Ted Haggard's Sin by Ted Slater on 11/03/2006 at 9:04 AM

As I type this, New Life Church's website is offline, likely because of all the interest in its senior pastor's "indiscretions" with a male prostitute.

We need to keep in mind that the accusations come from one man, who apparently failed a lie detector test this morning.

While some bloggers are quick to find ways to bad-mouth Ted Haggard and draw meaning from his failures, I feel more comfortable taking the gracious and patient approach of Justin Taylor, who warns against our gossiping about the man and instead encourages us to take our concerns to the Lord:

• Pray that the truth -- no matter what it is -- would be clearly revealed.
• Pray that if indeed some of these allegations are true (as New Life's senior pastor allegedly told the elders), that Rev. Haggard would be fully honest and submissive.
• Pray for Rev. Haggard.
• Pray for his family.
• Pray for New Life Church -- both their elders and their members. Pray that biblical church discipline guidelines will be instituted and that this would not shake the church's confidence in the gospel.
• Pray for yourself and your pastor. "There but for the grace of God go I." Resolve to mortify all ungodly desires in your heart and to boast only in the cross of Jesus Christ.

In the end, however this turns out, though our faith in man may decrease, may our faith in the Solid Rock of our faith increase gloriously.