Haggard's staying in Springs

   Ted Haggard, founder of New Life Church, is once again a resident of Colorado Springs, sources say, but how long he'll stay here - or what he plans to do - has not been made public.

   One thing he won't do, however, is return to the church he started in his home basement and built into a massive worship center that attracted as many as 14,000 members.

   "He could be here six months or 60 years," said New Life Senior Pastor Brady Boyd, who took over the church that Haggard left after admitting that he had a sexual relationship with a male escort in Denver for three years.

   "He's free to do whatever he wants, but he will have no affiliation with this church."

   Boyd and Mike Ware, pastor of a Westminster church who was involved in Haggard's "spiritual restoration" program, confirmed that Haggard and his wife, Gayle, returned to their home on Old Ranch Road.

   Haggard, his wife and two of their sons moved to Arizona in 2007, a few months after he was fired from New Life after the scandal.

   New Life gave Haggard a severance deal, and the disgraced pastor agreed to leave Colorado Springs and make no public comments about the ordeal.

   Haggard also agreed to take part in a spiritual restoration program to cure him of, in his words, "sexual immorality."

   The restoration program began in January 2007; he quit in February.

   Boyd said New Life has no authority over what Haggard does or where he lives.

   "He can move back here and open a church," Boyd said. "He is acting independently."

   Haggard did not return phone calls Monday. 

CONTACT THE WRITER: 636-0367 or mark.barna@gazette.com.