What If Ted Had Told the Truth?
This is a commentary I wrote for Ministry Today, January 20, 2009.
Ted Haggard is using an upcoming HBO documentary to chastise the church for how it handled his sex-and-drugs scandal in 2006. Read one pastor’s take on why he may have a point.
Ted Haggard is at it again. The former pastor of a Colorado mega church who admitted to a sexual relationship with a male escort in 2006, is now sharing his story in a documentary called The Trials of Ted Haggard. On January 29, the film premieres on HBO and will re-examine the scandal that rocked the evangelical world. For many, this film will reopen old wounds and stir up feelings thought to be dead and buried.I question why Haggard chose this particular outlet to voice the pain and frustration of his private journey. While I can only imagine the suffering Haggard has endured over the past two years, I cannot excuse some of his choices. And now, once again, it seems the church will have to deal with another reminder of those choices. But maybe there are some things worth being reminded of.
In recent news reports, Ted Haggard chastised church leaders for missing an opportunity to use his scandal to “communicate the gospel worldwide.” Despite how we may feel about the circumstances surrounding Haggard, I believe we have the responsibility to ask: Is he right? Did we, the global Christian church, somehow miss an opportunity to respond to those who struggle with unwanted same-sex attraction with the gospel of truth? While these are valid questions that demand our attention, I believe there is another question that addresses an issue just as important, if not far greater:
What if Ted had told the truth? (click here for the entire article)
Michael Guglielmucci – “Healer”
I been away for a couple of days so I just found out about Michael Guglielmucci’s deception surrounding his terminal illness. This, to me, is a devastating situation. This not only affects Micheal, his family, his church, but also the entire Body of Christ at large. While Ted Haggard’s fall significantly impacted Christians around the world, there is something about this that cuts deeper. His actions were incredibly intentional, planned, methodically deceptive, and predatory. Having lost a brother and a father to terminal cancer, I can sympathize with the thousands of people who found hope in Michael’s circumstances and now feel incredibly betrayed. I must confess, I am angry. Not in a way that wishes vengeance or is void of compassion for Michael and his family. Rather, it is a righteous anger that is appropriate for this degree of violation. Forgiveness is given. However, the Body of Christ must handle this with integrity and consistency. I’m encouraged by what I’ve read so far regarding how his church is holding him accountable for his actions and exercising compassionate discipline. Read more