Why was New Life Ministries' Haggard fired?

Question

I thought Christians promoted forgiveness and love. Why wasn't Haggard forgiven and allowed to stay? If the people he ministers to truly are Christians, you would think they would be CHRIST-LIKE and focus on love and forgiveness rather than on condemning people left and right.

Oh.... sorry for the misinterpretation, I knew he was more "ousted" than "fired" per se. But the gist of mt question lies in why his congregation did not forgive him and encourage him to stay.

And..... I do attend church regularly, at an open, loving, Christian church which has, among other great things, an openly gay minister.

Answer 1

They are concentrating on forgiveness and love.

In a ministry position, he is unable to focus on his own walk with God and getting back on the narrow pathway if he is on call 24-7 to his congregation.

Biblically, ministers and teachers are held to a higher standard than the rest of us. They are called by God to these positions and technically Haggard did the right thing biblically by placing himself on leave and agreeing to his position being terminated.

The people involved in this have forgiven him from what I have read about his letter to his congregation. They were not as a whole angry or upset after hearing his letter of admitting wrongdoing and repentance.

I have heard nor seen condemnation of Mr. Haggard from his congregation. Mr. Haggard and his wife and family have not left the church. They are still members and can and should continue to worship at their home church. What he has done is step down to work on his own weaknessess and no one will condemn him for doing just that.

The reasons for his not remaining a leader in that church are the same reasons open sinners such as adulterers and homosexuals should not be in leadership positions. It is much to difficult to work on your own weaknessess while you are responsible for the spiritual guidance of a church body.

Answer 2

He wasn't kicked out of the church. He stepped down voluntarily from a position of authority, an action the church elders agreed with. He and his family are probably getting a lot of love and support from their church right now. You make some bad assumptions in your question. You have no idea what a Christian church does when one of its leaders falls from grace. I have seen it happen and the only time the pastor leaves the church completely is by his/her own choice. A pastor is called to a higher state of moral purity by scripture, if he does something that destroys his word as a man of God he is asked to step down.. Stepping down from a leadership position is not the same as being kicked out of a church. Maybe if you attended church once in a while you would see what really goes on there.

Answer 3

Because there is usually a penalty, or some kind of punishment demanded by Justice when a grievous sin is committed. Just as if a man murders your sister, he may repent and beg forgiveness. Christian charity requires us to forgive, but we still require justice, ie., the prison sentence levied by the courts.

We cannot simply let a person off with no punishment. One who is truly repentant will usually not challenge a punishment but will accept it as due justice for crimes. This is what is known as atonement; the voluntary acceptance of ones guilt and punishment due.

I had never heard of Haggard before this scandal, but I understand why his sin was so grievous. Christ said in Scripture that scandals would come, that they MUST come, but woe to those by whom they come. There are those with evil in their hearts who rejoice when ANY Christian public figure sins; this kind of joy is a perversity that calls for it's own Divine Justice, but that is another question....

Answer 4

It was Haggard's decision to step down - he wasn't fired. since he stepped down, it makes him look guilty. He even said he resigned because of "sexual immorality:" Many of the people in his church are now hurting very much. This is something he will have to deal with as well as many other Christians.

Answer 5

Here's a good article to read on the subject.
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20061110/ap_on_re_us/superstar_pastors

He had always condemned homosexuality. That was one of the main things he preached about. He even used his own family to be the "model" family. He was caught in a gay and drugged out scandal. How can he preach after that? He wasn't fired, he left. But we can all see the the good ol' days of his hypocrisy in Jesus Camp!

Answer 6

exactly

did you here about that guy who entered an Amish schoolhouse within the last few months? He raped and killed some of the students then killed himself.

What impressed me was that the Amish families of the school girls went to their murderers funeral and invited the guys parents to pray with them and mourn their collective losses.

I'm just an atheist, but the Amish people seem more "Christ like" than any hypocritical evangelicals.

they kicked Ted Haggart out of his own church just because he was a homosexual.

Answer 7

Because he was a leader,how could he be allowed to teach the word when he dosent follow it himself?Ministers are not suppoused to be gay!Or on drugs.Its in the bible!

Answer 8

That's no fun. Much more exciting to condemn.

Besides, when have Christians ever been forgiving? Look at MonkeyMan in the white house, he's supposed to be devout and he's starting wars and letting people suffer from Alzheimer's simply to make a buck. How forgiving is that?

Maybe 2% of true Christians are forgiving - the rest are nothing more than veiled Judges and Haters. They've ALWAYS been that way...
.

Answer 9

Until Mr. Haggard gets the help he needs, he is not fit to lead. Maybe some day in the future he will be. Its a big responsibility and the job shouldn't be taken lightly.

Answer 10

The judgment is probably in his own mind more that anywhere. If you are a genuine Christian, you may do those things, but God will deal with you internally in your conscience and it will devastate you.