The tragic coincidences of Creflo Dollar Jimmy Swaggart and Ted Haggard

I've noticed a trend about which I feel compelled to write. You may not see it as I do and you may also feel compelled to comment about your disagreement but alas - I care not. This is an important message for the church and I am compelled to speak it. Take it or leave it - it is what it is.

I can remember, as many others will, way back when Jimmy Swaggart had the main spiritual stage in America. When he spoke, the cameras were on and the whole country listened. His message? Larry Flint is evil.

Larry Flint is the founder of Hustler Magazine. Jimmy Swaggart was on a mission against the porn world. Every time the cameras were on he would point his finger into the lens and pass judgement against the ways of the world - a world which has already been judged and found guilty... by God.

In 1988, Swaggart was implicated in a sex scandal involving a prostitute that resulted initially in his suspension and ultimately Swaggart was defrocked and removed from the ministry by the Assemblies of God. Three years later, Swaggart was again implicated in a sex scandal involving a prostitute. As a result, Swaggart's current ministry is non-affiliated, non-denominational and considerably smaller than before the scandals were revealed.

Ted Haggard was on a mission. He preached consistently against homosexuality; a lifestyle judged and condemned by God. It's already a done deal yet Haggard persisted.

In November 2006, escort and masseur Mike Jones alleged that Haggard had paid Jones to engage in sex with him for three years and had also purchased and used crystal methamphetamine. Jones said he had only recently learned of Haggard's true identity, and explained his reasons for coming forward by saying, "It made me angry that here’s someone preaching against gay marriage and going behind the scenes having gay sex." Jones made the allegations public in response to Haggard's political support for a Colorado Amendment 43 on the November 7, 2006 Colorado ballot that would ban same-sex marriage in that state. Jones told ABC News, "I had to expose the hypocrisy. He is in the position of influence of millions of followers, and he's preaching against gay marriage. But behind everybody's back [he's] doing what he's preached against."

Haggard later admitted to the entire affair and lost everything.

This brings us to today. I can recall as clear as day hearing Creflo Dollar say on his radio broadcast that God wold have to give him a "prison ministry" if any man ever hurt his daughters because he would kill that person. If any man ever abused his daughter he would commit murder. He, a public personality, from a public pulpit, admitted that if any man ever "abused" his daughter he would kill him.

Last week we learned that Creflo Dollar had been arrested and jailed for choking and punching his own daughter. It was his own daughter who called the police and her version of events was confirmed by her older sister according to police reports. Creflo Dollar denies the events as described initially by his own daughters and which are recorded in police records.

This is a dangerous trend. If not repented of God Himself steps in and cleans house. The world has already been judged. God has seen to that. Yet we insist on acting as God in His stead and re-judging the sins of the world.

  ¶Judge not, and ye shall not be judged: condemn not, and ye shall not be condemned: forgive, and ye shall be forgiven:
Luke 6:37

When we judge we are asking for judgment on ourselves. We invite the same scrutiny on us as we dish out. There is a disturbing reality in the human experience that when we battle something internally we tend to find an external source to focus on. Like the man who beats up the homosexual because he battles the same feelings inside or any manifestation of an addiction or whatever. We can't fight what we can't see or touch so we look for external sources to attack. When the person is very public and there is no quiet discrete sincere repentance then the consequences become very public as well.

For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again.
Matthew 7:2

Let us use these examples as warnings. We are not commanded to never judge. We are commanded to leave things alone which have already been judged by God and focus on being salt and light... period. God has judged the world and found it guilty. Sinners sin - it's what they do. Judgment begins with the church.

But when we are judged, we are chastened of the Lord, that we should not be condemned with the world.
1 Corinthians 11:32

Be ever ready to face the consequences of your actions. They can be severe. God bless you.