I have been following the Haggard story from the very beginning of his ministry and I really appreciated his book “The life giving church” – I still like the book. Truth is truth no matter who speaks it out, independent of their circumstances. I posted articles on my former blog and wrote about Ted and the scandal that was unfolding as he was “caught” in contact with a male prostitute and having drugs in his possession. I didn’t write to condemn him… I wrote to warn all of us Christians and those of us who in some way are called to be leaders in the Church. We are all ONE DECISION away from falling into sin and brokenness through sin. All of us are vulnerable and are dealing with trails, hardships and temptations – not one excluded. However, God’s standards are eternal, no matter the smallness, vulnerability and weakness of humankind.

The “Look sharp, live smart” GQ lifestyle magazine had two weeks ago an extensive article on “The last temptation of Ted” where he stated: “I used to think the church was the light of the world,” Ted says. “But I’ve completely lost my faith in it.” Ted’s complaints about New Life are old news to anyone who’s been following his saga, but tonight, when I ask him if he really means to say completely, he stops and looks at the sky already starting to lighten. “You’ve got to understand, Kevin, people are, at their cores, hateful,” he says, rising to stamp out the fire’s embers and go to bed. “I don’t want to believe that, but the facts have prevailed over my idealism.”

Picture from GQ Magazine

Reading these lines I am convinced that Ted still has a long way to go before he is able to put his disappointments and hurts behind him. Restoration means: being restored and renewed to a former (positive) state. Galatians 6:1 “Brothers, if someone is caught in a sin, you who are spiritual should restore him gently. But watch yourself, or you also may be tempted”.

The Greek word used for “restore” means to repair, to fit, frame, or mend. This implies not only that the receiver of restoration is in some sort of disrepair or error, but also that there is a pattern by which we must be “framed or fitted”. All of us are aware of their imperfections and everyone agrees that “no one is perfect”. From the very beginning, God has given mankind a pattern and men and women have always fallen short of this pattern. Ted Haggerd quotes on a regular basis Romans 3:23 tells us “For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God.” – I fully agree with him on that. BUT restoration means that we are in a constant state of repairing our broken lives. It also requires us to be submissive to absolutes and truth that are outside us and that are higher than ourselves. It takes humility, on our part, to recognize that there are things in our lives that need to be fixed.

This restoration is focused on God’s word and not on the opinions of men. The teachings of men have changed many times throughout history and will continue to change, but if we follow the Bible in its inspired form, we can are being restored to the pattern that God Himself created and has preserved in spite of countless attacks regarding its authenticity. Someone gave this great example: Restoration is based around the idea of following or being “fitted” to a pattern. When following a pattern to make clothes, it is important to note that when the pattern and the thing that is being fitted are not the same, the one that conforms is never the pattern. The pattern never changes because it is the thing that has been provided by the authority (in our case God) and has been tried and proven to be true. Restoration is the act of making alterations in our lives so that we can be in congruence with the perfect pattern of the Word of God.

Ted Haggard, unfortunately, as exposed by his remarks and viewpoints portrays a person who still has not been able to forgive and seems to be hurt and bitter about what “Church” in which he has lost faith, has done to him. Let’s face it: he has done it to himself first of all. I would NOT like be part of a church where a leader still seems to carry bitterness because “See to it that no one falls short of the grace of God and that no bitter root grows up to cause trouble and defile many.” (Hebrews 12:15)

That’s the Way I see it!

John