Evangelical Leaders Comment on Haggard Accusation

Christian News Wire ^ | November 3, 2006

[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.

[The Ghost of FReepers Past]

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.

Yeah. If we wanted to draw connections outside of the foundational issue of sin, that would certainly be a contender. The job is pretty peachy so it entices in the creeps.

[Augustinian monk]

What problems? They are a discernment ministry. They evaluate popular/modern teachers.

[LearnsFromMistakes]

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.

I wouldn't want this 'lucrative' position. Both of my brothers are pastors (in good standing) - the hours can be nasty. If you don't visit someone in the hospital, or visit 1 person 2x and another person 3x, yadda yadda yadda.

I think the problem is they don't often recognize their own level of need until it is too late...I don't watch the news, just stumbled across this 'Ted' deal. Tragic situation. But I think more pastors are brought down by 'sheep bite' than personal sin...probably already 'kicked in' on this deal...

[Augustinian monk]

I was not making an excuse for sin. Sin stands on its own. I just think we have a lot of these teachers going around calling themselves "apostles", "annointed", "prophets", unchallenged by most evangelicals. And then when something like this happens, its suppose to be a black eye for all evangelicals.

[Scothia]

I think your post should have waited until the investigation proved or disproved Haggard's innocence.

[dmz]

funny also that parsley (who has taken over in the interim) has stated that haggard admitted some of the allegations are true. so i guess we don't know whether he's a poofter or a tweaker.

[DarthVader]

Some of their discernment is faulty and when they damage people of good reputation, they fail and their ministry is null&void. Who provides oversight over them?

[Augustinian monk]

Their articles are focused on the teachings of theses ministers by quoting what they say. They are not spying on any one's bedroom.

[redgolum]

Theology of Glory instead of the Cross? Perhaps.

[DarthVader]

"They are not spying on any one's bedroom." I'm not saying that.

I said some of their discernment is being found FAULTY. Numerous believers and pastors are beginning to find some of these apologetics often misquote and let their own opinions cloud their judgement and discernment. That is not true apologetics. Stick to people like John Ankerberg who has a fabulous institute for apologetics. Many of these groups think they have a monoply on the truth and that is a form of gnostic heresy in itself.

[meandog]

Jimmy Swaggart: "What a fraud!"
Jim Baker: "He's discraced us all!"
Pat Robinson: "He ought to be assasinated!"
Jerry Falwell: "The man is clearly not a Christian!"
Reverend Ike: "Throw all his money up...that which stays up is God's and what comes down is ours!"

Jesus Christ "Those without sin cast the first stone..."

[beyond the sea]

lol.

The old muddy road has many intrigues.

;-)

[XR7]

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
From New Life Church
Colorado Springs, Colorado

Rev. Ted Haggard, Senior Pastor of New Life Church, stated today that he could "not continue to minister under the cloud created by the accusations made on Denver talk radio this morning." He, therefore, placed himself on administrative leave, pending investigation, spiritual counsel, and a decision by the church's board of overseers.

Pastor Haggard said, "I am voluntarily stepping aside from leadership so that the overseer process can be allowed to proceed with integrity. I hope to be able to discuss this matter in more detail at a later date. In the interim, I will seek both spiritual advice and guidance." Under the governing structure of New Life Church, there is a board of overseers consisting of four senior pastors of other congregations. Those overseers have authority to conduct an inquiry, to discipline the senior pastor, to remove him from his position, or to restore him to ministry.

The overseers of New Life Church are: Rev. Larry Stockstill, Senior Pastor of Bethany World Prayer Center, in Baker, Louisiana; Rev. Mark Cowart, Senior Pastor of Church For All Nations in Colorado Springs; Rev. Tim Ralph, Senior Pastor of New Covenant Fellowship in Larkspur, Colorado; and Rev. Michael Ware, Senior Pastor of Victory Church in Westminister, Colorado.

In the interim, New Life Church Associate Senior Pastor, Rev. Ross Parsley, will serve as Acting Senior Pastor of the church. Rev. Parsley has served in senior ministry positions at New Life Church for fifteen years. Rev. Parsley requested the community's compassion and prayers for the person who came forward with accusations, for the Haggard family, and for the New Life Church community. He also said, "New Life Church long ago adopted an overseer model of governance for situations just like this. People need to be patient and allow this process to unfold as it was designed to do."

Pastor Haggard also resigned today as President of the National Association of Evangelicals.

http://www.newlifechurch.org/nlcpressrelease110206.pdf

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
From New Life Church
Colorado Springs, Colorado

Rev. Ted Haggard, Senior Pastor of New Life Church, stated today that he could "not continue to minister under the cloud created by the accusations made on Denver talk radio this morning." He, therefore, placed himself on administrative leave, pending investigation, spiritual counsel, and a decision by the church's board of overseers.

Pastor Haggard said, "I am voluntarily stepping aside from leadership so that the overseer process can be allowed to proceed with integrity. I hope to be able to discuss this matter in more detail at a later date. In the interim, I will seek both spiritual advice and guidance." Under the governing structure of New Life Church, there is a board of overseers consisting of four senior pastors of other congregations. Those overseers have authority to conduct an inquiry, to discipline the senior pastor, to remove him from his position, or to restore him to ministry.

The overseers of New Life Church are: Rev. Larry Stockstill, Senior Pastor of Bethany World Prayer Center, in Baker, Louisiana; Rev. Mark Cowart, Senior Pastor of Church For All Nations in Colorado Springs; Rev. Tim Ralph, Senior Pastor of New Covenant Fellowship in Larkspur, Colorado; and Rev. Michael Ware, Senior Pastor of Victory Church in Westminister, Colorado.

In the interim, New Life Church Associate Senior Pastor, Rev. Ross Parsley, will serve as Acting Senior Pastor of the church. Rev. Parsley has served in senior ministry positions at New Life Church for fifteen years. Rev. Parsley requested the community's compassion and prayers for the person who came forward with accusations, for the Haggard family, and for the New Life Church community. He also said, "New Life Church long ago adopted an overseer model of governance for situations just like this. People need to be patient and allow this process to unfold as it was designed to do."

Pastor Haggard also resigned today as President of the National Association of Evangelicals.

http://www.newlifechurch.org/nlcpressrelease110206.pdf

[2 cents]

I am a Pastor, if I had a dollar for everytime I wanted to quit, I would be very wealthy. It's a hard job. It's like being a politician, yet the pay and benefits are not as good, either is the job security. You have to entertain on Sunday, counsel during the week, raise money, attend functions, study and write constantly. Etc. Eighteen years in this pastorate, I have worked 8 to 10 years full-time and been a pastor, or done side jobs to support my family.
Don't ask why I do it, I could not answer, why do moountain climbers climb mountains.
That being said, SIN is the issue. I think I'll preach on Sin this Sunday.

[2 cents]

what is the "old muddy road?"

[beyond the sea]

Use your imagination.

[The Ghost of FReepers Past]

Not every pastorate is an overpaid glory job. If you do it to God's glory then you are laying up treasures in heaven that no earthly compensation could compare to. I'm not even against generous compensation for pastors if his church chooses to do that. I just agreed that if we were looking for other issues to blame, that could be said to act as a draw for creeps.

Thank you for your service to our Lord. I know it's hard, especially in small churches where the pastor does everything. We should be praying for our pastors all the time.

[stripes1776]

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.

One of the greatest truths preached by Christianity is the forgiveness of sins. If one claims to be a Christian and then doesn't forgive another's sins, then indeed that one is not much of a Christian.

That is why those who compiled the Creed put it in: "I believe in the foregiveness of sins." It is easy to forget unless we are reminded. And much harder to put into practice.

[The Ghost of FReepers Past]

You mean like the forgiveness the Catholic Church showed the pederast priests? They use forgiveness and "seventy times seven" as a blindfold to sin. That's not godly forgiveness. That's aiding and abetting sin -- horrible, awful sin where young boys were terribly scarred, over and over. The good doctrine of forgiveness was used by Satan to spread something horribly unrighteous.

See, even sound doctrine can be manipulated to serve sin when we allow ourselves to ever stop remembering we serve a holy God. We are to seek first His Kingdom and His righteousness. Forgiveness is about restoration for the sake of righteousness. It isn't to give aid and comfort to unrighteousness. We have lost our ability to reason out these matters. Forgive in a way that honors God's righteousness. That means you do not keep a meth using, prostitute seeking pastor in leadership even if he is sorry. If he repents, you keep him in fellowship but you watch him so that you can help REALLY restore him. If he doesn't repent you break fellowship with him, hoping it will help lead him to eventual repentance, and remembering we serve a HOLY God. There are others in the fellowship who could stumble because of this so you must be very careful. You have to look at the big picture and remember who you serve.