Christian Today Australia gives a report on Ted Haggard's new church, St James. An interesting transformation for this former megachurch pastor.
St James Church is only eight weeks old but has already grown to about 350 people, according to The Gazette. Haggard, former president of the National Association of Evangelicals, moved the church out of his barn to a room at Pikes Peak Center this past Sunday.
If he could have, he would have kept the church at his barn next to his hom but his homeowners insurance company would not cover it.
"I'm just old and tired," the 54-year-old pastor said Monday. "I've had all the rejection I can stand in a lifetime. I've had all the judgment."
Just before founding St James, Haggard suffered through more than three years of shame and embarrassment following a sex and drugs scandal involving a former male prostitute. Formerly, Haggard led New Life Church, which he grew into a prominent megachurch before resigning four years ago.
St James is a far cry from New Life which has all the trimmings of a megachurch, including stage lights, a state-of-the-art sound system, a full worship band and the technology to make sermons available on its website. St James' worship band currently consists of one acoustic guitar player and the church does not have a website yet.
He enjoys the different styles of worship and the diverse personalities of various churches, including New Life and the famous Hillsong Church in Australia. He says he is just past that age where he wants "banging" and "electric guitars screaming at me". He was 28 when he founded New Life.
There are lots of people who want to volunteer to sing and play other instruments at St James, but Haggard does not know what to do with them yet.
"I don't want the worship leader to try to move me. I want to worship in simplicity and with ease," he said.
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