Ted Haggard’s Appeal for Financial Support
Ted Haggard (cf. the new TedHaggard.com | Wikipedia), the former pastor of New Life Church in Colorado Springs, has been in the spotlight recently for writing a letter to friends and colleagues asking for financial support for the next two years while he and his wife, Gayle, work on degrees at the University of Phoenix.
Gayle is in the undergraduate program studying psychology. I am pursuing my master of science in counseling degree, which means we are both full time students.
The Haggards are members at Phoenix First Assembly and on October 1 will move into the Phoenix Dream Center, “a half-way house for the homeless, those coming out of prison, recovering alcoholics, drug addicts, prostitutes, and other broken people,” where Ted and Gayle will be volunteer workers as well as do some counseling and teaching.
Most responses on the web have been fairly negative and have discouraged people from giving to the Haggards—and, I think, rightly so—pointing to the fact that he still owns a piece of property in Colorado Springs worth nearly $750,000.
While Haggard should be forgiven by any against whom he has sinned, it is still necessary that he gain people’s trust by demonstrating faithfulness and integrity for some period of time under the care of pastoral leadership. Even if one thinks that Haggard could serve again in ministry, it is certainly too soon to expect people to be able to trustingly support him—not to mention other factors that may make this unwise. However, responses like this and this are totally uncalled for and lack grace and forgiveness.
Read more at the following sources:
- AZ Central:
- Bible Belt Blogger: King David never met Ted Haggard
- Christianity Today:
- Colorado Confidential: Ted Haggard’s Cash-For-Heaven Offer
- Colorado Springs Gazette: Haggard appeals for financial help
- Dallas Religion News:
- Fox News: Disgraced Pastor Ted Haggard Asks Supporters for Cash
- Jim West: Ted Haggard’s Hubris
- KRDO:
- Rocky Mountain News:
- Slate: Ted Haggard’s Funny Money
- The Stranger: Ted Haggard and the Man Behind “Families With a Mission”
- Yahoo News: Fallen pastor seeks financial support
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Jim
It’s not Ted who deserves grace but the people who are liable to be duped by his pretense. They are the ones who are deserving of straightforward talk in order to be spared the horror of throwing their money away. Someone, in other words, has to guard the sheep from the wolves. If that means a punch or two, metaphorically speaking, in the wolf’s nose, so be it.
Aug 29th, 2007 11:15 am
Phil Gons
None of us deserves grace, Jim. But that’s not the point. I just don’t get your harshness. I’m all for wisdom, good stewardship of money, and protecting the people of God, but how are you so certain that Haggard is trying to deceive people? How are you so convinced that Haggard is a wolf? Don’t we forgive and assume that he is genuinely repentant (on the basis of 1 Cor 13 and other passages), while at the same time making him demonstrate faithfulness, integrity, and trustworthiness? Sure, encourage people not to give their money, and make your point that Haggard needs to work to provide for his family, but the rhetoric is just way overboard—and more importantly, unchristian.
The kind of harshness you display is perhaps appropriate only for the one who refuses to repent and acknowledge his sinfulness.
Aug 29th, 2007 11:42 am
Jim
I haven’t yet seen him “bring forth fruits worthy of repentance” and his present behavior—asking total strangers for money, indicates a belief that he is ‘owed’ support at some level.
Sometimes grace is confused with license. Or rather, license is confused with grace. If he were seriously repentant he wouldn’t be asking for money, like the wee little man in the sycamore tree, he would be paying back what he took in order to purchase drugs and prostitutes.
Aug 29th, 2007 1:32 pm
Phil Gons
I don’t necessarily disagree that he hasn’t sufficiently demonstrated his repentance. I don’t know enough of the situation to say. I disagree with his asking people for money, but I (and you) have no basis to say that Ted things people owe him their financial support.
Yes, grace is often abused, and your response certainly won’t be mistaken by anyone as license—or grace.
Aug 29th, 2007 4:09 pm
Marcia
Ted is forgiven by God for the giant blemish if he has a repentant heart. Because he is one of God’s own we must extend love to him. However, where I come from if a man or woman does not work he/she does not eat. Ted needs to get a paying job to support his family. He lost his income due to his sin and now the consequences are upon him. He should as I do & give Thanks to Jesus that we are not bound by the law! My heart desires to serve full-time in ministry if I had a salary and I would love to be a student. I have heard it said if you love what you do you would do it for nothing. I have done that for 15 years and will continue until………Would anyone out there like to sponsor me. I would need a stipend of $1500 per month. Ted certainly has much audacity.
Aug 29th, 2007 10:58 pm
Michele
Where am I wrong it what I said? This man is no longer in ministry, why should he be soliciting funds as if he were? Why is it wrong to point this out?
Aug 29th, 2007 11:50 pm
Phil Gons
Michele, I thought your comments were right on target. My reference was not to what you said but to Jim’s comment on your post, which is what I linked to. If you click it, it should take you right to Jim’s comment.
Aug 30th, 2007 8:27 am
Phil Gons
Marcia, thank you for the comments. Your perspective is helpful and balanced. May God grant you your desire to go to school.
Aug 30th, 2007 8:52 am
Gerry Purcell
Here is some balance, not from me, but from the Word….Let’s be careful not to forget the three things God requires of us - that would be each of us - from Micah 6:8…Do justice, love mercy and walk humbly….the first requirement has happened; now it is time for the second - LOVE mercy! Interesting that each requirement is preceeded by a verb, i.e. in this case, LOOOOOOVE mercy….are we loving mercy here? If not, we will never pass the third requirement to WALK humbly, and subject ourselves to falling into sin’s trap….
Aug 31st, 2007 11:29 am
sunilrabe
who are we to judge.. there is one above the heaven watching if it is correct or not in the sight of God.He will bring the justice.if at all he has done it for God’s purpose well his mercy endures forever..
Sep 10th, 2007 9:45 am