Last Note on Haggard

I have beaten the Ted Haggard story to death, so this is the last think I'll say about it. I think this and other stories of minister indiscretions points to a greater problem that affect our churches and our church leadership. Take this quotation from an AP article that appeared in today's paper from Mr. Haggard's wife. In a letter to the church, she said that "church members no longer had to worry about her marriage being so perfect she couldn't relate to them." Understandibly, this quote that is both full of arrogance and denial prompted laughter from the congregation. It evoked pity from me.

But Gayle Haggard underscores a point plaguing churches: pressure to be perfect. How many ministerial families go through life pretending to be perfect? How many church members pretend at church to be perfect? How much anger, dysfunction and even violence bubbles just beneath the surface of ministers, their families and church members in general.

Wouldn't it have been wonderful if Mr. Haggard could have gone to some of his pastor buddies - James Dobson for example - and confessed and sought help? But what would have happened? I suspect he may have found not support but castigation. It seems there is this Christian act that so many Christian leaders perform that it becomes too much to bear and ministers either fall or burnout. I do not advocate miniters wear their sins on their sleeves, but they ought to be able to discuss their sins and help one another.

I do not know about you, but I never feel more fake or phony than in a group of pastors. Not only is there a constant competition and one-upmanship about who has the biggest church and best pulpit, but there is this "I am holier than you" attitude. I think it would do us all well if ministers would allow their brokenness to be a little more available for healing.