Ted Haggard and Religious Hypocrites

In the past few weeks there has been about as much negative publicity about Ted Haggard as anyone I can think of in the year 2006. Why? Because of an alleged gay affair and drug use? No, that kind of thing happens all the time. Because he lied about it? Please, that happens all the time to. Because he is famous? No again, how many people actually knew who Ted Haggard was before this November? It's because of the liberal media. Just kidding! The real reason is hypocrisy. We as a culture cannot stand hypocrites, and for good reason.

Quite often people tell me they don't want to go to church because the church is "full of hypocrites." How is a Christian to respond to this, especially since it is hard to deny?

I read an excellent article by Art Toalston this week. (http://www.bpnews.net/bpnews.asp?ID=24330) He points out that, "No doubt, there are hypocrites, imperfect people and even addicts of all kinds within the Christian community. To their credit, however, these individuals have the courage to embrace a faith that challenges their sin and seeks to redeem their lives." Later, he quite candidly notes, "it is entirely possible for a believer to be what the world calls a 'hypocrite," to believe with all of his or her heart that such-and-such a behavior is sinful yet, in a weak moment, commit that sin. In the interim, the communion with Jesus increasingly becomes a desperately needed place of refuge after each defeat."

That's how I see it. All of us Christians are imperfect, but striving to live the life Jesus has called us to live. Without Jesus, we would have no chance of success. But with His forgiveness and power in our lives, we continuously change. It is hard being a Christian, precisely because the moment you become one its almost impossible to not be a hypocrite- we have such a high standard to meet!

None of this is meant to excuse Haggard's behavior, or any other hypocrite's. But if hypocrisy is keeping you out of church, remember that church was never meant to be a place where trust is placed in other people, but in Jesus, the only person who ever lived that was never a hypocrite. "Church" is really just a group of people seeking to follow Jesus. I wouldn't miss out on it for anything.