Guilty of sexually immoral misconduct "without a doubt"
Posted November 4, 2006
November 4, 2006
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
New Life Church
Colorado Springs, Colorado
We, the Overseer Board of New Life Church, have concluded our deliberations concerning the moral failings of Pastor Ted Haggard. Our investigation and Pastor Haggard's public statements have proven without a doubt that he has committed sexually immoral conduct.
The language of our church bylaws state that as Overseers we must decide in cases where the Senior Pastor has "demonstrated immoral conduct" whether we must "remove the pastor from his position or to discipline him in any way they deem necessary."
In consultation with leading evangelicals and experts familiar with the type of behavior Pastor Haggard has demonstrated, we have decided that the most positive and productive direction for our church is his dismissal and removal. In addition, the Overseers will continue to explore the depth of Pastor Haggard's offense so that a plan of healing and restoration can begin.
Pastor Haggard and his wife have been informed of this decision. They have agreed as well that he should be dismissed and that a new pastor for New Life Church should be selected according to the rules of replacement in the bylaws.
That process will begin immediately in hopes that a new pastor can be confirmed by the end of the year 2006. In the interim, Ross Parsley will function as the leader of the church with full support of the Overseers.
A letter of explanation and apology by Pastor Haggard as well as a word of encouragement from Gayle Haggard will be read in the 9:00 and 11:00 service of New Life Church.
Archived Comments
Wonder what sexual immorality Ted Haggard committed? It wasn't adultery or fornication. That's impossible when persons of the same sex have sex for fun.
Jesus passed no judgment on two men in one bed, nor did he even comment about it. Shouldn't Christian do likewise?
When Jesus spoke of Sodom, he made no mention of sexual activity. That's because the Hebrew word 'yada' doesn't lend itself to that interpretation. Shouldn't Christians follow the example of Jesus?
Paul called the Old Testament 'dung'. He said Christians have a new and better covenant, the old is dead and passing away. Shouldn't Christians let the Old Testament die its natural death? Why would Christians want to hang on to dung?
The only thing Ted Haggard is guilty of is hyprocrisy. But so is all the religious right. He's right at home among his natural element.
Apparently Haggard was a youth pastor some years ago. I wonder if there's going to come forth a former youth claiming to have had sex with Haggard? Shades of the Catholic Church and choir boys!
Whatever Haggard did or didn't do, the church's response has been a model for how institutions should act in this situation. The way to deal with a problem employee is to remove that employee immediately for the good of the organization and the public and move on. And do it publicly. No coverups.
Ditto the situation with Criswell in Lexington, though the church there appears to have been a little less forthcoming with information; of course, they didn't have a loose cannon making his own statements to the press, either.
If the Catholics had done this with the priests they knew to be pedophiles, we wouldn't have had the international scandal we have.
Let's not spread falsehoods about the apostle Paul. Paul called the Old Testament the inspired Word of God (2 Timothy 3:16-17), quoted its laws favorably, and never called it "dung". Paul calls the Old Testament divinely inspired (in his letter to the Roman church), and says that, if a law had the ability to save a soul, Moses' law would do it.
If "homophobia" means "to oppose homosexuality as immoral", then Jesus Christ was blessedly homophobic, and thank God for it. That's because He was sin-ophobic. So should we all be.
Christ taught that Adam and Eve were historical people, and by attributing an "unbreakable" divine authority to the Old Covenant He implicitly affirmed the Old Testament death penalty for homosexuality.
Christ condemned thinking lustful thoughts about a woman; how much more perverse is thinking homosexual thoughts.
The NT filters between the timeless OT moral laws from the ceremonial/civil laws. It re-affirms the Old Covenant's condemnation of homosexuality (book of Jude).
By the way, the New Covenant that we follow doesn't release us from moral obligation, it writes the moral Law on the heart (see the book of Hebrews chs. 8-9).
God is a Person, not a force, and Christ is His uncreated Son. There is no karma (an absurd myth; how can a non-rational cosmic energy force make discriminating moral judgments and dole out penalties resulting in a variety of new incranations?), there is only Judgment Day. In the absence of faith in Christ's death and resurrection, homosexuality is one of the countless sins that will lock one out of God's kingdom and into eternal damnation (1 Corinthians 6).
Mr Dunn: You may want to reread your comment on Rev. Haggard, you are really off base. Better yet , step back and take a long look at your own life and all the mistakes you have done-have you heard of the phrase the pot calling the kettle black? My fingers on this keyboard really wants to chastise you for making a mockery of the Bible but my spirit is more forgiving than myself. I have notice a change in caleb's spirit in some of his latest comments and Jack I sure am glad you are finally getting on fire for the Lord--it was very noticeable in your comment. You are absolutely correct -an abomination 2,000 years ago is still an abomination today. However; even in the last few seconds in a person's life may be the deciding factor of just where that person spends eternity. Can a homosexual change --absolutely. Any one can change anything bad in their life with the help of Jesus. And Faith really does move mountains
How sad. But good for the church leadership that they did this. The example they set here is the right one.