Haggard's former church invites Southlake pastor for tryout

Haggard's former church invites Southlake pastor for tryout

08:41 AM CDT on Thursday, August 2, 2007

Associated Press

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. - A pastor from a suburban Dallas megachurch will try out for the senior pastor post at New Life Church, which has seen its attendance drop by 25 percent after the firing of disgraced church founder Ted Haggard.

Brady Boyd, 40, an associate senior pastor at Gateway Church in Southlake, will preach at the Colorado Springs church on Aug. 12, 19, and 26. Two-thirds of the congregation must approve his appointment when it votes Aug. 27.

"Brady is a man of strongest character and reputation," New Life spokesman Rob Brendle told The Gazette of Colorado Springs Tuesday.

Brendle said Boyd was chosen over internal candidates not only because he is a "vibrant communicator," but because he has the managerial skills to be CEO of New Life, which has about 10,000 members -- down from 14,000 -- 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.

Haggard, 50, also 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.

As part of his severance package from New Life Church, which Haggard started in his basement, Haggard agreed to leave Colorado Springs and has since moved to Phoenix.

Gateway Church began in the home of one of the pastors in 2000 and has thousands of members, according to its Web site.