January 27, 2009
Saving Face
Former pastor Ted Haggard’s sexual escapades are once again front page news. If I’m reading the story correctly, the new allegations were known to church leaders in 2006 and a legal settlement was reached with Haggard’s ‘friend’ in 2007. Last Sunday the current pastor of New Life Church Brady Boyd told his congregation, “I’m sorry that this wound has been reopened for many of you.” Excuse me. This would not be a ‘new’ allegation or a reopening of wounds if the church leaders had made full disclosure from the very beginning. Somewhere along the line these leaders must have determined that the congregation was too fragile to hear the whole truth. In the process of trying to save face and hide sin, they have certainly underestimated the Spirit’s ability to clean, heal and restore.
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Gail;
-----I remember all the shock and horror made about Haggard’s misdeeds. We can’t look into this man’s heart like the Lord can. But I liked most of what I saw in the recent news about the matter. It is sad that his life has become so difficult, but it is joyful to hear him talk about the repentance he has made. The only occasion for reservation I had was his answer to the question about whether he thought homosexuality was wrong. It was wrong for him, he insisted, because he felt he needed to be committed to his wife. He was right about the commitment to his wife. That is the best blessing a man can give to his precious bride, and it becomes the most valuable of her emotional assets. But that is not simply what is wrong with homosexuality, nor is it simply why homosexuality is wrong. It is wrong because God has told us it is wrong. And most basically stated, what is wrong about it is that doing it is being disobedient to God. A lot more can be said, but need it be said? It isn’t wrong for Haggard and right for others. It is just wrong for anyone. I would have felt entirely comfortable for him if he had shown enough insight to set God back into His proper place. Unfortunately, because of this one caveat, I still wonder.
-----I am glad I don’t know, though. That way I can still give him the benefit of the doubt. I know I need the same benefit, because I am wrong a lot, too. Sometimes my mind is right about something but my heart is wrong. Sometimes my heart is right and my mind is wrong. But God’s Word is always right. Maybe Haggard’s heart is in the Word but his mind is just not strong enough. Maybe, even though he was a preacher of a very large church, there were still a few parts of the Bible he had not yet studied. But the Bible stuff about homosexuality is kind of basic. Boy, when you get to thinking about it, there’s a lot of benefit needing given for this doubt.
Love you all,
Steve Corey
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