Why the Ted Haggard scandal could have been much worse than it was.
As many of you know, Ted Haggard served as a senior editorial adviser to Ministry Today and wrote a column in each issue of the magazine until this past May, when his increasing duties at New Life Church and the National Association of Evangelicals precluded his ongoing involvement. During the time he served in this role, we appreciated his warm personal encouragement and insight--as well as his incisive wit in writing and conversation. We're still reeling as we read the accusations, admissions and announcement of his resignation from the NAE and dismissal from the pastorate of the church he founded and successfully led for so many years.
We do not want to understate the long-term effect this scandal will have on New Life Church, the Body of Christ at large and the world's public perception of God's people. But while we are sobered by the events of the past week and vividly reminded of our own frailty and vulnerability to sin, we are also strangely relieved. Why? Because this could have gone so much worse had it occurred at one of many other charismatic congregations whose leaders do not have the sense to structure their church government to account for such a dreadful situation.
Consider the case of the Atlanta church essentially run by a family of untouchable religious potentates, several of whom have been accused of ethical and moral lapses, but who have maintained control of their church through a bizarre combination of blackmail, bribery and spiritual manipulation. The congregation of thousands has shriveled to a handful, leaving a trail of shattered and disillusioned souls.
Then, there's the Arlington, Texas, pastor who drugged women in his church with methamphetamines and then raped them. Although allegations of misconduct had swirled around him for some time, it was not until he was hauled off to prison to pay for his crimes, that his pastoral position was pried from his grasp ... and given to his wife.
This is not to say that denominational churches are immune to such spiritual thuggery. Most of us remember the Southern California pastor who divorced his wife, remarried a week later and pulled his 10,000-member church out of his denomination when its leaders had the guts to confront him for his outrageous conduct.
In contrast, the bylaws of New Life Church were written in such a way that within 72 hours of the initial allegations of Haggard's conduct, he had been investigated, removed from his post by a team of overseers and elders from inside and outside the church and placed in the restorative care of three respected church leaders.
This is not to say that the system worked perfectly--a "perfect" system would have prevented this scandal from occurring in the first place. As the story unfolds, it will doubtless be revealed that warning signs were ignored and safeguards were overlooked. Even the most efficient structures of accountability and discipline cannot contain the destructive forces of our human depravity. But the leaders to whom Haggard was accountable should be commended for the swift and decisive manner in which the situation was dealt with.
by Matt Green
from The Ministry Report
November 8, 2006
08 November 2006
What New Life Did Right
Why the Ted Haggard scandal could have been much worse than it was.
As many of you know, Ted Haggard served as a senior editorial adviser to Ministry Today and wrote a column in each issue of the magazine until this past May, when his increasing duties at New Life Church and the National Association of Evangelicals precluded his ongoing involvement. During the time he served in this role, we appreciated his warm personal encouragement and insight--as well as his incisive wit in writing and conversation. We're still reeling as we read the accusations, admissions and announcement of his resignation from the NAE and dismissal from the pastorate of the church he founded and successfully led for so many years.
We do not want to understate the long-term effect this scandal will have on New Life Church, the Body of Christ at large and the world's public perception of God's people. But while we are sobered by the events of the past week and vividly reminded of our own frailty and vulnerability to sin, we are also strangely relieved. Why? Because this could have gone so much worse had it occurred at one of many other charismatic congregations whose leaders do not have the sense to structure their church government to account for such a dreadful situation.
Consider the case of the Atlanta church essentially run by a family of untouchable religious potentates, several of whom have been accused of ethical and moral lapses, but who have maintained control of their church through a bizarre combination of blackmail, bribery and spiritual manipulation. The congregation of thousands has shriveled to a handful, leaving a trail of shattered and disillusioned souls.
Then, there's the Arlington, Texas, pastor who drugged women in his church with methamphetamines and then raped them. Although allegations of misconduct had swirled around him for some time, it was not until he was hauled off to prison to pay for his crimes, that his pastoral position was pried from his grasp ... and given to his wife.
This is not to say that denominational churches are immune to such spiritual thuggery. Most of us remember the Southern California pastor who divorced his wife, remarried a week later and pulled his 10,000-member church out of his denomination when its leaders had the guts to confront him for his outrageous conduct.
In contrast, the bylaws of New Life Church were written in such a way that within 72 hours of the initial allegations of Haggard's conduct, he had been investigated, removed from his post by a team of overseers and elders from inside and outside the church and placed in the restorative care of three respected church leaders.
This is not to say that the system worked perfectly--a "perfect" system would have prevented this scandal from occurring in the first place. As the story unfolds, it will doubtless be revealed that warning signs were ignored and safeguards were overlooked. Even the most efficient structures of accountability and discipline cannot contain the destructive forces of our human depravity. But the leaders to whom Haggard was accountable should be commended for the swift and decisive manner in which the situation was dealt with.
by Matt Green
from The Ministry Report
November 8, 2006
As many of you know, Ted Haggard served as a senior editorial adviser to Ministry Today and wrote a column in each issue of the magazine until this past May, when his increasing duties at New Life Church and the National Association of Evangelicals precluded his ongoing involvement. During the time he served in this role, we appreciated his warm personal encouragement and insight--as well as his incisive wit in writing and conversation. We're still reeling as we read the accusations, admissions and announcement of his resignation from the NAE and dismissal from the pastorate of the church he founded and successfully led for so many years.
We do not want to understate the long-term effect this scandal will have on New Life Church, the Body of Christ at large and the world's public perception of God's people. But while we are sobered by the events of the past week and vividly reminded of our own frailty and vulnerability to sin, we are also strangely relieved. Why? Because this could have gone so much worse had it occurred at one of many other charismatic congregations whose leaders do not have the sense to structure their church government to account for such a dreadful situation.
Consider the case of the Atlanta church essentially run by a family of untouchable religious potentates, several of whom have been accused of ethical and moral lapses, but who have maintained control of their church through a bizarre combination of blackmail, bribery and spiritual manipulation. The congregation of thousands has shriveled to a handful, leaving a trail of shattered and disillusioned souls.
Then, there's the Arlington, Texas, pastor who drugged women in his church with methamphetamines and then raped them. Although allegations of misconduct had swirled around him for some time, it was not until he was hauled off to prison to pay for his crimes, that his pastoral position was pried from his grasp ... and given to his wife.
This is not to say that denominational churches are immune to such spiritual thuggery. Most of us remember the Southern California pastor who divorced his wife, remarried a week later and pulled his 10,000-member church out of his denomination when its leaders had the guts to confront him for his outrageous conduct.
In contrast, the bylaws of New Life Church were written in such a way that within 72 hours of the initial allegations of Haggard's conduct, he had been investigated, removed from his post by a team of overseers and elders from inside and outside the church and placed in the restorative care of three respected church leaders.
This is not to say that the system worked perfectly--a "perfect" system would have prevented this scandal from occurring in the first place. As the story unfolds, it will doubtless be revealed that warning signs were ignored and safeguards were overlooked. Even the most efficient structures of accountability and discipline cannot contain the destructive forces of our human depravity. But the leaders to whom Haggard was accountable should be commended for the swift and decisive manner in which the situation was dealt with.
by Matt Green
from The Ministry Report
November 8, 2006
03 November 2006
21st-Century Media Consumption
Highlights from my presentation at the Morning Star Ministries 2006 Writers, Media and Creative Arts Conference:
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