ted and gayle haggard
photo credit // tedhaggard.com
Calls himself 'heterosexual with issues'
Colorado Springs, Colo. -
Anti-gay marriage crusader Ted Haggard, who was drummed out of his mega-church after a gay sex scandal, is now back in the pulpit.
This time, though, the pulpit is in his living room in Colorado Springs. Haggard and his wife Gayle are starting a new church called St. James.
"Everybody is welcome: Democrats, Republican, independents, gays, straights, tall, short, addicts and recovering addicts," Haggard said Wednesday, standing outside his house with his wife.
You probably remember the whole Haggard sex scandal from 2006: Haggard, the head of the National Association of Evangelicals, was campaigning hard against gay marriage. Unfortunately for him, he'd been hooking up with (and sharing drugs with) a male prostitute.
Haggard now says he's going to transform the lessons he learned into lessons for others.
"It's a church for sinners -- for people who have hit rock bottom and people who want to help people who have hit rock bottom," Haggard said.
As for being gay, Haggard calls himself a "heterosexual with issues." He said the church welcomes gays but will not perform gay marriages.
A blogger on the website "Christianity Today" wrote that the church should really be called "Second Church of the Hypocrite."
This time, though, the pulpit is in his living room in Colorado Springs. Haggard and his wife Gayle are starting a new church called St. James.
"Everybody is welcome: Democrats, Republican, independents, gays, straights, tall, short, addicts and recovering addicts," Haggard said Wednesday, standing outside his house with his wife.
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You probably remember the whole Haggard sex scandal from 2006: Haggard, the head of the National Association of Evangelicals, was campaigning hard against gay marriage. Unfortunately for him, he'd been hooking up with (and sharing drugs with) a male prostitute.
Haggard now says he's going to transform the lessons he learned into lessons for others.
"It's a church for sinners -- for people who have hit rock bottom and people who want to help people who have hit rock bottom," Haggard said.
As for being gay, Haggard calls himself a "heterosexual with issues." He said the church welcomes gays but will not perform gay marriages.
A blogger on the website "Christianity Today" wrote that the church should really be called "Second Church of the Hypocrite."
