New Life Paid Off Ted Haggard's Church Lover

It was revealed that Ted Haggard had sex with other men, including a volunteer at his Church. This is not the shocking part; it seemed to be a given. But, what is shocking is what New Life Church did to try to cover it up.

Basic Info

After Ted Haggard moved back to Colorada from his exile in Arizona, Brady Boyd  met with him at his home and asked him not to release the documentary, or it would incite other allegations against him. What Boyd fails to mention in his interviews is that these allegations were from the same period of time, and that the church used several tactics to hush up those involved.

One man has decided to break his silence, so New Life has admitted to AP, what was going to be reveal. According to New Life's pastor, Brady Boyd, 

"The man got months of counseling. Then in December 2007, he received the first of several payments for his tuition and board at a Chicago college and other money for continued counseling, Boyd said. The cash came with a confidentiality agreement that barred all parties from talking about the relationship."

Why is this problematic?

1. They used Church funds to cover-up a consensual relationship.

2. Verbal threats to Ted Haggard over the HBO documentary and moving back to Colorado Springs.
3. Continuous verbal insults leveled at Ted Haggard by New Life and its leadership ONLY because of sexuality.

More Troubling

This man, who willfully profitted from his consensual sexual relationship is now trying to say that he is a victim. Sorry, but he has not proved that. What his actions prove is that he was shamed or bullied into "repentence" for his relationship with Haggard, and may finally be man enough to stop letting New Life dictate what he can and cannot do.

But, here are a couples of questions that no one has asked. Did this young man talk to Ted Haggard before he booked his appearance on a show to tell his story, since he claims to want an apology? Oh, and don't you find it odd that Boyd said, "the church preferred to keep the matter private" but called AP to give them the story?

Finally
The sad thing is that New Life does not seem to get it. They are still acting like Ted Haggard is some demon, there would be no New Life had it not been for Him. He started the Church. They are benefitting off of what HE built. Further, the forgiveness is a little blurry given all the animosity that is coming from their mouths. This is no longer an issue about homosexuality, but a clear WWJD thing, and in the two years since Haggard's dismissal, the only words toward Haggard have been insults, not to mention how the leadership has all but exiled the wife and children. Now if that is what Jesus would do, then the Church is in trouble.

Why
Pastor Brady Boyd  and New Life are making it sound like these are new sexual allegations that will destroy Ted Haggard, but if anything, it shows the level they have gone to in order to make it seem like Haggard only had sex with a male prostitute instead of with the Christian man in their Church, and how much they have enforced an attitude of hatred towards gays and lesbians.

Personal Blast
The Ted Haggard case has been handled wrong. This man struggled with homosexuality, KNEW that coming out or even admitting to the feelings would destroy him, but New Life did not just try to destroy Haggard. They went after his family. It is so classic Old Testament. Where there was opportunity for grace and mercy, New Life provided judgment, animosity, hate speech, threats, and more. There are murderers standing behind pulpits that have gotten better treatment from the Church. Ted Haggard may have lied and deceived, but what New Life has done has been far worse, because they think they are doing Jesus a favor with their hate.