Monday, January 15, 2007
"What We Lost" (Part 1)
As pastor of New Life Church in Colorado Springs, Colorado, Haggard was a committed charismatic, who reflected the respect Spirit-filled believers are being granted in wider evangelical circles.
But he was also a deeply flawed man, who hid a dark secret none of us could have imagined. His fall from grace raises the same questions that surface whenever the hidden failures of a high-profile leader are made public.
Although even the most elaborate accountability processes can be circumvented, could this situation have been avoided? Are there patterns of behavior that should serve as warning signs to church leaders and their congregations? Are the "superstar" positions of power and influence that characterize 21st-century evangelicalism too much for any man or woman to handle without cracking under the pressure and succumbing to their worst flaws? How does the church regain credibility when its own spokespeople seem to be strangely vulnerable to the very sins that it so vigorously condemns?
In the days following Haggard's admission and removal from leadership, Ministry Today talked with some of the leaders involved—as well as others who have navigated the waters of failure, discipline and restoration. Although many were unable to go on the record with more details than have already been covered ad nauseam in the media, several key observations distill that demand a shift in the way we deal with prevention, discipline and restoration in the wake of a moral failure. (CONTINUE READING)
1) Independent Oversight.
True-- tragic as this was, the situation has seemed less murky than the Paul Crouch situation. New Life knows where it stands, thanks to swift action by our Board of Overseers and well-crafted bylaws.
2) Internal Incentive.
Dr. Weiss is a wise man, no doubt "practical matters protect us from spiritual downfalls." Lie detector tests? Out-of-the-box solution indeed.
3) Voluntary Accountability.
"Every pastor needs someone to whom he can tell his darkest secrets..." And every Christian, I'd say. Confession, bringing to light, is a way God cleanses. (Praise for His mercy)
4) Cleanup Duty.
Yes, bravo to the pastors who called and e-mailed around (the high school dept had people there all weekend to pray with the youth, those who led the internships were e-mailing support to their teams, etc.)
5) A Renewed Voice.
"Some have suggested that Haggard's prominence was something of an anomaly created by the convergence of an evangelical in the White House, a Republican Congress, a war with Islamic extremists and the growth of the megachurch movement—phenomena that may be drawing to a close"
Interesting theory, though I'm not sure conservative values and megachurches are on the way out.
I believe Ted was very gifted with people-- knew so much information, but always made people feel at home. Presbyterian pastors here in CO Springs have said for years [paraphrase], "I disagree with Ted on theology, but he's personable and a great friend."
"...protect the integrity of our voice. The world is watching. God is watching. Where do we go from here?"
Now is not the time for the church to retreat, surely. More humility, more awareness of our fallen nature, less dependence on any one man.
Speak we must-- and first stand on His Word.
Thanks, Matt and Ministry Today!
-joshMshep
Video, audio & other Links on Ted story
My blog on the story, "False Summit"
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