2nd Pastor Resigns Over Gay Sex Scandal
Pastor Dale Morgan
2nd Pastor Resigns Over Gay Sex Scandal*
Monday December 11, 2006 8:01 PM
ENGLEWOOD, Colo. (AP) - The founding pastor of a second Colorado church
has resigned over gay sex allegations, just weeks after the evangelical
community was shaken by the scandal surrounding megachurch leader Ted
Haggard.
Haggard, a gay-marriage opponent, admitted to unspecified ``sexual
immorality'' when he resigned last month as president of the National
Association of Evangelicals and pastor of the 14,000-member New Life
Church in Colorado Springs. A male prostitute had said he had had sex
with Haggard for three years.
On Sunday, Paul Barnes, founding pastor of the 2,100-member Grace Chapel
in this Denver suburb, told his evangelical congregation in a videotaped
message he had had sexual relations with other men and was stepping down.
Dave Palmer, associate pastor of Grace Chapel, told The Denver Post that
Barnes confessed to him after the church received a call last week.
The church board of elders accepted Barnes' resignation on Thursday.
On the videotape, which The Post was allowed to view, Barnes told church
members: ``I have struggled with homosexuality since I was a 5-year-old
boy. ... I can't tell you the number of nights I have cried myself to
sleep, begging God to take this away.''
Barnes, 54, led Grace Chapel for 28 years. He and his wife have two
adult children.
Palmer said in a written statement that ``While we cannot condone what
he has done, we continue to support and love Paul.''