I am so bummed over this. I saw the Haggard’s denial on CNN and believed him then read this morning that there had been “some admission of guilt”. I really don’t know what to think, but I admired Ted Haggard and his work for God and I am just so sad over this.

I want to pray that this is all a lie, but I realize my prayers won’t change the truth, whatever that may be.

I have been praying for the Haggard family, I have seen scandal personally and I know the devasting impact on the children and spouses of those involved.

Is it wrong to pray this would all just go away, cuz that’s what I want?

Mark, your thoughts on the way the media will use this are my thoughts. I guess I should be praying for damage control.

Confused and sad.

Ben

amen.

It’s spelled “melancholy.”

As far as your suggestion that “this is just another easy way for people (especially the media) to paint all christians with a broad brush,” I don’t see that happening here, yet. I see the media reporting the story; no one’s talking about “all Christians.”

But as far as everyone else, I fear the reaction may well be: “Another hypocrite!”

Haggard is no doubt feeling inconcievable pain & anguish - prayers to his family & all those affected.

Painting with a big brush is something that gay people and liberals has suffered at the hands of Pastor Hagard and the agenda he aggressively drove. I wish that we can all be reminded of the complexity and personal nature of God’s creation. All Christians don’t do any one thing - all gay people do not do any one thing - people are not inately conservative or liberal.

Our modern obession with categorizing mostly serves to distance us from other humans like us, made in God’s image and living in that image imperfectly.

…if these allegations are true or false 2 things are sure

1. pain has come and will come from this
2. God’s mighty grace is bigger than crotch

because of fact #2 I am less emotionally flattened by these “occasions and allegations” than I used to be. God’s people fall down, there is loss and consequence but somewhere in the mist there is life again and that life everlasts.

…Good thing He let us know He overcame the world before He left!

Using Jesus Christs’ name and the Bible to bash homosexuals makes me sad as well. Perhaps this will teach the real Christains to stand up and disavow these money grubbing charlatans who preach one thing and do the opposite on other days…

I go to NewLife Church.

Timothyb,
I don\’t understand the pride in which some Christians feel the need to bash homosexuals either. My sister-in-law is gay and it always feels like they are bashing her when they speak their hatred. To my knowledge, Ted never bashed homosexuals. I believe he always focused on the sin. However, in regard to your comment, what is a \”real Christian\”? Aren\’t we all sinners? Don\’t we all fail? Should we all \”stand up and disavow\” each other? **Note the following sarcasm** Frankly, I think we should disavow all Pastors. How can any Pastor get up on a stage/pulpit and teach us how to live when they are failing by sin as well?

There are things that were taught at that church that my husband and I don\’t necessarily believe in. (What church doesn\’t have something \”wrong\” with it?) However, I\’ve grown up in the Church and I\’ve never been around a more loving and warm environment in all of my life. Besides the fact that our lead Pastor failed us and himself; the leadership, all staff and volunteers have never been anything but genuine and kind and focused on loving those around them and reaching out to the lost. This church is especially strong in seeing the potential in the next generation and teaching them how to use that for God\’s glory.

The hardest part in this situation has been maintaining focus and strength on being there for our youth more than ever. We’ve got parents pulling their kids out, kids who really don’t care about all that has gone on, kids that feel VERY betrayed and hurt, kids that are questioning their own faith and thinking \’if Ted can fail then I am much worse off\’, and we have kids that are still so confused they don’t know where to start explaining their feelings. These kids need guidance and direction and hope more than ever before. To some, Ted was the only father-figure they\’ve ever had…and don\’t forget about the actual children of Ted who were in our youth group.

I often wonder if the reason Ted was so loud about preaching on certain sins, was because he was experiencing their destruction at the same time.

Thank you for your prayers.

I know a youth pastor in the same situation…. and have seen a youth group struggle from the revelation (and a church dissolve from it). So many of those people are still broken. And I now know the YP is again involved. (at another church) I am stuck wondering how to proceed. I’ve already persued Matt 18 with little results (a year ago). I hurt for all the youth and families at churches effected by the failures of leadership.