinned" on the way to church.

Oh the rant is over.
Joe, this is for you....woot.

posted by scott @ 5:22 PM