Well said Mike…and even more so…well said Ted!!!

EVERYBODY is messy.

I've heard it said that we as Christians need to 'do it better' because an unbelieving world is watching and if we screw up and get caught, that gives them the excuse they're looking for to not believe.

I believe an unbelieving world hears about this person named Jesus who talked about forgiveness and grace and then sees His followers ostracize, excommunicate, and vilify their brethren who screw up and wonder why

I'm right with you on this one Mike.

Mike – I wish Ted and his family the very best, and pray he has strong accountability around him.

Wow! I love radical grace! I admire his courage to begin again!

I love seeing people come back after falling down…it is one of the greatest stories out there! May God use this ministry to help bring people closer to him.

i got to be honest…watching that video was awesome! i loved what he said!

It's been 3 1/2 years… Ted has been contrite and humble since the revelations of his behavior came out. He was able to keep his family together and his wife stayed with him. He was faithful steward of the attention he received from major news media and churches alike. With the right accountability and guardrails, Ted can have a major impact for the kingdom of God.

Watching God restore His people and extend grace to those who it seems a lot of “believers” won't, is amazing. Sure there might continue to be unanswered questions in the public forum, but I'm not certain that God deals with high-profile media situations in a manner that brings closure for the critics and those standing ready to judge.

I do believe that God is close to the broken hearted. I do believe that Jesus forgives and restores and gives us hope. Because I'm not God and because I love Jesus, my heart goes out to Ted and his family and I pray that their story will be one that connects people to the unexplainable love we've been given.

Thanks for the post Mike. Thanks for championing the broken and believing in the power of God's love.

If I go on record, let it be in choosing grace. Who am I to withhold what God himself has not withheld?

If we really believe God is who he says he is, who the Bible says he is, then our theology should not be challenged to believe that God is both capable of and willing to redeem Ted Haggard OR ANYONE ELSE from personal darkness. The darkest dark to lightest light. That is EXACTLY the story of God.

[...] This post was mentioned on Twitter by Mike Foster, Nicole Wick, Seth Jones, Michael Robison, Ryan Reed and others. Ryan Reed said: RT @MikeFoster: My simple thots on Ted Haggard starting a new church + a video of his statement. http://bit.ly/9eJZgx #potsc // awesome! [...]

I'm sorry Mike, as much as I believe in second chances, I do not believe in the statement that “Jesus's arms are open to all people.” They are open to those who hear his voice and follow his ways. The way of the Master is difficult and you must surrender all sin and call sin sin for a redemptive work to begin in your heart. If you go to St. James and God calls you and you turn from your sin, yes God will welcome you. Not so if you continue in your sin or refuse to acknowledge your sin before a Holy God.

Okay. First of all I want to say that I completely believe in 2nd chances. I know that I have been given them as well, but I need some help understanding some things. I honestly would love for someone to help me understand this and answer these questions. Why does his role have to be so public? Why did he choose to have a press conference that would be shown around the world? Why does he feel that he has to “start a church” to be the church? I truly wish him the best and pray, I just question his motivation. I DO believe that he genuinely wants to help others and use his negative experience for good, but I wonder if that is not his ONLY motivation. What do you guys think? Please help me understand.

Good for you Ted. People who say you shouldn't lead a church again misunderstand God's grace. You have a lot to offer. Paul said to boast in our weakness, so don't shy away from how messed up you are, but how God's grace is sufficient.

If lost and broken people feel like St James is a safer place to go than the “heels and pearls” church down the street, where judgment is passed out like tic-tacs on Sunday mornings, then maybe more lost and broken rejects will be able to hear about Christ.

Not every church is set up to meet the needs of every person. I think Ted is opening an avenue to minister to people who would otherwise be very difficult to reach.

I admire Ted's cojones to get back up and try again. I can only hope that if I am ever knocked down that hard, I can get back up and try again – and have people support me like Mike supports him.

Give it all you got, Ted! Make that 2nd chance count!

I thought the same thing

I believe in radical grace. My life is a testimony to it. But I also believe that we need to realize that you can not teach the Bible as truth if you ignore part of it's teaching just because it it doesn't fit your personal ambitions. When it comes to leadership qualifications, the Bible is pretty clear that there are standards to be met for those seeking a leadership position. In this case I think those standards are being ignored. I agree with jodyearley. A person can do the work of the church without being the leader of a church. He can help and minister to people in a number of ways besides being the church leader. I think this has more to do with the fact that Ted had been a leader for so long, he doesn't know how else to do it. I think he would be amazed at the opportunities that would be available to him if he was open to being a worker instead of feeling the need to be the leader.

You know what? I'm genuinely torn. I haven't figured this out. And certainly I recognize that I have no authority here… I'm just another brother in Christ who is wary of Ted Haggard returning to Senior Pastoral ministry. After reading your post and watching the video, I blogged about my struggle here >> http://www.jskogerboe.com/?p=960

But MORE important than any of my thoughts here was a link one of my commentors (and a friend and fellow blogger) posted. It is a 1991 article from John MacArther called “Should FAllen Pastors Be Restored?” It is an EXCELLENT resource, and it pulls on my heard and my head. You can find it here >> http://bit.ly/ax6yLC

At the end of the day, I'm left with this question: Is RESTORATION of Pastor Ted into the Body of Christ “enough,” or is it necessary (or even wise) for him to regain Senior leadership of a local congregation? I honestly don't know…

Thanks to you guys at POTSC for continuing to inspire God thoughts in me. Bless you!

i understand your thots but if we wanted to question motivation i believe everyone's motives can be examined…and most people have multiple motivations…some that they are aware of…some they arent…some they verbalize…some they hide…either way if motivation is the determining factor i think most leaders/pastors/individuals are found guilty. including myself.

help me here…cuz i think youre saying you would be content with Ted and Gayle serving behind the scenes or underutilizing clear talents/gifts from here on out?

btw, i would agree the Bible is very clear on leadership qualifications but unfortunately we only seem to roll it on people who have fallen verses people who havent…just sayin

would love to hear your further thots

Hi Jody.

I spent two decades in media and journalism…and I guarantee you there were reporters out there chomping at the bit to try and take Haggard down a second time. If they started their church without making a public announcement about it you would have reporters sneaking into services to take pictures, you'd have sudden op-ed pieces about why he started the church in secret, etc.

The easiest way for Ted Haggard to keep the inevitable gossip, spin and outright lies that we'll see in the media and “new media” is to hold that conference, throw out the truth about what's happening and his motivation behind it.

I'm just curious…what leadership qualifications is he not meeting at the present moment?

I love Ted. I did long before the setback. But I'm not sure grace is the only issue here. If it were, have at it! But there are issues of trust and sensitivity and spiritual authority and testimony. It's a shame the church couldn't love him publically in the springs before now because self-served grace just doesn't have the same effect

Gayle is the minister in this story. I have never seen such a beautiful, amazing, and incredible picture of grace and forgiveness.

Interesting how controversial the topic of grace is when discussed in the context of church leadership.

I am an addict and alcoholic in recovery who has broken every one of the 10 commandments. When I was in my early teens I carried my pot in the middle of a hollowed out Bible. I understand fully the need for radical grace and second chances. I also know that a genuine transformation of heart and life takes time, especially for those of us whose character defects are deeply rooted in arrogance and ego. Three and a half years may seem like a long time on the sidelines but, in the context of 1) doing the deep work involved in finding the source of these radically self- and others-harming behaviors, 2) turning them around in a way that can be sustained and then 3) stepping into a very public ministry (he has not ruled out the possibility that the church plant may be the subject of a reality television show), this seems very fast indeed. I will be praying for this man, his family and this new congregation.

WOW I believe in forgiveness but not a place back in full time ministry …… why not let a “recovered” pedaphile be a elementary teacher

I don't know Ted and I know nothing about what has taken place in the last 3 1/2 years. I guess my point is that it isn't necessary for me to make any kind of judgment if God lays out the requirements for leaders. I agree that those qualifications are often overlooked and bantered about most often in situations like this. But that doesn't negate them either.

I also don't believe that the only way for God to use Ted for His kingdom is as the senior pastor of a church. It is not a matter of under utilizing clear talents/gifts, it is simply using them in a different way. There are people who share the same talents and gifts as Ted that work under the leadership of others.

I just know from my own life experiences, that it is really easy to fall into the trap of seeing yourself only as a leader, limited only to doing God's work as a leader in the church. I had been a leader in the church for over 30 years when things fell apart for me. And for 7 or 8 years I struggled to find the places where God could use me. It was hard for me to make the transition because as a leader, the work flows to you. In fact there are times you are looking for ways to hide from it. I had to learn again how to do God's work outside of the church instead of only seeing opportunities through the church setting.

And God and I are still sorting the whole thing out. But I can tell you this much. I have been stretched and challenged more in those 7 or 8 years, than in the previous 30.

If God is leading Ted to start this church, then I say let grace abound. It just struck me when I watched the video, there wasn't a mention of God's involvement in providing the vision for this church. I know the video was edited and it may have been said at some point.

ditto – that is what I'm wrestling with… what does true restoration look like. Fully integrated back into church leadership or fully integrated back into the body of Christ? And how does that restoration look different when leadership is involved? or does it?

taking spirituality of any kind out of it – looking at it from a psychological perspective… IF what tripped him up to begin with has not been healed, and if he is looking to the Pastorate to fix that broken part of him, then he will head down the same road as before. Only he and God know where he is at. I really hope it works out… because if it does it will be an amazing testimony to God's restorative power. Wow!

These comments just drive home to me that we really do believe in radical grace…to a point…until it gets too uncomfortable for us.

Then the “but's” start to show up.

Ok, i just want to tell you – I have been pondering this now for a full day and am even more confusticated than I was when I first read it… aaaaah! I thought I had it nailed down to “well, there are different standards for leaders” but I don't think it is as cut and dry as this… so I still wrestle, and ponder… and maybe that is where I need to be on this … thanks for making me think

I wish him the best, but I wish his actions were a little more transparent. Why call a press conference when starting a new church? Is this the norm for all new churches or does he get special treatment because of his past roles and failures? Has New Life given their blessing to this endeavor? My understanding is that he removed himself from under their covering early in the restoration process. I would like to see him address that congregation and apologize as one who has been restored.

I am mixed on this whole thing. While I truly believe in grace and forgiveness, trust has to be earned back. I think that is the obstacle that Ted will be facing with this new endeavor.

I wish him the best, but I wish his actions were a little more transparent. Why call a press conference when starting a new church? Is this the norm for all new churches or does he get special treatment because of his past roles and failures? Has New Life given their blessing to this endeavor? My understanding is that he removed himself from under their covering early in the restoration process. I would like to see him address that congregation and apologize as one who has been restored.

I am mixed on this whole thing. While I truly believe in grace and forgiveness, trust has to be earned back. I think that is the obstacle that Ted will be facing with this new endeavor.