Ted Haggard’s accuser accuser visits church

COLORADO SPRINGS – The former male prostitute whose accusations against New Life Church founder Ted Haggard led to Haggard’s dismissal as pastor visited the megachurch Sunday.

Mike Jones told 9News he felt he should visit the church as part of his research for a book he is writing about his life and his experiences with Haggard.

He told the TV station he was welcomed by the congregation.

“They were all congenial,” he said. “None of them expressed anger, and many expressed gratitude for what they said was ‘exposing the deception.’ ”

Haggard resigned last year as president of the National Association of Evangelicals after Jones alleged that Haggard paid him for sex over a three-year period and sometimes took methamphetamine during the encounters.

Haggard was fired as pastor of the 14,000-member New Life Church after admitting in November to unspecified “sexual immorality.”

In an apology to the church, Haggard urged members to forgive and thank Jones for exposing deceit.

Church members had invited Jones to the church several times. He visited Sunday with members of a New York-based theater troupe, The Civilians, who are researching a project on evangelicals.

Associate Pastor Rob Brendle saw Jones in the foyer.

“I told Mike, ‘I don’t want to impose my religious beliefs on you, but I believe God used you to correct us, and I appreciate that,’ ” Brendle said.

“The church’s response to him was overwhelmingly warm,” he said. “One of the wonderful and enduring truths of Christianity is to love people the world sets up to be your enemies.”

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