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Christianity Today, January (Web-only), 2009 |

SoulWork

Holy Laughter

Remembering Haggard's sin — and ours.

Mark Galli | posted 1/30/2009 10:18AM

Amidst the dusty swirl of reaction and commentary that has been kicked up by a new film about Ted Haggard is this comment by one pastor from his former church: "The wound will not always be with us. The ...

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Diane in Big D

Posted: February 03, 2009 5:51 PM

You say that we should not forget this episode so that we or future generations will not repeat it. I don't think that will be a problem. Yes, we may well forget the sordid details, thankfully. We'll remember the big, bold storkes though, just as we have the previous failures of the Christian leadership...Unfortunately we won't need to remember Ted Haggard, because there is another Ted Haggard, or Jimmy Swaggart, or Jim Bakker right this very minute-possibly-doing something just as awful. And he will be discovered, or uncovered as the case may be....Before being saved, I looked to the likes of Jim Bakker, and Oral Roberts--the Lord will call me home if I don't raise millions of dollars--and thought all of them--us?--were so very sad. What a pittiful situation to foist upon the unbelieving and unsuspecting world...not such good examples to lift up to the unchurched...Yes, we are all sinning, but most aren't exposed. Question is how are we trying to overcome our weaknesses...Or are we???

SALLY FARRAR

Posted: February 02, 2009 6:53 PM


Huh? Very convoluted reasoning.

a pastor's wife

Posted: February 02, 2009 12:14 PM

"We should wonder, in fact, about any Christian anywhere who does not look at Ted Haggard and say, "Oh yeah, I could have done that," or more honestly, "To my deep shame, been there, done something very much like that." I agree with much of what you've written, but NOT the statement above. Most of the pastors I know, my own husband included, would never abuse the trust their families and churches place in them by doing something "very much like" Haggard did. I am not casting further stones at this sad and sick man; I grieve for his family and former church. But the fault was his and his alone, and it does not and should not define New Life Church.

Ignatius

Posted: February 02, 2009 10:12 AM


Good article. As an aside sadly many churches in America are defined by their pastors (most of them good ones) Who can seperate Willow Creek from Bill Hybels or Saddleback from Rick Warren or Grace Community Church from John McArthur ect. When the pastor is strong the congregation is often strong but when the pastor falls often the congregation falls along with him.

Paul Maurice Martin

Posted: February 02, 2009 9:23 AM


"Us" vs. "them" never works, however you slice it...

Ralph.

Posted: February 01, 2009 4:32 PM


Just when sin seems to have won, grace through the blood brings forgiveness and we are redeemed again. Really a cause for joy.

Bill Harris

Posted: February 01, 2009 9:19 AM

I really liked your article, Mark. Rather than attempt to gloss over Haggard's problems, we should face them head-on as our problems. This seems especially true when it comes to our pastors and leaders. To the enemy, those folks are trophies. We should not join him in pointing fingers at the sinner. We should point to the cross, and remind the devil that the joke's on him. I am not saying that Ted Haggard should be in a position of leadership. As a leader he will be judged more harshly. However, we should surround him in prayer, embrace his family, and use this opportunity to examine ourselves. We need not to say, "There but for the grace of God go I," but rather, "There go I in God's grace."

Mike W

Posted: January 31, 2009 10:42 AM

Wonderful insight. Thanks for sharing a challenging yet refreshing point of view. There are indeed insights for some larger issues at hand also, i.e. "Now that the Holy Spirit has been poured out upon the Church, it's time to move on from the Cross, etc. But thanks, Jesus, for all You've done for us." And then we don't seem to hear much about Jesus anymore. And yet He is the Alpha and Omega, Beginning and End-and everything in between!

Sean Baines

Posted: January 31, 2009 7:50 AM


The biggest problem that Ted and especially "right wing"Christian.They are a lot of times "Hypocrites"Oh No not us.! I heard one Super Christian say ( Like James Dobson" Ted Haggart does not go to Hell but Bill Clinton most likely will. I guess because he is not "right wing"

Rev. Dave

Posted: January 31, 2009 2:17 AM


It's all about grace, grace, and more grace. The world doesn't need perfect people as role models it needs forgiven sinners. Let us walk in grace and openly accept our fallen nature. We don't go on sinning as if it doesn't matter but neither do we deny that we sin daily.

somebody

Posted: January 31, 2009 1:05 AM


..it seems that life is more complicated that we thought, and we need God desperately...

Chuck

Posted: January 30, 2009 5:59 PM

I also have to say I find this editorial off kilter. There is no question that all have sinned. We need to be warned not to gloat or feel superior: God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble. But nonetheless, the church is called to portray a startling difference: real love, real sacrifice, real godliness and purity. We can sin, but we should not sin... if we do sin, Christ is our advocate (1 Jn. 1:8-2:3). But to suggest that a mega-church pastor who is the president of the NAE and who is hiding a life of secret sin while preaching against these same sins is somehow emblematic of what what the church really is is, I think, is seriously wrong-headed. I would rather encourage Christians and churches to believe that if a pastor secretly falls into disqualifying sin (per 1 Tim 3 and Tit 1), he would have the conscience towards God to go to his elder board and say, "I have a serious problem and need to step down from leadership."

Christian M.

Posted: January 30, 2009 4:52 PM

May I respectfully disagree. Your attitude toward Ted Haggard is too respectful, and toward New Life Church it is unbiblical and disrepectful. You attempt to minimize Ted Haggard's sin with an amelioriative gloss about "I'm no better than Ted, because he's no worse than me." But your attempted metaphors are misleadingly mixed, and your attempt to create a clever take on Haggard's self-destruction at the expense of New Life Church's character and integrity is as transparent and forced as it is wrong. Writers are wont to latch onto a contrarian view just to find a way to be different, but this is not the place to do that. This was a Ted Haggard scandal; not a New Life Church scandal. He brought untold shame on the name of Christ, himself, his family, his church, and Christianity; New Life Church did not. Ted Haggard wants back what he threw away; New Life Church simply wants to move on, to be faithful to God's call to holiness and service as a church. They do not need your criticism.

LDReedSr

Posted: January 30, 2009 3:08 PM


All we like sheep have gone astray...

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