Ousted Evangelist Confesses to Followers
Pastor Dale Morgan
Nov 5, 12:33 PM EST
*
Ousted Evangelist Confesses to Followers*
By COLLEEN SLEVIN
Associated Press Writer
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (AP) -- Less than 24 hours after he was fired
from the pulpit of the evangelical megachurch he founded, the Rev. Ted
Haggard confessed to his followers Sunday that he was guilty of sexual
immorality.
In a letter that was read to the congregation of the New Life Church by
another clergyman, Haggard apologized for his acts and requested
forgiveness.
"I am so sorry for the circumstances that have caused shame and
embarrassment for all of you," he said, adding that he had confused the
situation by giving inconsistent remarks to reporters denying the scandal.
"The fact is I am guilty of sexual immorality. And I take responsibility
for the entire problem. I am a deceiver and a liar. There's a part of my
life that is so repulsive and dark that I have been warring against it
for all of my adult life," he said.
Haggard resigned last week as president of the National Association of
Evangelicals, where he held sway in Washington and condemned
homosexuality, after a man claimed to have had drug-fueled homosexual
trysts with him. Haggard also placed himself on administrative leave
from the New Life Church, which has 14,000 members, but its independent
Overseer Board fired him on Saturday.
In his letter, Haggard said "the accusations made against me are not all
true but enough of them are that I was appropriately removed from his
church leadership position."
He did not give details on which accusations were true.
The letter was read to the church by the Rev. Larry Stockstill, senior
pastor of Bethany World Prayer Center in Baker, La., and a member of the
board that fired Haggard.
Before the letter was read, members of the congregation sang and cheered
during their Sunday, singing refrain after refrain of "I will bless the
lord at all times."
Youngsters were sent out of the room before elders began speaking about
the church crisis.
"Worshippers are always challenged by crisis. And when tragedy and
crisis strikes it is at that moment that you truly decide if you are a
worshipper of the most high god. And today as the worship pastor of this
church I am very proud of you," said the Rev. Ross Parsley, who has
replaced Haggard.
"I am so grateful for the government system in place here at this
church. ... The speed with which things were dealt with this week has
been a testimony to the godliness, to the integrity and authority of the
overseers of the board of this church," he said.
Haggard, 50, had acknowledged on Friday that he paid Mike Jones of
Denver for a massage and for methamphetamine, but said he did not have
sex with him and did not take the drug.
The Overseer Board, made up clergy from various churches, used stronger
language.
"Our investigation and Pastor Haggard's public statements have proven
without a doubt that he has committed sexually immoral conduct," the
board said in a statement.
The NEA, representing 30 million evangelicals, named the Rev. Leith
Anderson, senior pastor of Wooddale Church in Eden Prairie, Minn., as
its interim president.
Jones said news of Haggard's dismissal saddened him.
"I feel really bad for his wife and family and his congregation. I know
it's a sad day for them, too," Jones said. "I just hope the family has
peace and can come to terms with things. I hope they can continue with a
happy life."
Haggard's situation is a disappointment to Christian conservatives, whom
President Bush and other Republicans are courting heavily in the run-up
to Tuesday's election.
Many were already disheartened with the president and the
Republican-controlled Congress over their failure to deliver big gains
on social issues even before the congressional page scandal involving
former Rep. Mark Foley.
Haggard, who had been president of the evangelical association since
2003, has participated in conference calls with White House staffers and
lobbied Congress last year on Supreme Court nominees.
Haggard founded New Life in the mid-1980s and held its first services in
the basement of his Colorado Springs home.
Jones, who said he is gay, said he was upset when he discovered who
Haggard was and found out that New Life had publicly opposed same-sex
marriage - a key issue in Colorado, with a pair of issues on Tuesday's
ballot.