Ted Haggard on Screen: What Documentary Footage Reveals About His Complex Comeback
By Maya Lin-Takahashi
The initial unraveling of Ted Haggard happened in plain public view. When Mike Jones, a Denver-based massage therapist and escort, went to Colorado radio reporters in late 2006, his motivation was political: Haggard had been vocally endorsing state constitutional amendments banning same-sex marriage while privately paying Jones for sex and purchasing methamphetamine. Haggard’s initial responses were evasive, claiming he purchased drugs but threw them away and only received a back massage.
By the end of that week, the defense evaporated. On November 4, 2006, Haggard submitted a written letter of confession to New Life Church. It was read aloud to thousands of weeping congregants by acting pastor Ross Parsley:
"The fact is, I am a sinner. I have bought things I should not have bought, and I have done things I should not have done... I am a deceiver and a liar. There's a part of my life that is so repulsive and dark that I've been warring against it for all of my adult life."
The institutional response was swift and merciless. An independent oversight board appointed by the church fired him immediately, revoked his ministerial credentials, and arranged a severance package conditioned on silence, relocation, and spiritual rehabilitation. Haggard signed a binding separation covenant agreeing to leave Colorado Springs, cut contact with members, and undergo intensive counseling led by church-approved overseers. The agreement treated scandal as a contamination risk that required geographic containment.
Maya is a hardware enthusiast who tests and reviews smart home devices, smartphones, wearables, and audio gear. She focuses on practical consumer value and build quality.
