The elders who rule well are to be considered worthy of double honor, especially those who work hard at preaching and teaching. For the Scripture says, “You shall not muzzle the ox while he is threshing,” and “The laborer is worthy of his wages.” Do not receive an accusation against an elder except on the basis of two or three witnesses. Those who continue in sin, rebuke in the presence of all, so that the rest also will be fearful of sinning. (1 Timothy 5:17-20, NASB)

It’s Way Past Time For Christian Men To Act Like Men

Those who still have any critical reasoning skills left there in the postmodern pudding of American evanjellyfish will recognize the above passage refers to elders, including the teaching elders commonly called pastor. This is a position Scripture forbids a woman to hold, which Apprising Ministries has covered in Thoughts On Women Pastors.

However, there has never been such a prohibition against women speaking forth the Word of God. And especially in times like this when men simply won’t. I only mention this is passing because—yet again—among the few, if any, voices critical of former president of the National Association of Evangelicals Ted Haggard happens to be a woman.

I’m already on record as stating that my friend Ingrid Schlueter often acts in a way much more manly than many effete evangelical men bloggers busy blogging about nothing. Such is the case here with Ted Haggard and his continuing quest for attention. At Slice of Laodicea Schlueter informs us:

Ted Haggard is now speaking out against the “Christian Right”. (That’s gay code language for Bible-believing Christians.) He says we need to change. This, from a man who was consorting with homosexual prostitutes and using crystal meth just a short time ago. (Online source)

Schlueter’s exactly right as she goes to point out:

Ted is a sociopath who must have attention, adulation and constant ego-stoking. It’s tough to get that selling insurance. All the media attention he can get now is from Christ-hating liberals who are only too happy to offer this human train wreck a camera and mic anytime he gets the itch for publicity. (Online source)

Those who think with their emotions “feel” such talk is out of place in the Christian community. Apparently they’re more “Christian” than Christ because the Master was never afraid to confront sin. He said to men like Ted Haggard, who has had every chance to stay out the public eye, but instead insist they are still speaking for God:

“Everything they do is done for men to see: They make their phylacteries wide and the tassels on their garments long; they love the place of honor at banquets and the most important seats in the synagogues; they love to be greeted in the marketplaces and to have men call them ‘Rabbi.’” (Matthew 23:5-7)

The key verse in the text I use above, and which concerns Ted Haggard, is verse 20 — Those who continue in sin, rebuke in the presence of all, so that the rest also will be fearful of sinning. The sin being public must be exposed in public as a warning. As Gordon Fee has brought out this is to be done “for the sake of the whole community” (NIBC, 1 and 2 Timothy, Titus, 130) because Duane Litfin is right when he points out that those who “ignore church discipline do so at the peril of both the offender and themselves” (The Bible Knowledge Commentary, NT, 744).

And as a pastor myself I commend Ingrid for loving Jesus enough to proclaim the truth; because in my estimation she’s dead on target concerning Ted Haggard, a man who hasn’t given the least indication of the godly sorrow born of real repentance (see-2 Corinthians 7:10-11). Schlueter says:

I have a better idea, Ted. Why don’t you find a nice dark corner where you can explore your “complex sexuality” and your deviancy away from cameras and microphones. You’ve already done enough damage to Christ and His church for a lifetime… These are the kind of monsters that were created during the go-go years of show business Christianity, aided and abetted by evangelical media. (Online source)

May Ted Haggard now go away…and repent…before it’s too late…