Ted Haggard was a liar and a deceiver. He is also currently one of the more humble men I am aware of. He released a moving apology letter to his congregation that you should read if you’ve thought about this situation at all. His wife also wrote a doubly moving letter to the women of the congregation that you should also read.
In his letter he asks his congregation (and I believe, the church at large) for several things, for whatever reason. I shed a tear at reading this.
I appreciate your loving and forgiving nature, and I humbly ask you to do a few things:
Please stay faithful to God through service and giving.
Please forgive me. I am so embarrassed and ashamed. I caused this and I have no excuse. I am a sinner. I have fallen. I desperately need to be forgiven and healed.
Please forgive my accuser. He is revealing the deception and sensuality that was in my life. Those sins, and others, need to be dealt with harshly. So, forgive him and, actually, thank God for him. I am trusting that his actions will make me, my wife and family, and ultimately all of you, stronger. He didn’t violate you; I did.
Please stay faithful to each other. Perform your functions well. Encourage each other and rejoice in God’s faithfulness. Our church body is a beautiful body, and like every family, our strength is tested and proven in the midst of adversity. Because of the negative publicity I’ve created with my foolishness, we can now demonstrate to the world how our sick and wounded can be healed, and how even disappointed and betrayed church bodies can prosper and rejoice.
Ted, I forgive you, brother. If this could happen to King David, of all people, arguably THE MAN who loved God the best of anyone ever, it can happen to any of us. Thank you for your apology. God is merciful. You will find mercy. Of this I am confident.
Pray for Ted Haggard. Pray that he recovers from this devastation and is able to stand and walk again. Pray the same for his family. Pray that his accuser would also come to a similar point of repentance.
[tags]Ted Haggard, Christiainity[/tags]
November 6, 2006 at 12:16 pm
In the blog entry I wrote today about this Ted Haggard story you’ll find a few more of the people we should forgive…
November 6, 2006 at 12:33 pm
Thanks, Donny.
November 6, 2006 at 12:59 pm
I have to say I am really saddened about all of this. But my joy is in the fact that he actually admitted to his sin, and unlike many of pastors I have seen on TBN and other places apologized and asked for forgiveness!!!! I went to a church where the pastor actually threatened the congregation if we spoke of his alleged incedent again!! (There was a tape in his instance proving his acts. )
I want the forgiveness of God for my own sin, so I am in no position to not forgive anyone!!! He deserves our prayer and not our condemnation.
November 6, 2006 at 1:13 pm
this guy is a liar and deciever. why would anyone shed a tear for someone who has been misleading thousands and potentially millions of people?
it’s a shame that people are so brainwashed by modern christianity that they can’t see the damage it does.
ted would be a much happier man if he came out of the closet and became the gay man that he is. as for his wife, jesus she needs therapy. how could you stay with a man who has secretly been sucking cock and taking it in the ass for three years – all while high on meth?
insanity.
November 6, 2006 at 1:17 pm
Prince, I’m tempted to delete your comment. Do you know anything about Ted Haggard? Or are you buying what you want to believe about him.
Yes he lied (by omission) about his actions, but tell me, prince, what did he teach that has now been contradicted by his admission of guilt in this area?
November 6, 2006 at 2:42 pm
Prince,
You’re right about it being insane. Consider 1 Corinthians 2:6-16
Prince, if you can “get” the above passage, you’ll “get” why Christians are so quick to forgive and weep at the sadness of the situation, and even to rejoice at Ted’s humility, confession and repentance. Until you “get” that, this will naturally be insane thinking to you. You’re not weird, you just don’t “get” it yet. :)
November 6, 2006 at 2:44 pm
ps. wow that quote got screwed up (at least in safari it goes like 3 feet to the left). if you can edit quotes, will you fix that matt?
pps. matt, i’m glad you posted this and i’m glad you didn’t delete prince’s post. diversity is a beautiful thing :)
November 6, 2006 at 9:59 pm
Fixed the comment. Ya, I tend to not censor comments. I was just feeling a bit knee-jerky and sensitive earlier.
November 6, 2006 at 11:23 pm
To be honest when I read the review of Jesus Camp in Toons where it mentions that Ted Haggard make some jokes on homosexuality to little kids I was rather annoyed. I wasn’t surprised (much) when I heard that he supposedly had engaged in some homosexual acts. Typically, in my understanding, when we hate something with a passion its because of either fear/lack of understanding or personal insecurity in that area.
Although I’m sorry that his sin had to be uncovered in such a love-lacking manner, I am overjoyed that he has not this be a stumbling block for him.
The lessen you can take from something like this is not that Ted Haggard is an especially terrible person, but rather that we all have our blindspots and places where we cover our shame in hurt and anger. The sooner that we let go of the anger and bring ourselves where our dirt can be seen… the sooner we shall be made clean.