The Latest Evangelical Scandal

Some readers may be aware that the President of the National Association of Evangelicals resigned yesterday over accusations of secret liaisons with a homosexual prostitute.  Sadly, since Ted Haggard of New Life Church in Colorado Springs has been an outspoken critic of gay marriage, this scandal can only serve to confirm the popular perception (I would call it a stereotype, but is it?) that evangelical Christians are just a bunch of hypocrites. 

I visited New Life Church when it was in its popular ascendancy about a decade ago.  The strongest impression I had on that particular Sunday was a palpable absence of the gospel -- lots of feel-good worship and moralistic exhortation to lead a good life, but little in the way of a biblical message of repentance for sin and grace in Christ.  Yet this is the only gospel that can save any of us who are guilty of scandalous sins.

The following news report from KKTV in Colorado Springs would seem to confirm that there is substance to the allegations: