Redemption...

I watched the program last night about Ted Haggard and his movement from pastor to pariah and back to pastor again. There is a cynical part of me that wants to judge him, but seeing as how I basically found myself in similar circumstances, I feel like that would be totally stoopid of me to do.

I believe in redemption and restoration and I believe that Pastors have just as much right to be broken as everyone else. True, when a pastor falls, they should have to deal with the consequences and in some cases those consequences mean stepping away from their ministry for a season, and all together in some cases. HOWEVER, I do believe that those who ask us to step away should always have in mind the end goal of restoration and those who do step away permanently should only do so in such cases that they do not meet the end goals of restoration as set forth by those that oversee that process...

But the question for me is, what happens if, like I believe Ted Haggard was, what happens if the leaders who ask you to step away do not oversee a restoration process for you and with you?

For some time now I have been involved with a Church, and its leaders, and have been watched closely and pastored over in such a way that I am being entrusted once again with ministry. For me, this process has taken years and is not something that has happened quickly. Nothing about my life is not known by the leaders at my Church, and I am grateful that they stepped up to me in this manner because it shows to me that:

They believe in me and my calling as a pastor...
They believe EVERYONE can be restored...

But there is still a nagging question: Am I just one of the lucky ones?

I mean, I am confident in Ted's restoration, but it came about for him totally in spite of, and in no way attended to by New Life, the Church he planted? No one was there for him accept his wife whom I believe pastored over him and helped him, and his professional therapist. But where were the followers of Jesus in his life? Where was his Church?

Sadly, they were absent...and that is usually the case and that is sad...

For me, my road is still long...but at least now, I get to start doing something that I love and feel I am uniquely gifted for.

As such, the Youth Ministry at State Street Community Church, "State of Youth" gets started on Wed with the "Wednesday Night Thing"...I feel like I am back now...