Ted Haggard, the evangelical leader who fell from grace after a gay sex scandal in 2006, announced on Wednesday that he will start a new church in Colorado Springs.

With his wife, Gayle, and three of his sons by his side, Haggard told reporters that the St. James Church that he incorporated three weeks ago will soon be an active church.

Initially, Haggard said he incorporated St. James for accounting purposes to organize payments he and his wife receive from talks at churches. He explained that they pay for their own traveling expenses and St. James would help organize reimbursements.

But about two weeks ago Haggard decided to turn St. James into a real church.

“St. James is a church for sinners – for people who have hit rock bottom and people who want to help people who have hit rock bottom,” said Haggard, according to The Denver Post. “It is not a gathering for the righteous, except those who are righteous by faith.”

“Everybody is welcome: Democrats, Republican, Independents, gays, straights, tall, short, addicts and recovering addicts,” he said.
………

St. James Church will hold its first service at the Haggards’ home on Sunday at 10 a.m. (Editor’s note: Perhaps our Colorado Springs staff can give us a first hand account on Monday!)

Read More: http://www.christianpost.com/article/20100602/ted-haggard-to-pastor-new-church-in-colorado/index.html