Using wisdom and discretion in our speech is constructive. In this video Ted communicates that it is ill advised for anyone to say everything they think. That is a mark of immaturity and poor training. James 3:6 says, “And the tongue is a flame of fire. It is a whole world of wickedness, corrupting your entire body. It can set your whole life on fire, for it is set on fire by hell itself.” Ted has been accused of not saying everything he thinks, but instead trying to say what he believes is appropriate. Here he gives his response. He encourages all of us to use our words to encourage, strengthen, and build the lives of others.
Key Thoughts:
02:25 – We need to think about the words we choose to use, our words can tear people down or build people up.
03:10 – Ted Haggard talks about his scandal in 2006
Ted, other than the scandal I really didn’t know a lot about you. Then I watched Celebrity Wife Swap. I congratulate you for making it through something terrible and coming through showing more of God’s love. I see that Gayle is a wonderful, Godly woman and you are fortunate to have her in your life. I see that maybe you will reach different people than you used to, but perhaps more effectively. God bless you both. I’m proud of you for how you came through.
Haggard Family, you are an inspiration to all who have gone through hard times and remained strong in faith and love! As a Christian, I believe I am not to judge anyone! That is a job for God, and not man or woman! I wish you all the best in life and as one who is going through my own trials in life, I wish you much love too!! God Bless you All!
Mr. Haggard;
I was truly amazed at the humility and grace you and your family showed on Wife Swap. I remember the trials you and your family went through, which needless to say, was enough to bring you to your knee’s. I suffered my own morale failure, and 6 years later, still have a difficult time forgiving myself and dealing with shame! You were an inspiration to me and a demonstration of God’s mercy,grace, and love!
God Bless you-
Pastor Haggard.
What a wonderful family you have!! I watched the show wife swap and what a wonderful testament it was to you and your wife. Also your daughter is absolutely adorable and I am soo glad that you were able to embrace her and what she was saying.
I can only say WoW you and you family have been through a lot we’ll keep you in our prayer’s!
We all fall short of the glory of Christ.
I would like to reinnerate what others have posted. Gayle left such a wonderful impression, what a wonderful person…she truely demonstrates the way we as Christians should be living. I wish you and your family all the best, God Bless!
Pastor Ted,
What can I say about the amazing demonstration of God’s transformative power through you and your family… I am not so amazed that you survived one of the most vicious kinds of hate, the religious kind. But I’m more amazed at your arrival into Christ Consciousness. To hear you preach 9yrs. ago and to hear you teach and impart today fills my heart with hope courage and new energy… Keep going, Your somewhere in the future and you look much better than you do right now, God Bless you and yours!
Pastor Darrell
Just want to give a shout out to Gayle: I was so proud of the way you loved Gary. You didn’t throw verses at him, just loved, listened, and talked to him in his own language (loved the acrostic!) As a fellow disciple of Jesus I was proud of the way you represented us on tv.
Years ago, I must admit I was somewhat in that bunch that laughed and thought you “got what you had coming”. After the last couple of years in my own life embracing our Lord and then watching Celebrity Wife Swap, I see what true Christian idealogy you and your family live. God Bless You and yours.
My heart just really went out to Gayle and the kids last night while watching “Celebrity Wife Swap.” What beautiful representations they are of the love of Christ and the power of forgiveness. Thank you, Gayle, for clinging to the Lord in the midst of such horrendous circumstances. The Lord is faithful to deepen us and change us into beautiful reflections of His heart when we go through the fire as you have. Certainly, you were blameless in the trial you found yourselves in, but you chose to respond with love, humility and a willingness to be broken open for His glory. You absolutely show forth what a TRUE disciple of Christ looks like. And, Ted, so proud of you for your willingness to humbly walk out the process of repentance and seeking restoration when we have fallen and failed. I will be praying for you all.
I was amazed and in tears over the episode. You and your family are an inspiration to others who have gone through tough times. May God continue to bless you and your church!
Pastor Haggard and family,
I watched Wife Swap and was truly blessed to have watched. I learned and was humbled by your humility and teachings on resurrecting oneself, it had pertinence to me as I’m sure it did to many. You have a lovely, supportive family and an amazing wife. The love of Christ radiates from each of your faces. What a glorious example of forgiveness through Christ. Thank you for sharing your family with us again, and giving us an update on how you all are doing!
Hello and thank you for sharing your faith on Celebrity Wife Swap. I feel that all of you did what God commanded us to do and that is to share him with the lost. I have to admit that i was most impressed with the sweet and calm spirit Miss Gayle showed to Gary; how she stood by her beliefs by showing a sweet spirit, while at the same time, not participating in a practice that is inconsistent with the Christian faith and belief.
I did not know your story before watching this episode online today. We are all called to encourage and to love; not to judge. At the same time, we are called to be separate from the ways of the world. It is not an easy task to be strong believers in this world today; but if we are called to be His disciples, we must stand on the principles of our faith and not compromise.
I was very glad to see the father/daughter bond became more open and stronger.
I pray His blessings on each of you and i pray, that as part of each day, you can take a few minutes to spend time one on one with each member of the family.
Gayle, you are a sister in Christ I would love to know. May He shine His love and many blessings on your family.
God bless each of you,
Linda (faith song on FB)
I am so proud of you, Pastor, and your Wife/family’s behavior and representation of your ideas/beliefs on Wife Swap. I am not affiliated with any religion but am a seeker of truth. I especially appreciated how you approached the “accuser”. I really expected more judgement from your wife in the other direction. However, the opportunity brought you the chance to teach tolerance to both families, I think. I am a religious studier and fundamental in love, and I learned a lot about you in a short TV show. I cannot say I am converted to Christianity, but have been converted to appreciate you and your life’s work better, more fully understanding that you answered a call to serve: To set an example of faith and success in life through so much scrutiny. I pray for you and your family/church to repent as you do/did and continue even after a fall. We all have weaknesses, but true strength comes in the form of charity. Charity endures all things……so, it seems, can you.
thank you yale ase a family our very foregiving and .and you as a humen our what it comes to famuly and i am not a religious person but when you belite the new church and your wife shows what a christine is all about i if i lived in colarado i woulde be a member off the church just beacuse yale our all about learing four giving and special may that other people see what a christine and a person is all about caring and join ase a family a big hug to you and your very nice wife abd your kids our the gradest special example what love and a family is all about
I felt compelled to write you after seeing you on Celebrity Wife Swap. You have an extremely courageous family and the loving bond you share is apparent. Despite whatever transgressions you may have made, you have taken the responsibility for ensuring your family stays together, remains strong, and fights for the things you cherish…one another. I admire this. Let those among us who have no sins cast the first stone….. It certainly will not be me. I wish you every success in rebuilding your family and your church, May you find strength in the love of one another. To Gayle, you are an amazing wife, mother and person. Your acceptance and true caring nature were evident. All familes should be lucky enough to have a woman like you as the glue that binds…
Thank you for being honest, thank you for being human, thank you for letting the world know it is okay to fall from grace because the God we serve will love us no matter what, thank you for being real, thank you for being an example to the world, thank you for being there for the broken, hopeless and the helpless, thank you for creating a church which Jesus will be proud of. Above all I thank God for using your brokenness to let us know “we never have to be perfect.” I have never heard about you in my life but thank you for you have thought me a very valuable lesson I will never forget. I wish you, your wonderful wife and children Gods love and grace………..I have never seen something so profound, moving and real.
Reverend Haggard. I watched you on Wife Swap and was determined to dislike you intensely for all I believe you stand for. I do have to say though that I came away pleasantly surprised by my reaction to you and Mrs Haggard. Additionally, it was a pleasure to witness someone whose children clearly love him.
While spiritually you and I differ ( in fact I’m much closer to Gary Bussey), I think it is really quite wonderful that you now hold your sermons in your barn. I like the fact that you can say that “you know from having lived it”.
If anything from the videos of your previous sermons I’ve watched all justified my original thoughts of you. Your sermons to your current congregation reveal a very warm and believable man and I wish you good luck in the future.
God is glorified through your lives full of love and forgiveness!!!! You have given the world a walking example of what being SAVED looks like. We are saved by grace…that is the gospel message! It is all about God’s grace…we are all sinners!!!! Its not about us…you sinned….I sin…GOD SAVES!!!! Thank-you so much for your encouragement. James 1:2-4 “Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.” You are walking examples of what following this scripture looks like…praise God.
What a beautiful family! You guys are so inspirational and show such grace. I know that God put you on Wife Swap for the specific reason of showing God’s love and what a fantastic job your entire family did of just that! I am so impressed by you, Ted. You are an amazing person and I am so thankful for the love and forgiveness of God our Father for all of us. No one is perfect but you are so wonderful for being able to live up to your past and face the truths. Many people NEVER get a chance to truly look at themselves and be as honest as you have been and continue to be. God BLESS YOU and I’ll see you in heaven with the rest of the people, like myself, who need forigveness every day!
I was extremely moved by the celebrity wife swap show and found tears in my eyes….for each family. Being unaccepted,rejected, and looked at so scornfully by outsiders….and especially people who label themselves as Christians …is something that is heartbreaking for both of your families, and difficult to watch. I had not heard of your family before a few years ago, but as a believer myself, I have felt so much sadness at what you have gone through and the way you were largely treated. This show brought out exactly what is wrong ….and what is truth about Jesus and His ways in the church today…..and it showed many times over that love is the greatest. All of you were so loving and tolerant of each others places in life…and respectful even when you didn’t agree .
I didn’t see all of Celebrity Wife Swap but I saw the most important part to me. The end when you talked about the hate mail you got and such and how God spoke to you and your mission being in Colorado. It makes alot of sense what you said. You fell in Colorado and you will rise in Colorado. I don’t have a T.V and downloaded the show on HULU and it sat there for a long time. I believe in signs and that God speaks to us in many different ways. I’ve been having a hard time and I believe that’s why I finally decided to watch the show. God told me too. Thank you.
Dear Partor Ted
I´m from Costa Rica and God led me to watch the celebrity wife show and it was quite interesting and healing for me to see how a “GREAT” leader can talk about his failures, sins and disappointments with such an open and sincere heart. I think that´s what GRACE is all about. Thank you for inspiring my life to go on no matter the difficulties and to lean on God´s Mercy. Your wife is the best example of what a real wife is. Blessings from Costa Rica …
Gayle,
I was touched by the grace and wisdom you displayed on Wife Swap. Your actions truly displayed the love of Christ. Thank you for being obedient to accurately show Jesus’ love as He commanded us to in “by your love, the world will know that you are my disciples.” God bless you as you continue to serve Him.
I have to admit I had some preconceptions before watching your family on celebrity wife swap. I was expecting bitterness, hate, and judgement clouded in religion but what I saw was so beautiful.
The experience you shared with viewers was full of such love, acceptance, and positivity it touched my heart. I was pleasantly surprised by what amazing and exceptional people Ted, Gail, Gary, and Steffanie are and thankful you were all willing to share your lives and your love with the rest of us.
In a small way you have truly made the world a better place to live in through this episode.
Dear Pastor Ted,
I watched Celebrity Wife Swap. I am so surprised that I was guided to leave you a message. Basically, I want to say that Gayle is a class act. Your entire family is lovely but she moved me.
I just watched the HBO documentary. I did not have opinion when I saw you in the news but now I am fortunate to have learnt from you. You are not a looser you are an amazing inspiration to everyone that has sinned – and we all have. May God bless you and your wonderful wife and children.
Gayle…watched you on Wife Swap….you my dear are a lovely woman..you handled yourself with such grace..I am soo proud of you..thank you..thank you…God bless us all
Hello, i am from canada and i was blessed by the teestimony of you and your family after you fell into sin.
TY