Praying for beauty for ashes and the oil of joy for mourning!

My heart grieves for Ted Haggard and his wife and family, for the beloved who were under his care in Colorado Springs and for others like Ted who struggle in the darkness, alone by their own choice.

Listen to Ted's own words.

I am sorry. I am sorry for the disappointment, the betrayal, and the hurt. I am sorry for the horrible example I have set for you.

I have an overwhelming, all-consuming sadness in my heart for the pain that you and I and my family have experienced over the past few days. I am so sorry for the circumstances that have caused shame and embarrassment to all of you.

I am a deceiver and a liar. There's a part of my life that is so repulsive and dark that I have been warring against it for all of my adult life."

Click here to read the letter by Ted to his congregation.

From the New Life website

In his own book, "Letters from Home", published in 2002, Ted issued a warning.

In a section called "Live as if there are no secrets," Haggard listed powerful men brought down by lust or lies, including presidents Nixon and Clinton and the Rev. Jimmy Swaggart. "Major leaders have lost their positions of influence because of what they did alone in a room," he wrote.

"Please don't ever fall into the trap of believing that you can do something in secret, even when you are far away from home," Haggard urged his children. "This is a lie, and it will always come back to haunt you." -LA Times

We have had presented to us an opportunity to demonstrate the Gospel to the world, to let them see that we do not devour our wounded nor do we cast aside our hurting.

Understand, beloved of God, and hear my heart, I would rather see sin and unrighteousness dealt with in love. I would rather see the fruit of repentance. I would rather hear of revival and restoration as a result of men and women in similar circumstances "waking up to righteousness." This is a wake up call for all of us.

We need to pray, to beseech the Father for grace that leaders find themselves in loving relationships that require accountability and that those who love them, love them enough to confront, that when the confrontations comes that these leaders take in that gift of repentance and that repentance has its perfect work to restore, heal and revive.

My heart grieves for the name of our Lord and Savior as Moses grieved for the reputation of God in the wilderness.

I pray that this serves as a warning, as a wake up call to all of us who name of the name of Christ and, in particular, those of us who have answered the call to shepherd the flock of God. To use Ted's own words as they reflect the principles of Scripture,

"Please don't ever fall into the trap of believing that you can do something in secret, even when you are far away from home. This is a lie, and it will always come back to haunt you."

Father,

Grace and mercy, I pray for my brother and his family. May your Spirit have complete and free reign to bring about total freedom from bondages and the restoration of Ted's first love in You and the love of his life in his wife. Protect the flock from the ravages of gossip and back biting, fear and disillusionment, doubt and anger. Let this bring victory instead of defeat, glory instead of shame, beauty for ashes and the oil of joy for mouring!

Make it so, Lord Jesus!

As part of the restoration team ministering to Ted and his family, Jack Hayford has published this letter in response to Ted's resignation.

Read a loving wife's response - from Gayle Haggard

Press Release from New Life Church