Restoration Begins at Ted Haggard's Church

Church leaders at PowerHouse Christian Centre in Texas have been invited to take part in the restoration process of New Life Church as a first step in the healing process, following the exit of former senior pastor Ted Haggard.

"It's a serious and troubling time in the church when influential leaders fall. Someone has to assist in the restoration, and restore the faith of the congregation," said GF Watkins, Senior Pastor of PowerHouse.

A small delegation of leaders from PowerHouse, including Pastors GF and Rose Watkins will travel to Colorado to participate as guides in an Encounter Life Weekend, which is designed to heal and restore a person allowing them to take on life from a new perspective.

Haggard was fired as senior pastor of New Life and stepped down as head of the National Association of Evangelicals after a former male prostitute claimed the pastor had paid him for sex over the last three years and had also taken methamphetamines.

In a letter to New Life members, dated 5 November 2006, Haggard called himself "a deceiver and a liar" and also said some of the allegations are untrue. He explained his long struggle with a part of his life he described as "repulsive and dark".

With that, he said, "I desperately need to be forgiven and healed."

Rev Mike Ware, a good friend of Haggard's, said, "Ted says he's not a homosexual," according to the LA Times.

But "the restoration team wants experts to evaluate that," Ware added.