What a great example we set as “the church” sometimes….
Beth and I were watching an HBO documentary this morning on Ted Haggard. For those of you who don’t know who he is, the short story is that he was the Pastor of a Mega-church in Colorado….about 14,000 members…..and he was caught, then admitted to having a personal battle all of his life with homosexuality, as well as having been engaged in a homosexual relationship and to top it all off, having an issue with drugs.
I will admit, I had never heard of Ted Haggard before the whole thing hit the news some time ago, and to be honest, I didn’t care much. The media whirlwind was enough to make me look the other way……however, after watching the story and seeing a more in depth look, I am heartbroken. And if you know me, you know I am rarely heartbroken about anything.
“He got what he deserved….” “Who cares about him?….look what he did to us!” “…look what he has done to the reputation of our church!”
Standing back at a distance, you might agree with these statements. God knows that the world is just waiting for stuff like this to happen in the church so they can continue there disgust with all things “God.” Then they gladly stand back and watch as a man is completely and utterly destroyed by……well…….”Christians.” Understand one thing, he has been more than destroyed…..not only banned from the church, but from the entire STATE of Colorado…(how is that possible?) Dude can’t get a job, can’t reach out for help cause when he does, his “home church” comes down on him like a hammer.
So when this man got caught, in the moment that he needed the “church” the most, the church, HIS church was the judge, jury and prosecutor. Instead of love and help, they gave him the blunt end of the sword. They did EXACTLY what the WORLD would have done.
“…well what would YOU have done Joe?”
I would like to think that I would at first realize that the man is a HUMAN BEING. He is a man who has a problem……find me ONE man alive who doesn’t have his own laundry list of problems. I would then HOPE to look at the situation and have some sort of compassion on his family.
It’s one thing to destroy a man,…but where is the “God” in destroying his wife and kids too? I am not sure the ideas of “casualties of war” are appropriate when it comes to one man’s sin and the utter desimation of his children….
How about “loving the sinner?” There’s a novel concept huh? I guess it is, “love the sinner as long as he isn’t already a part of the church” lol…..
I pray for this man’s kids. Who knows how they are going to come away from all of this. It’s bad enough they now have to live with the embarassment that their father has gay tendencies….they shouldn’t have to have seen their church completely destroy them too as though they were just as guilty.
I agree, the man probably shouldn’t be standing on a platform speaking in authority in God’s word…….or should he?
Imagine a senario where the church board removes him from his position, LOVES HIM ENOUGH to get him help. Oversee his counciling and restoration, then after a period, allow him to speak out on the things he has dealt with. “Maybe redemption has stories to tell”…….maybe, just maybe…….
This is all too common in the church. I have an old friend who had a sin issue (like we all do) and it was brought to light. Oddly enough, when the issue wasn’t handled the way poor Ted’s was, it was someone else who was PRIVATELY guilty of the SAME ISSUE that had the biggest problem with the lack of “total and complete destruction” of my friends life.
It’s nice when the church acts like the church to complete strangers……..too bad we don’t treat our own the same way.
~jfm3~
Recent Entries
- My New Year’s Resolution,…
- Christmas is on it’s way….
- Looking forward to it!…..
- Matthew 9:36-38
- It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas…..
- “Get off my TURF!!”
- No Compromise- A clarification.
- I am not going to compromise….
- Wiredworship.com – Coming soon…
- joemillerwired.com is now mobile friendly…
