Ted Haggard

Sorry for the lack of posts this last week. Things have been busy and I've been lazy. Bad combination.

Many of you probably have already seen the news on Ted Haggard this week...

I really don't have time to post my own thoughts but the evidence is still coming in so I'm sure there will be more to say later. Here is what I found posted on Think Christian.

The Associated Press is reporting this morning:

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. Nov 3, 2006 (AP)— The president of the National Association of Evangelicals, an outspoken opponent of gay marriage, has given up his post while a church panel investigates allegations he paid a man for sex.

The Rev. Ted Haggard resigned as president of the 30 million-member association Thursday after being accused of paying the man for monthly trysts over the past three years.

Haggard, a married father of five, denied the allegations, but also stepped aside as head of his 14,000-member New Life Church pending an investigation.

“I am voluntarily stepping aside from leadership so that the overseer process can be allowed to proceed with integrity,” he said in a statement. “I hope to be able to discuss this matter in more detail at a later date. In the interim, I will seek both spiritual advice and guidance.”

The acting senior pastor at New Life, Ross Parsley, told KKTV-TV of Colorado Springs that Haggard admitted that some of the accusations were true.

“I just know that there has been some admission of indiscretion, not admission to all of the material that has been discussed but there is an admission of some guilt,” Parsley told the station.

I’m in shock, although after numerous evangelical leaders have admitted to sexual sin, I’m not surprised. Deeply saddened, but not surprised.

Some things to keep in mind. First and foremost, Haggard is innocent until proven guilty. Second, Christians need to being praying for Haggard, his family, his 14,000 member church, the National Association of Evangelicals, and Christians who may have their faith in the church shaken by these allegations.

Here is what one of the commenters had to say. This has not been verified, though I hope it is true, so please keep that in mind.

TheDenverChannel.com is reporting that the mega-church pastor and president of the National Association of Evangelical’s accuser, Mike Jones:

“. . . underwent a polygraph test Friday morning and the results were revealed on the Peter Boyles show on KHOW. According to the polygraph administrator, Jones’ responses indicated deception.

“The polygraph examiner said the questions he failed were: Did you lie when you said you had a sexual relationship with Ted Haggard? Did you lie when you said you had a sexual affair with Ted Haggard over a period of three years?”

TheDenverChannel.com