Going To Hell with Ted Haggard
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Grace must pick a side in the light of day, not just whisper its opinion in the shadows and dark places where we sign our name Anonymous. When a leader falls and then repents, grace picks a side. Grace is strong. Grace is a shield to those who cannot get off the battlefield. Grace is God's idea. Like a spiritual Switzerland, we stay in our neutral world where we can both forgive and judge but never get our hands dirty caring for the fallen. And when we don't pick a side, the wrong side gets picked for us. Crematoriums are more sanitary than hospitals. Let's change this!
Of course, I understand that if a person doesn't repent there is not a whole lot you can offer. But Ted resigned, confessed, repented, and submitted. He jumped through our many hoops. When will we be cool with him again? When will the church allow God to use him again? It's funny that we believe we get to make that decision.
The Ted Haggard issue reminds me of a scene in Mark Twain's, Huckleberry Finn. Huck is told that if he doesn't turn in his friend, a runaway slave named Jim, he will surely burn in hell. So one day Huck, not wanting to lose his soul to Satan, writes a letter to Jim's owner telling her of Jim's whereabouts. After folding the letter, he starts to think about what his friend has meant to him, how Jim took the night watch so he could sleep, how they laughed and survived together. Jim is his friend and that is worth reconsideration. Huck realizes that it's either Jim's friendship or hell. Then the great Mark Twain writes such wonderful words of resolve. Huck rips the paper and says, "Alright then, I guess I'll go to hell."
What a great lesson. What a great attitude. I think of John 15:13, "Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one's life for one's friends." Maybe it's not just talking about our physical life. Perhaps it's the life we know, the friends we have and lose. Maybe I show love when I lay down the life we have together to confront you on a wrong attitude or action. Maybe we show no greater love than when we are counted with people who others consider tainted. Becoming friends with Ted was a defining moment in my life, ministry, and career. Sure, I lost a few relationships, but I doubt they would have cared for me in my failures. So really, I lost nothing. If being Ted's friend causes some to hate and reject me—alright then, I guess I'll go to hell.
Michael Cheshire is pastor of The Journey Church in Conifer, Colorado and author of How to Knock Over a 7-11 and Other Ministry Training (2012) and Why We Eat Our Own (2013)
Copyright © 2012 by the author or Christianity Today/Leadership Journal.
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Displaying 1–5 of 779 comments
Cortland Coffey
Christy, Although I can appreciate you trying to sit on both sides of the fence you are sadly very mis-informed. People who are in your situation who have no real knowledge of what actually happened or real understanding of who Ted is should not make the kind of judgement that you have. I happen to know Ted and consider him a friend. I happen to know a great number of details about his "restoration process" and how he was in compliance until the time that they released him from it. I encourage you to take from this article what I truly see to be the point. Show grace, reach out to the person, and find understanding.
Christy Haugo
I don't disagree with anything in that article. However the guy is failing to follow up on all the idiotic things he said and did after he was "repentant". The soft position he has taken on homsexuality, the nasty things he has said about Christians in general. Kind of like Jimmy Swaggart. Had he just done his time and gone through the two years of discipline that the AG placed on him, I believe he would have been mostly accepted back into the Christian circles. However, it is the arrogant response to getting caught that was the real issue. The same with Ted. It is his arrogant response after he supposedly repented is what annoys most people and his whacky statements when going on Oprah, etc.
Ronnie
Pastor Ted was my Pastor for 9 years, I am a godly man today because of his teachings, It still boggles my mind that "Christians" can't seem to forgive! Great article!
Christy
We need more GRACE and mercy. God is a God of second, third, and how many we need chances. What the enemy saw fit to try to destroy God will turn around for His glory.
Jim Hammer
What an amazing article. There's hope for us yet!
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