Haggards Church Opens to All

[stephen]

HAGGARD'S CHURCH OPENS ARMS TO ALL

Church will open arms to all "gays, straights, tall, short," Haggard says [Excerpts]

Ted and Gayle Haggard, banished by the church they started when his relationship with a male prostitute and alleged drug purchases were revealed, today said they will start a new church, St. James, that will be open to all.

"St. James is a church for sinners - for people who have hit rock bottom and people who want to help people who have hit rock bottom," Ted Haggard said. "It is not a gathering for the righteous, except those who are righteous by faith."

St. James Church will be more casual than New Life Church, the Colorado Springs Evangelical megachurch the Haggards founded in their home some 30 years ago.
"Everybody is welcome: Democrats, Republican, Independents, gays, straights, tall, short, addicts and recovering addicts," Haggard said.

Gayle Haggard will also be preaching at this church, they said. The pair also anticipates providing counseling for "people in the worst crisis of their lives.

"I think I am qualified to hold their hand," he said.

[TBC: It is one thing to hold a hand. It is something else to also give the words of life to those who desperately need to hear (John 6:68).]

Church will open arms to all "gays, straights, tall, short," Haggard says - The Denver Post

 

[rizen1]

I'm not sure what to say...I've never met any pastor that restricted who their members were.
The church is a place for sinners to find their way to the father, so I find it irrelevant to have such a list. The church have always been open to all, it's up to the ALL to find their way inside, become children of God and turn from their wicked ways.

Interesting read, I do hope he's been delivered from homosexuality, his last interview with Oprah he admitted to still having some sexual thoughts about men.

 

[Boanerges]

Everyone should be welcome and the Pastor should speak the truth in love according to the Word of God.
Anything less is not loving these lost souls.

 

[True Christian]

Well, this move is a surprise, something which is entirely unconscionable in the eyes of God. An individual like Haggard, has caused such massive and in some ways, irreversible damage to millions, perhaps hundreds of millions of people, worldwide, by one reason-his own personal choice. From my deep study of God's word, and much prayer, I have learned that an individual such as this, must, in no way, ever be allowed to function in any type of public ministry, or even counseling, for the duration of his life, even if attempting to start his own ministry.

People must look to Jesus, not to man, and when they fail, the results are a Haggard or others. I do not believe that the majority of people such as him, or others who have similar tendencies who may not have been caught yet, were ever called by God, into a position of true ministry, hence public trust, and more so, the preparation and trust from God.

Haggard has made his own choices, and is a liar, and is filled with the enemy.

2 Samuel Chapter 12 shows David's woes, yet his admission of sin. But we must know how David and others, were greatly judged and punished by God Almighty, and that his life was never the same after his fall. In the USA, and other places, there are false Christians, and false pastors. We need to be very careful, both for our own lifestyles, and to not follow anyone like Haggard, whatsoever.

 

[jiggyfly]

I personally don't think Haggard is spiritually mature enough to lead anyone. He should first take full responsibility for his actions and grow up spiritually before trying to lead others. However he evidently is qualified to open another carnal church within the Christian religious institution.