Englewood, Colo.
The pastor of an evangelical megachurch in suburban Denver tearfully resigned last week, after acknowledging that he has had sexual relations with men. The Rev. Paul Barnes, founding pastor of the 2,100-member Grace Chapel, said in a videotaped message to parishioners that he has "struggled with homosexuality" since he was 5 years old. "I can't tell you the number of nights I have cried myself to sleep, begging God to take this away," he said. Barnes, 54, acknowledged his sexuality when church officials confronted him after getting an anonymous call. In November, the Rev. Ted Haggard stepped down as president of the National Association of Evangelicals after his longtime relationship with a male prostitute came to light.
The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
-
Home Depots are the new epicenters of ICE raidsIn the Spotlight The chain has not provided many comments on the ongoing raids
-
Why does Trump keep interfering in the NYC mayoral race?Today's Big Question The president has seemingly taken an outsized interest in his hometown elections, but are his efforts to block Zohran Mamdani about political expediency or something deeper?
-
The pros and cons of banning cellphones in classroomsPros and cons The devices could be major distractions
