My Thoughts on Ted Haggard

After reading several articles, and overhearing numerous conversations, it seems the majority of people across the nation view the moral failure of Teg Haggard as evidence that Christianity is not what it claims. If the top Christian leaders in our country are living secret lives, and come across as hypocrites, what grounds does any Christian then have to say that he or she is better than, or more correct, than somebody else? Especially, somebody like a devout Buddhist, whose leaders have never had "moral failure" like Haggard's (or, we should really say, have never been caught). From such a perspective, that bases religious value on good works and acts of devotion, Christianity makes no greater claim than any other "path" to God and the moral failure of it's leaders reinforces this misunderstanding. The misunderstanding is grounded in the lack of real knowledge that Christ's message of was one of grace, not works. It is one of relationship, not religious ritual, obedience or devotion (though these tend to be a natural outworking of that relationship).

However, Haggard's church is reacting in a biblical healthy way, that is illustrating what true relationship with God and true grace, Christianity, is all about. I wish I could point everyone who puts Christianity down because of this incident to the website of New Life Church (www.newlifechurch.org) to read Haggard's letter, his wife's letter, and the sermon preached the Sunday following the exposure of Haggard's hidden life. The letter from Haggard is one of repentence and confession. The letter from his wife proclaims her unchanged love for her sister's in the faith, her vow of perseverence in the face of difficulty. The sermon is one of forgiveness, discipline and hope for an even better future for the body of Christ and Haggard himself. These are the markings of what truly makes Christ's church COMPLETELY different. These are the outworkings of relationship with the True and Living God. They've acknowledged that Ted Haggard's actions were wrong, thus, he is being disciplined, but he is not thrown away. He and other leaders around him are actively seeking restoration.

When all is said and done, the situation on the whole exudes the gospel which Christ came to preach, live and impart to the generations ahead of him. Haggard's actions themselves may have been opposing to what we know to be "Christianity" but the whole story is the essence of what Christianity is all about.

And I leave you with this question: What person, when publicly exposed for all the wretchedness that they are, and then is surrounded by others who genuinely care for their full healing and restoration, finding that even those they've hurt the most are standing faithfully by their side (in this case Haggard's wife) can resist this love?

May all those who have been stopped short in their view on Ted Haggard's exposure come to see the glorious working of the love of Christ, the true Christianity, that is illustrated so powerfully by the body of Christ around him. And may they come to this Christ as well and find healing, restoration and hope for the future.