Posted on 11/03/2006 7:55:35 AM PST by Alex Murphy
The Reverend Rob Schenck, president of the Evangelical dominated National Clergy Council in Washington, DC, and chairman of the Committee on Church and Society for the Evangelical Church Alliance, America's oldest association of Evangelical clergy, released this statement today on the resignation of the Reverend Ted Haggard from the presidency of the National Association of Evangelicals:
"Ted Haggard has denied the allegations made against him. So far, there is only one accuser. The Bible says no man is to be condemned on the testimony of a single accuser. We must prayerfully wait out the investigative process and continue to judge by the evidence.
"Should this accusation prove true, it will only be another in a long history of human failure. The Bible says if we say we have no sin, we lie and the truth is not in us. Evangelical Christianity does not rest on frail and sinful human beings, but on a just and righteous God in who 'changes not.
"We should pray for Ted Haggard, his family and church and for his accuser that the truth be made known, repentance follows and restoration for all who may be affected."
Rev. Schenck is traveling to Maine today and is not available for comment until Monday morning, November 6.
A further statement on the nature of the case will be issued by the Reverend Dr. Charles Nestor, senior fellow for public policy for the National Clergy Council. Dr. Nestor is available for interviews through the National Clergy Council office. Contact Dane Rose of National Clergy Council at 202-546-8329, ext 106.
Funny it comes out right before the election....... and funny the guy making the accusations failed the polygraph.
The problem is sin. It isn't poltiics. It isn't even some of his secondary wrong doctrines except where they downplay sin.
There are many wrong conclusions that will be drawn about this.
He was political. That was his downfall! No! Sin was his downfall.
He had a mega-church. That was his downfall. No! Sin was his downfall.
He had some errant secondary doctrines. That was his downfall. No! It was the primary doctrine of sin that was his downfall.
Sin is the disease of mankind. But that IS NOT AN EXCUSE! It condemns us all. If this man becomes repentant, he will be honest and willing to accept his self-inflicted consequences for the good of us all and in recognition of God's righteous standards. Only that kind of repentance is of the saving variety.
What he has done is throw into doubt the genuineness of his saving faith. Whether he accepts the consequences of his own sin will reveal more on that subject.
You don't think its a coincidence that these scandals keep occuring with these same type of teachers? Baker, Swaggart, Bob Tillman, etc. Seductive prosperity gospel, social gospel(political activism) signs and wonders (Haggard is part of the new Apostolic propehts/vineyard movement- see deceptioninthechurch.com).
This happened because of sin. The sin might reveal that he is not even a true Christian. Imagine that. You can preach a lot of truth but if you do not live by it, you are not the real deal.
You can argue for and against alll those other things and I might agree with some of your arguments. But they are unrelated to this. I've seen people who were none of those things fall into the same sin trap (sexual sin is a biggie). You notice the famous people and tend to want to draw connections. But that's a red herring. This happens because of the unaddressed depravity in his own heart. It isn't because he is well-known, political, tele-evangelist, mega-church pastor, and all the rest. I don't agree with many of the man's religious teachings, but this happened only because of one thing: SIN!
Do you know how many pastors these days have a problem with pornography? If studies are true, a whole bunch of them have a problem with it and they come from all sorts of backgrounds and perspectives. The church has been corrupted by sin. We need to clean house. Even good doctrines are being manipulated to excuse sin, not just the bad ones. We are even using grace as an excuse for licentiousness. Our hearts have been corrupted and our consciences dulled. Those other things are symptoms of the sin disease.
It sounds like even if this man is completely guilty, his church is willing to allow the grace and forgiveness of our God to be manipulated into a "we love sin" response. It will be dressed up in repentance and forgiveness, they will claim to "love the sinner and hate the sin," but it probably won't be the real deal. They will never get around to hating the sin enough to defend the righteousness of the standard. There are scriptural consequences like losing his leadership role that should happen if they really care about holiness and honoring Christ. If he is guilty of all the accusations, he was breaking civil laws right along with God's laws. Christians get so squishy and emotional about forgiveness that they lose all perspective on God's holiness and righteousness. If you love sin you do not love God.
Which leaves them feeling spiritural without addressing sin. Sin is still the problem. The other stuff may be a symptom of the sin problem. But to say it causes sin is to get things in reverse.
I think of the gentleman I met several years ago-a fine itinerant Bible teacher. He said he had been keeping a confidential list of men who were once outstanding expositors of the Scripture, capable and respected men of God... who have shipwrecked their faith on the shoals of moral defilement. During the previous week, he said, he had entered the name of forty-two in his book. This sad, sordid statistic, he claims, caused him to be extra cautious and discreet in his own life. Perhaps, by now, he has added a couple dozen more.
A chill ran down my spine when he told that story. No one is immune. You're not. I'm not. Lust is no respecter of persons...lts alluring voice can infiltrate the most intelligent mind and cause its victim to believe its lies and respond to its appeal. And beware-it never gives up...it never runs out of ideas. Bolt your front door and it'll rattle at the bedroom window, crawl into the living room through the TV screen, or wink at you out of a magazine in the den...
Lust is persistent. If it's knocked on your door once, it'll knock again. And again. You are safe just so long as you draw upon your Savior's strength. Try to handle it yourself and you'll lose-every time. This is why we are warned again and again in the New Testament to flee sexual temptations. Remember, lust is committed to wage war against your soul-in a life-and-death struggle-in hand- to-hand combat. Don't stand before this mortal enemy and argue or fight in your own strength-run for cover...lf you get yourself into a situation that leaves you defenseless and weak, if your door is left even slightly ajar, you may be sure that this ancient enemy will kick it open with six-guns blazing. So don't leave it open. Don't give lust a foothold-or even a toehold.
Col. 3:5 Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature; sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, which is idolatry.
Lust is Lurking
by Chuck Swindoll
deceptioninthechurch.com
That site has some problems itself as anyone who thinks their lives are squeaky clean.
What's he accused of?
That is exactly it.
Bravo!
Soliciting the services of a gay prostitute, and buying meth from/using meth with the same, over a three-year period. See my companion thread Evangelical pastor confesses to 'some' accusations [Ted Haggard / NAE]
yikes
I want to party with that cowboy!
Of being a Christian who sinned!
I see some of those who the bible mentions are posting on this...."the accusers of the brethren." Just doing their best to help satan out....and God watches and hears all. Of course their church, denomination never has any problem with sin...too busy accusing others. Watch out for those with these dark hearts!
Hey it is a good job, most preachers I know live in nice homes, have expense accounts, and don't have to punch a time clock. Lucrative position.
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