Dear Pastor Haggard, 

I am moved by the Holy Spirit to write you this morning upon the news reports that have come out. My name is Todd Ferrell. I'm the President of The Evangelical Network - a network of gay affirming Evangelical Christian Churches, Ministries and Christian Workers located throughout the States and abroad.

Over the next few days and weeks I'm sure you will receive many un-loving emails from "well-meaning Christians" and some very hurt gay and lesbian folks. For that I'm sorry, but I want you to know that we at T-E-N are praying for you, your family, and your church.

I remember years ago, sitting in my 6,000 member church in St. Louis, MO when the news of the Jim and Tammy Faye scandal hit the airwaves. I watched as hundreds of people left the church because their eyes were on people and not on God. I pray for your church and other churches across America that they will not have their eyes on you, but on God and see that you, like us all, are human. There is only One to be put on a pedestal (Throne) and that is Jesus Christ.

In reading the news reports today, there were several comments made about this "outing" being of a political nature. Of course it is, but that is only because the NAE and others including Dobson and Fallwell have made our lives a political issue. There are many who believe that we, gay and lesbian people, are looking for elevated rights. That could not be further from the truth. We are only looking for equal rights and I would love the opportunity to sit down and have serious conversations and dialog about this issue with the NAE & others.

Our organization and churches are out on the battle lines every day meeting people who tell story after story about how they were rejected by their family, rejected by their church. I sat in on a gay men's spirituality group several years ago and listened to over 50 gay men speak one at a time about how they were raised in traditional Christian homes and because of rejection by families and churches they now believed God rejected them and they had no place at His table again.

A day will come when the church will have to answer to God for the lives they have pushed away from God. But I write this letter as clarion call for you, the NAE, your church and all others who may be part of this. It's time that we stop the hatred and learn to love one another, to support one another. 

There are gay Christians sitting in churches every week and they have something of value to contribute to the body of Christ. Many do contribute, they lead your music departments, they lead your drama departments, they lead your intercessory prayer...but they hide because they know what would happen if people knew they loved another person of the same sex.

It saddens me to see what has happened in recent weeks with the Governor of New Jersey, Mark Foley, and yourself. But the environment in the church & Republican party is such that you have to hide. But one can not hide their true self.

I make no judgments on you as to whether you are gay or not. That really is not important and is between you and God, but I must say, you are loved, the people within the NAE are loved and your church is loved and that I and the pastors and individuals within our organization or praying for you, and if we were with you, we'd give you all a big hug. We've held one another, cried together, supported one another, and have picked up our brokenness and become whole together for years...and are ready to do it one more time.

God be with you all!

Sincerely,

Todd Ferrell, President
The Evangelical Network
www.t-e-n.org