Haggard fired by New Life Church oversight board
By Chuck Plunkett
Denver Post
Ted Haggard, the beleaguered pastor of a Colorado Springs evangelical church who had denied having sex with a male prostitute, has been fired by an oversight board, which found him guilty of "sexually immoral conduct."
The findings stand in stark contrast to the immensely popular public image of the New Life Church's founding pastor. A rising star, Haggard, 50, was at times a consultant to the White House, the author of several books, and until he stepped down this week, president of the National Association of Evangelicals, which represents more than 30 million worshippers.
The board that made the decision, called the "Overseer Board of New Life Church," said in a prepared statement Saturday afternoon: "Our investigation and Pastor Haggard's public statements have proven without a doubt that he has committed sexually immoral conduct."
Citing the bylaws of the mega-church Haggard started 26 years ago in his home, the overseers said his conduct required them to remove him from his job.
Mike Jones, 49, of Denver, had come forward Wednesday and said Haggard had had a paid sexual relationship with him monthly for three years. Jones also said Haggard used crystal meth.
Jones first learned of Haggard's firing in a telephone interview with The Denver Post.
"I hadn't heard," he said. "I'm sad. I didn't want to ruin his life or his family's life."
A popular guest of television news programs the last few days, Jones had just arrived at Denver International Airport following a trip to New York City, where he had appeared on the Today show in the morning.
And though he said he didn't want to ruin Haggard's life, there was too much at stake in keeping silent. Haggard is a vocal support of Amendment 43, which would define marriage in Colorado as being strictly between a man and a woman.
"You just can't have it both ways when you have so much influence over so many people," Jones said. "He should have been a better role model."
(There's more.)
Denver Post
Ted Haggard, the beleaguered pastor of a Colorado Springs evangelical church who had denied having sex with a male prostitute, has been fired by an oversight board, which found him guilty of "sexually immoral conduct."
The findings stand in stark contrast to the immensely popular public image of the New Life Church's founding pastor. A rising star, Haggard, 50, was at times a consultant to the White House, the author of several books, and until he stepped down this week, president of the National Association of Evangelicals, which represents more than 30 million worshippers.
The board that made the decision, called the "Overseer Board of New Life Church," said in a prepared statement Saturday afternoon: "Our investigation and Pastor Haggard's public statements have proven without a doubt that he has committed sexually immoral conduct."
Citing the bylaws of the mega-church Haggard started 26 years ago in his home, the overseers said his conduct required them to remove him from his job.
Mike Jones, 49, of Denver, had come forward Wednesday and said Haggard had had a paid sexual relationship with him monthly for three years. Jones also said Haggard used crystal meth.
Jones first learned of Haggard's firing in a telephone interview with The Denver Post.
"I hadn't heard," he said. "I'm sad. I didn't want to ruin his life or his family's life."
A popular guest of television news programs the last few days, Jones had just arrived at Denver International Airport following a trip to New York City, where he had appeared on the Today show in the morning.
And though he said he didn't want to ruin Haggard's life, there was too much at stake in keeping silent. Haggard is a vocal support of Amendment 43, which would define marriage in Colorado as being strictly between a man and a woman.
"You just can't have it both ways when you have so much influence over so many people," Jones said. "He should have been a better role model."
(There's more.)
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