Comments on: Gordon MacDonald re: Ted Haggard

By: Silas

Silas — Mon, 19 Sep 2011 22:05:47 +0000

Dear Gary, being a person who reads Lloyd-Jones, Spurgeon, M’Cheyne & has been to the Shepherds Conference at MacArthur’s church. I have also financially supported the work of Sroul. All I want to say that these men would show more grace than you in your comments towards McDonald. I am not saying that he is any longer qualified to hold the office of Pastor, but you may want to argue with Lloyd-Jones on that see “Preaching & Preachers” pg 302. I am saying that the atonement of the Lord Jesus Christ is able to not only cleanse the unregenerate sinner who comes to repentance, but is also capable & does cleanse the backslider who is restored. Galatians 6:1-2, Psalm 51, Luke 22:31-32. Note David’s prayer of repentance in Psalm 51 and verse 13 “Then I will teach transgressors your ways, and sinners will return to you.” I challenge you to read Spurgeon on this verse. The church may just find that those Christians who have stumbled & fallen into sin, when restored, may just have a word from the Lord to share, and shame on those brethren who want to banish them to silence in some basement. Satan is the accuser of the Brethren, and that is not the place of the saints. Yet to many in the church act like the elder brother to the prodigal son in Luke 15. It is our responsibility to accept those back who the Lord has died for & restored back to the flock. As I said that may very well mean that they have lost the ability to speak as a “Pastor”, but they have not lost the right to speak on behalf of Christ, and His amazing grace that has been shown to them again in their restoration. Those who have been forgiven much, will love much!

By: gary d. huddleston

gary d. huddleston — Wed, 07 Sep 2011 18:56:57 +0000

McDonald and his likes have done nothing. Nothing that is but trash the church, trash their families and most importantly of all trash the Lord Jesus Christ. He has made a mockery of Christ and all he stands for. Of course no one wants to follow the qualifications that Paul spoke of in 1Timothy and Titus. Just forgive and put him back in the pupit. I wouldn’t allow my cat the hear ANYTHING he has to say. I’d prefer to listen go godly men like Lloyd-Jones, Spurgeon,M’Cheyne, and present day men as MacArthur and Sproul. Men that take their walk with God seriously. McDonald should be selling used cars or become an attorney or a politician. Those three ‘professions’ are rift with crooks

By: Joseph White

Joseph White — Tue, 23 Nov 2010 21:35:23 +0000

My particular viewpoint about leadership in the church is that somehow the concept of pastors leading their flocks has alway devolved to conflict with one of the cardinal truths of the Reformation: The Priesthood of the Believer. The Christian Church, like Israel of old, should have no king or leader save God Himself. The professional ministry or pseudo-priesthood of the pulpit has corrupted every single church because it concentrates ultimate authority in the hands of a fallible human. In other words the HOLY SPIRIT has basically been replaced by some sort of hierarchy. I can contrast this crisis of who runs the church to an organization that is not even Christian. Namely Alcoholics Anonymous. This organization describes itself as a spiritual fellowship with but one ultimate authority, a loving God. There is no human leadership only trusted servants who rotate regularly. It is true that AA does not exist to attract the world to Christ but I have often wondered what would happen to the Christian Church, whose mission is exactly that, would adopt a form of GOVERNMENT without a professional class of human leaders but rely only on GOD HIMSELF to lead us!

By: Daniel

Daniel — Sat, 18 Aug 2007 10:40:45 +0000

I couldn’t understand some parts of this article Gordon MacDonald re: Ted Haggard, but I guess I just need to check some more resources regarding this, because it sounds interesting.

By: Daniel

Daniel — Thu, 16 Aug 2007 22:58:31 +0000

I have to say, that I could not agree with you in 100% regarding Gordon MacDonald re: Ted Haggard, but it’s just my opinion, which could be wrong

By: Jakob

Jakob — Fri, 20 Jul 2007 07:04:53 +0000

This is exactly what I expected to find out after reading the title Gordon MacDonald re: Ted Haggard. Thanks for informative article

By: Aldabra

Aldabra — Tue, 24 Apr 2007 03:44:35 +0000

With all due respect, maybe the church in America deserves to “lose basic spiritual freedoms.” If this sounds incredible to our carnal minds, let us remember how God destroyed nations for the benefit of Israel, then destroyed Israel for its failure to live in obedience to Him. Let us consider especially His stern warning to Israel to submit to Nebuchadnezzar, the pagan king of Babylon (Jer. 27).

The church in America barely attempts to obey God. We go crazy over the lack of nativity scenes in shopping malls, and ignore the wickedness and heresies being taught in the church. Prosperity Gospel is rampant in our churches and on “Christian” television. Who is speaking out against it? The Bible says that it is the poor and the mourners who are blessed, not the wealthy and healthy. So why do we look up to wealthy and healthy Bible teachers for any spiritual guidance? The blessing of Abraham wasn’t health or wealth, it was justification by faith, not that you will see that demonstrated in the lives of these celebrity megapastors. We all know what Jesus did to the moneychangers, and He will do that again to our modern moneychangers.

By: Roy

Roy — Tue, 06 Feb 2007 15:03:49 +0000

Brokeness comes only through being broken. That can happen in many ways and, like King David, he had sexual issues that may never have been overcome as his supporters still in his dying days thought that an Abashag could revive him.
We are saved by Grace alone and that Grace is sufficient for Ted, George and us.
Ted has issues but our God still works ALL things together for GOOD! Even public exposure of failure!
Our job is clear… restore such an one in the spirit of meekness! That’s a winning (and scriptural) method.
The Love, Mercy and Grace is the heart of the gospel

By: sister in Christ

sister in Christ — Fri, 19 Jan 2007 20:52:22 +0000

It is a sad thing to hear that once again christians are being told to harness that inner part of us that seems to be dark. Jesus Himself said a kingdom divided against itself will surely fall. We cannot reject or bind up a part of ourselves and then expect to remain strong. Mr. Haggard is no different than any other human being and we should be looking at that part of ourselves and understanding why this part of ourselves is wanting these things and having compassion for it not trying to kill it or harness it or reject it in any other way. Christ died for every part of us not just the consious part that is in control. It is in learning to truely accept every part of ourselves that we will find union in ourselves and then ultimately in Christ. We don’t have the power to harness any part of ourselves otherwise Christ would not have had to die….I pray that Mr. Haggard and all of us would recieve the wisdom and courage from above to truely look at himself and find that compassion that Jesus Himself has for him for it is in looking at ourself that real humility and grace is found….God be with you

By: Nancy

Nancy — Fri, 19 Jan 2007 19:29:31 +0000

Unfortunately if we get a “head in the sand” mentality we will begin to lose basic spiritual freedoms, as almost happened this week with the lobby reform fiasco. And now I hear a prayer breakfast on Capital Hill that has gone on for 35 years is booted out by our newly elected Congress. I am afraid that by becoming cynical and isolationist in our own country, we lose our country.