Troubled Colorado megachurch selects new pastor from Texas

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. — A pastor from a suburban Dallas megachurch has been chosen as the senior pastor at New Life Church, which has battled declining attendance since the firing of disgraced church founder Ted Haggard.

More than 95 percent of New Life members backed Brady Boyd, 40, in an up-or-down vote by secret ballot on Monday. He will begin serving immediately, associate pastor Rob Brendle said.

“We’re grateful to Brady for his willingness to serve our church family and we’re grateful to God for sustaining us over the last 10 months. We look forward to a bright future serving our community and loving one another,” Brendle said.

Boyd had been an associate senior pastor at Gateway Church in Southlake, Texas.

Haggard, 50, left New Life and resigned as president of the National Association of Evangelicals last year, after a former male prostitute alleged a three-year cash-for-sex relationship. The man also said he saw Haggard use methamphetamine. Haggard confessed to undisclosed “sexual immorality” and said he bought meth but never used it.

At New Life, Boyd will oversee a church of about 10,000 members — down from 14,000 since the Haggard scandal — a $12 million budget and a staff of 150. Besides a drop in its attendance, New Life has seen its revenues drop by 10 percent since Haggard left.

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