Insider's Perspective

Dissent and disagreement between members of a congregation and its leader -- within even a tiny church -- are not the exception but the rule. Here is an example of that happening within New Life Church here in Colorado Springs. A member of the congregation was upset with the email regarding media coverage sent out by Pastor Ted Haggard, and the following exchange was the result. I think the most interesting thing here is Pastor Ted's elaboration on his motivations for the memo regarding the media coverage they were to receive in the coming week. He speaks very much in line with how Ted Olsen from Christianity Today described his efforts as, "mission through a media lens." I don't see Pastor Ted's agreement that he should leave New Life Church as necessarily incendiary, but rather terse honesty. I'm sure you'll have your own opinion on the exchange.

A statement from the man who initiated the discussion with Pastor Ted follows.

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> Date: Thu, 12 May 2005 14:30:43 -0400
> From: [removed]
> To: [removed]
> Subject: media attention

Pastor Ted,

My wife and I receieved your email yesterday regarding people in the media that may be coming to New life soon. I was both disturbed and saddened that you would be concerned as to how the world perceives New Life Church. I find it hard to understand you asking your church members to "to tone it down" for the media.

There is nothing is scripture that says we are to conform to the world's Idea of what church should be. To ask people not to dance in the service as well as all of the other items, goes beyond my understanding(I am not one of those who dances). This is supposed to be a charismatic church, why would you as the pastor ask your church members to do something contrary to what the Word says is ok. Psalm 150

Have we as a church decided to become Baptist?  I  have never attended a church where a pastor is concerned what the media says about them. New Life has  a  good reputation in the Springs area, inspite of the dancing and other charismatic practices that may occur.

I truly hope that you would quickly reconsider and be willing to tell the media this is who we are like it or not!

God bless

[name removed]

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> From: [removed]
> Date: Thu, 12 May 2005 20:32:25 EDT
> Subject: Think Clearly
> To: [removed]

[name removed],

You are not thinking clearly. Read the Harper's Magazine article. We are called to reach the world, which is why God sent a book, sent the church, and helps us be transformed and leaves us here to testify. I'm not asking for compromise, I'm asking for clear communication. For you to write me not understanding why we have The Thorn, The Christmas program, all of our small  groups and classes means that you are unaware of your surroundings. We do all  kinds of things to communicate clearly. To refuse to consider how we come across  to the world in our love of God is narrow and thoughtless at best. It has  nothing to do with being Baptist. In my view, your emotions of sorrow and your comments implying compromise are rediculous.

Come on brother.

Pastor Ted  Haggard
Colorado Springs, CO

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Date: Fri, 13 May 2005 18:44:56 -0400
From:  [removed]
To: [removed]
Subject: Re: Think Clearly

Pastor Ted,

Thank you for your response, I will tell you that I first emailed you based more on emotion than really giving thought to what I wanted to really say, for that I apologize. We have only attended New Life for 2 months and have really enjoyed your teaching. I do know that emails do not always convey what we really want to say.
If possible, perhaps we could meet some time in the near future just so we can clear the air and I can have a good understanding of your vision for New Life church. Please know that I in no way want to disrespect you as a Pastor or person.
I just want to know without any doubt that we are in the right church.
Hope to hear from you soon.

God bless

[name removed]

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> From: [removed]
> Date: Fri, 13 May 2005 23:16:26 EDT
> Subject: Re: Think Clearly
> To: [removed]
>
[name removed],

I didn't like your note at all. New Life doesn't operate that way. My guess is that you are not in the right church. I think you need to look on.

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[Commentary by the man who initiated the discussion]

So you wanted my feelings? well here it is. When I first received the general email from him I was perplexed why a pastor of a well known "charismatic" church would ask his congregation to tone it down for the media( it is a charismatic church). So when I received the very intense response from him after I had questioned his reasoning, I was even more perplexed. What had I done wrong? I simply asked for him to explain to me based on scripture, where we as a christian church were to conform to what the world thinks we should be. It is not what we do inside the church that the world judges, but we do and how we act outside the four walls of the church.  My next email to Ted was an apology, and I shared with him how we had enjoyed his teachings. Yet  his response was so far from a pastors heart that I first thought it must have come from one of his staff members. I don't care how busy a pastor is or how big the church is, when you cannot respond with grace to someone(even when you are being challenged) then perhaps it is time for that pastor to step back and reflect on what he has become. When you give the appearence that "important people and the media" are of more interest to you that the people who are in the church supporting you, then something has gone terribly wrong. When he talks about effective communication in his emails, perhaps he should take his own advice. The church in america is asleep in the light and they don't even know it. If the church has been so effective in the Colorado Springs area then why are so many homeless and working poor in the city? A pastor is to be full of grace and mercy to those around him. He cannot be a different person when he is not in the pulpit. Remember, Love is patient, kind, forgiving, Love does not behave unseemly, does not seek its own, is not easily provoked....I Cor. 13 I know we all make mistakes and perhaps his responses were due to his very hectic schedule that week. I would hope that he is not this way with his staff or others who may have a question about what he may say or teach, because that is not how a pastor is to act. He must be the same when he is in front of the congregation and when he is not. Pastor Ted, I only wish you the best. I would have loved to been part of New Life.

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Comments

[Nate]

Theres not much to say here. If this exchange is real (and without the headers of the emails we can't verify that) then it should be clear to anyone that Ted is not a man of God, but an agressive businessman selling God to further his own career in the "God-biz". When are the protestants that support these types going to wake up and realize that the real work of a church is in their own community? If the congregation really wants some impersonal spiritual world Uber-leader, it might be easier to just convert to Catholicism where that sort of heirarchy is well established.

[Chas S. Clifton]

How can any one man have so much power over people's lives--power that they give him--and still be expected to show a "pastor's heart," whatever that may be? Yes, Haggard sounds like a bully here, but the organizational structure encourages him to be one.

[RedWolf]

It is indeed hard to tell if these exchanges were in fact real or even if they were sequential. I noticed in the first email ascribed to Haggard, he says, "For you to write me not understanding why we have The Thorn, The Christmas program, all of our small groups and classes means that you are unaware of your surroundings." However, there was nothing mentioned about these things in the first email ascribed to a church member. Are we missing part of the story here? Are things being skewed or purposely omitted by this person to make their own point? The email exchange does follow logically...which was part of his point...but in normal email communications, there is a thread that can be easily followed. I'm not seeing it here. I'm not saying definitely that this is true or false. I'm just asking how sure can we be that any of this really happened?

[Non-Prophet]

I received confirmation from both the original emailer and from New Life Church before posting this story. Nothing was edited and this is the complete email thread.

[RedWolf]

Weird! That makes it all the more strange. It's like email ADD at it's finest.
Thanks for confirming the detials, NP!

[Bob]

As a former paster/church planter and now a college professor- I won't be too hard on Haggard. I think his email is too abbreviated for the points he is trying to make. By listing the programs (Thorn, Christmas program, small groups, etc.) that focus on presenting a positive image to the outside world, he is trying to communicate that one of the fundamental tenets of the church is how it presents itself to the non-Christian world and he (Haggard) doesn't think this guy gets it.

One of the constant battles in a large and/or growing church is that a small (very small) segment of new people come into the church with their own vision and agenda for what it should be. Some can get quite emotional and divisve if they don't get their way. After a while you learn to say to some people, "This is who we are, this what we do and this is our vision behind it. If you don't want that- don't try to change us- move on. There are lots of other churches that might be a better fit for you."

I think Haggard should have explained himself better, but if someone after two months of attendance, having not yet become a member, has probably not taken a membership class, started telling me I was making mistakes and expressing strong emotions about the direction of the church-- I'd be a bit wary (but probably not yet as blunt as Haggard- but that may be more an issue of style).

[Kirk Fraser]

I've written Ted Haggard a couple of emails and recieved no reply. The best churches fire the pastor and leave it that way so all the members can speak as the Spirit inspires each one -- like popcorn. Then the true pastor is Jesus Himself and any discussions with Him require prayer.

It is also sad that most, nearly all known churches relegate prayer meetings to the least attended despite Jesus saying "Pray Always." The lack of prayer makes the group a philosophy club and serving mammon makes it a Rev. 17:5 prostitute, selling love for money. Return to Jesus Christ from all such errors!

Preach the Gospel and obey the Gospel.