kenny

One of the most balanced responses I've read on the news of Ted
Haggard's recent public downfall was on Mirko's english blog:
http://mirkosander.de/?p=77

Because of the high-profile of this, it can be taken down so many
roads: moral standing, political craziness, feeling sorry for him &
his family, anger towards the hipocracy of religion, & even
base-lining to the point where it can seem to be no hope for the
morality of people.

The thing I like about Mirko's response is that it is very kingdom
based. All of these aforementioned roads are touched on when god's
kingdom & him as king / the "pearl of great price" are the goal.

Specifics ala Mirko:
"What bothers me even more are all the ?pure? Christians who neatly
take out their bows and start shooting arrows at him ?

When I held this seminar on leadership, I realized again how many
leaders failed because they didn?t stay clean. Many are crying for
leadership and later are living like a footballplayer on a minefield.
They don?t realize that Mr.S wants to destroy them and that satanic
groups are even praying and fasting for the marriages of leaders to
fail and for leaders to fall into sin.

If you?re a leader, stay clean - don?t drive on two roads - it?ll
break your neck one day.

I wish we as a church would learn to stand behind our leaders. I
myself know the stress and pressure that is caused by such a job and
it doesn?t help when meanwhile people are shooting in your back."

It's not primarily about morality, the emotional damage a family takes
living in lies, or politics (isn't god actually king??).

This is where the "both/and" mentality, rather than "either/or" that
Steve Robbins talks about is key. The goal of the church is not
personal morality or even unabashed license (sometimes labeled
grace)... but rather being a vessel of the King in his kingdom (& i'm
not talking american politics people).

God bless Ted Haggard... I pray that he will seek the pearl & continue
the next phase of the road ahead.