Regarding Ted Haggard

The word is out that Pastor Ted Haggard is surrounded by the makings of a less than glorious scandal.

Kat Coble has a well written posting and I really like the question Thomas McKenzie examines: "How Does It Happen?"

In my time with Promise Keepers, I interacted with a lot of pastors from all denomination flavors throughout my South Central territory and those pastors who were on the speaking team. From those who answer the call to serve as bi-vocational pastors in the inner city to the faithful of pastoring for 40 years to a small congregation of less than a 100 to the influential by their love for God, His Word and their Christlikeness, I've seen them all including a few scroundrels along the way. Pastors at large do have challenges and I spent a great deal of time helping to be a resource with Promise Keepers events, training materials to have strong men in the church that won't bother their pastors with their pettiness.

Thomas addresses some of the things that pastors go through, including the unmet expectations heaped upon by some in the pews.

A couple come to mind: when a influential leader in the church doesn't like a pastor preaching on sexual sin, he writes a letter to the elder board calling for his dismissal as Scripture exposes his sin. Rather than go to God and affected parties for forgiveness, he found it easier to get rid of the messenger.

Another example: woman blames pastor for not being able to reconcile a broken marriage... even though the woman committs the adultery... and on and on it goes.

So as for me, as a sinner saved by grace, I can't judge nor will I judge - but I can pray that Ted Haggard and especially his family get through this with much grace and mercy.

I'm grateful that my time with Promise Keepers taught me well to be a man after God's heart like David in the Psalms. Here's a guy in the Bible who broke 5 of the 10 commandments with his one act of sexual sin.

I'm thankful that I have a group of guys that hold me accountable and who aren't IMPRESSED with me. So men, here's some relevant questions that need to be asked:

- When things go badly, who do you talk to ?
- Who can you be totally honest with ?
- Who is your "sounding board" ?
- Who do you take advice from ?
- When you fall, who will stand by you ?
- Who do you face life's struggles with ?
- Who holds you accountable?

1 Timothy 4:7, 8: "Train yourself to be godly. For physical training is of some value, but godliness has value for all things, holding promise for both the present life and the life to come."

What to learn more? Here's a classic read from Randy Alcorn "CONSEQUENCES OF A MORAL TUMBLE"

Whenever I feel particularly vulnerable to sexual temptation, I find it helpful to review what effects my action could have:

* Grieving the Lord who redeemed me.

* Dragging his sacred name into the mud.

* Destroying my example and credibility with my children, and nullifying both present and future efforts to teach them to obey God ("Why listen to a man who betrayed Mom and us?").

* If my blindness should continue or my wife be unable to forgive, perhaps losing my wife and my children forever.

More at the link... (email me if you want the entire article wonderdawg AT gmail DOT com)