New Life Church and Ted Haggard

Each weekend the organiation training me has stipulated that we are to go to churches that are out of our comfort zones. So, I went to Ted Haggard's church here in Colorado Springs called New Life Church. For those who don't know, he was dismissed today as senior pastor for sexual immorality. The church is non-denominational, charismatic and has 14,000 members. The service was very interesting.

Here's a bit of the story from CNN.

I stood the whole time because there was so many people there. The ushers all had small microphones on so they could coordinate where more seats were available. Many had to sit outside in the foyer. The service was contemporary with guitars, drums, a 100 man choir, and everyone in the first 10 rows jumping up and down. The music was good praise songs and the worship seemed powerful and well meant.

They established an interim pastor today who made some good comments about their church polity. They have about 70 deacons and a session made up of senior pastors from other churches. These people met last week when legal charges were brought against Haggard. As I already said, the interim pastor told the congregation that Haggard is being dismissed, so his sin was not glossed over. Then he said that this was an opportunity for forgiveness and reconciliation and that was the goal of this team of pastors. He read in Timothy about the characteristics of overseers and that their serious sins should be publicly brought up, which it was.

So there was a sense of sin being dealt with, but also reconciliation as a goal while still tending to the needs of the flock. Last week we were taught about dissonance and that difference is not always right/wrong. This service gave me a lot to think about in regards to how I think the church should be run and look like. I do not like churches that are that big because the sense of fellowship and discipleship is easily lost, which I think are essential. They do have lots of small groups to combat this, but you just can't know everyone in that church.

I also struggle with non-denominational churches since they lose a lot of needed structure and accountability. This church did a good job of trying to create a session of elders/overseers, but they aren't even from that church and probably most people don't even know them or the 70 deacons. However, it sounded like the church and pastors will handle this situation in a biblical manner.

Both Haggard and his wife had letters read to the congregation today that they wrote. Ted confessed that he was in sin and that all of this was his fault. His wife stated that she is wife Ted till death does them part and hopes their actions through this are a witness. Both were powerful letters.