That didn’t take long.

Chris Beard, who directed an adult leadership skills and missions group at New Life Church in Colorado Springs, Colorado is already off the mega church’s website. He has resigned.

The Denver Post:

Christopher Beard, who headed a ministry that trained young adults in leadership skills, stepped down Friday after admitting to “a series of decisions displaying poor judgment, including one incident of sexual misconduct several years ago,” said Rob Brendle, an associate pastor at the 14,000- member church.

Citing confidentiality over personnel issues, Brendle would not discuss the nature of the sexual misconduct except to say it did not involve Haggard or a minor.

Beard, a New Life employee for nine years, was not married at the time of the incident but is now, Brendle said. Beard could not be reached for comment Sunday.

After Haggard’s fall in a drugs-and-gay- sex scandal last month, the senior leadership of New Life asked its outside board of overseers to take a closer look at the “spiritual character” of its 200-member staff as a precaution. Brendle said Beard’s disclosures came during a meeting with the board, which is made up of four pastors from other congregations.

Brendle said Beard’s resignation was voluntary and is another step toward making sure the “disordered moral life” demonstrated in Haggard’s fall is “excised from the church.”

Beard lead twentyfourseven, leadership training for 18-24 year olds. Here is the email to staff of the 14 thousand member church from another minister.

Dear Staff,

Wow, what an amazing week! Wonderland [New Life Church's Christmas program] was attended by more people this year than ever before. Sunday morning was an incredible display of how God uses ordinary people to do extraordinary things.

In the midst of all the extra effort we’ve been putting forth, I hope each of you were able to attend at least one service this weekend to worship God and be spiritually refreshed. I loved hearing from our head Overseer, Brother Larry Stockstill, on video reinforcing his confidence in us and the on going process.

Pastor Ross reminded our congregation this morning that, after the Overseers permanently removed Ted, we asked them to further assist us to ensure that we as a staff are all rightly ordered as the church moves forward. So far, they have interviewed many of us on the pastoral staff, beginning with the senior leaders. As a result, Christopher Beard has resigned his position as director of Twentyfourseven. It is apparent that he has displayed poor judgment in some leadership decisions, in addition to one instance of sexual misconduct several years ago. That misconduct did not involve Ted. Twentyfourseven will continue this year under the direction of our college pastor, Aaron Stern.

Christopher has served New Life for over nine years, and we are grateful for his faithfulness and dedication. We love him and his family, and we stand with them as they walk through this difficult time.

If you have any questions about the Twentyfourseven leadership transition, please feel free to contact me directly at ext. 103. Please continue to pray as we seek God’s will in this vital season of our church.

Excited about our future,

Pastor Lance Coles

“…the misconduct did not involve Ted.”  The disconnect between behaviour (seen as a force outside oneself, such as Satan, the enemy, a darkness) coupled with the pressue to conform and the lack of accountability towards each other is strong.  Beard has been there nine years - how his behavior and resignation is announced is so corporate.

After Ted Haggard’s resignation and international coverage, the church has brought in a board of ‘overseers’ believing more scandal would hurt the mega church.  The overseers have encouraged members to…”fill out a form on the church’s Web site that goes to a panel of four pastors from other churches that have agreed to help New Life weed out problem people.”

New Life Church in Colorado Springs had 200 full time staff and 50 ministerial staff.

Chris Beard’s former New Life staff profile is here. 
The Press Release from New Life Church