TED HAGGARD

Ted Haggard was the founder, and founding pastor of the New Life Church in Colorado Springs, CO, a founder of the association of life-giving churches, and was the leader of the National Association of Evangelicals. Haggard was considered to be a key component in the conservative evangelical phenomenon that occurred during the 2000 and 2004 presidential elections. In November of 2006 escort and Masseur Mike Jones publicly alleged that Ted Haggard had Paid Jones to do sexual acts with him for the previous three years, and that Haggard had also purchased and used Crystal Meth. A few days later Haggard resigned from all of his leadership positions. As the scandal gained more public attention, Haggard announced that he had began receiving counseling that was being overseen by four ministers. In February 2007 one of those ministers, Tim Ralph, said, “Haggard is completely heterosexual” and that therapy, “gave Ted the tools to embrace his heterosexual side.” Ted Haggard made 200 thousand dollars in base salary from New Life Church in 2006, and was also given a 138,000 dollar severance. In February 2011 Ted Haggard announced to the public that he was bisexual. He continues to preach, and has announced plans to start a new church in Colorado Springs.