Southlake Pastor in Line to Replace Haggard in Colorado
By Terry Lee Goodrich, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, Texas
Aug. 2–SOUTHLAKE — An associate senior pastor of the 12,000-member Gateway Church in Southlake is the top candidate to become senior pastor of a Colorado church founded by the Rev. Ted Haggard.
The Rev. Brady Boyd, 40, was selected from dozens of candidates by a search committee at the 10,000-member, nondenominational New Life Church in Colorado Springs.
“This has been a challenging time,” said the Rev. Rob Brendle, associate pastor at New Life. “We need a man with the skills to be a CEO but with the heart of a pastor and father.”
Haggard was ousted as pastor in November after a former male prostitute said he had a three-year sex-for-cash relationship with Haggard.
New Life’s membership has dropped from about 14,000 members since Haggard confessed to immoral sexual conduct and buying methamphetamines, although he said he never used them. Boyd said he accepted the post, pending a two-thirds majority vote of approval by the congregation, which is required by church bylaws. He will preach at New Life on Aug. 12, 19 and 26. Members will vote Aug. 27.
“It’s been hard for the church, and there’s a sadness about what they’ve gone through, but there’s hope and excitement about what comes next,” said Boyd, who is married and has two children.
Boyd is “a tremendous leader and communicator,” said the Rev. Robert Morris, senior pastor at the nondenominational Gateway. “He opens the Bible to people and makes it very humorous and applicable.”
Morris founded Gateway in April 2000. Boyd — a former radio broadcaster and pastor in Hereford — joined the staff less than a year later and helped train leaders at the church, which has more than 200 employees. He preached when Morris was on mission trips or on vacation.
Gateway member Lena Jones of Southlake, said Boyd is “a born optimist with the gift of encouragement and a wonderful sense of humor.”
“This is a blessing for the community of Colorado Springs,” Jones said. “I think the congregation is going to love him.”
This report includes material from The Associated Press and Star-Telegram archives.
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