I can still remember Jimmy Swaggart standing wet-faced and ashamed, staring into a camera and saying with a cracked voice, “I have sinned.” I can remember reading the article, printed in a Christian magazine, about the investigators who witnessed him paying a prostitute for sex. Not sure how old I was, but I remember that feeling.
And I’m hoping it’s not about to happen again. Currently, I’m at the “bitter taste in my mouth” stage of “Please, Lord, let it be false.” Have you heard yet? Someone needs our prayers.
Ted Haggard, the leader of the National Association of Evangelicals and an outspoken opponent of gay marriage, has been accused by a male prostitute of a months-long relationship involving sex, monetary transactions and methamphetamine.
Mr. Haggard has denied the allegations and stepped aside from his post at the NAE and at his church. However, the acting senior pastor of New Life Church has reported Haggard says that “some” of the accusations are true. Which ones? For now, we just don’t know.
All we can do is pray and hope and cover our mouths for a bit. Because it is in moments like these we realize the fragile nature of Christian witness. God has given us his written Word in Scripture. But he has chosen to demonstrate the truth of this Word in our lives. May we be worthy vessels. May the truth of his love in our lives shine through the mess we sometimes make of them.
Brother Ted, I’m praying for you.
Story: http://apnews.myway.com/article/20061103/D8L5IM680.html
It is sad to see articles like this on the front of CNN.com. Why does a news story such as this stay of the front of CNN.com for two days? They are watching us. They look for us to slip. They wait for us to mess up. When they see it, they pounce on it. We know of it, we expect it. Now we need to pray for Mike Jones and Ted Haggard. Pray for your enemies says the Lord.
Eric
November 3rd, 2006
Jesus, have mercy on us! Forgive us this mess, and impregnate us with a hope eternal.
I grieve for the witness of Your Church, and I pray for the restoration of our fallen brothers and sisters.
May we love and love and love, despite.
Jerry DePoy Jr.
November 6th, 2006