The New Life Church
Colorado Springs is a peaceful and conservative town of 300 000 inhabitants, located at the foot of the Rocky Mountains. It is also a sort of “Vatican for the Evangelicals” : over a hundred Christian evangelical and/or evangelistic associations have set up their main office in Colorado Springs, thanks to attractive tax policy. In 1984, pastor Ted Haggard settled in the city, at the time renowned for its hippies, bikers and others of the kind…He experienced visions, praying and fasting - became a pioneer, aroused by an unshakeable faith in his mission: bring back the Gospel into this city, chasing away evil cults ( such as hippies ! ).
Pastor Ted's New Life Church of Colorado Springs is one of the most important evangelical congregations of the country (a megachurch of approximatly 11.000 members). A congregation becoming very influential in the USA because of its modern ways, adapted to nowadays religious needs and behaviours. New Life Church is turned towards young people – the essential leaven of changeover (all evangelical congregations own their “Youth Ministry") - aware of the importance of preparing future generations on a biblical basis. Moreover, Ted Haggard is head of the NAE ( National Association of Evangelicals ), the powerful Christian lobby of the “Born Again Christians”, of which president W. Bush is extremely dependant.
Is it a sign or pure chance ? Five days before the Bush administration actually looses its political domination on the Congress and Senate during the midterm elections, pastor Ted Haggard, close to President W. Bush on religious and moral issues, was falling from his pulpit because of a drug and sex scandal. « In the first week of November this year Mike Jones, a former male prostitute in Denver, came forward to claim he’d had a three-year sexual relationship with Haggard, a vocal critic of gay rights. Married with five children, Haggard initially denied even knowing Jones. But then Jones produced recordings of a voice that sounded like Haggard’s asking Jones to help him secure some crystal meth. (…) New Life’s Board of Overseers had determined Haggard was guilty of "sexually immoral conduct" and dismissed him as a pastor of the church » - (Newsweek November 13, 2006).
On the church’s website, one can now find a letter of excuse and repentance from the fallen pastor who admits his fault, his "monstrous sin".
Entrance to the nature center “Garden of the Gods” nearby Colorado Springs.
The MILL, Friday night service for the twenty-somethings, at the New Life Church of Colorado Springs. Rachel, 22, is a member for seven years now. She leaves on a evangelistic mission to Ukraine in a week’s time.
The MILL, Friday night service for the twenty-somethings, at the New Life Church of Colorado Springs. The father of this family used to be a California punk who experienced drugs and alcohol. Today, he is a trainer for groups of young evangelicals.
The TAG is the Wednesday night service for teenagers, at the New Life Church of Colorado Springs.
The TAG is the Wednesday night service for teenagers, at the New Life Church of Colorado Springs.
Welcome / Registration counters at the New Life Church, for newcomers and guests.
The main auditorium at the New Life Church of Colorado Springs – 7500 seats capacity.
Sunday morning service at the New Life Church of Colorado Springs. Use of considerable technology in the 7500-seat auditorium.
Sunday morning service at the New Life Church of Colorado Springs.
Baby-sitting service to enable parents to attend peacefully church service.
A Megavoice – it was ordered by Bibles for the World organization. Enables to listen to pre-recorded versions of the Old and New Testament, in numerous languages (here in Hindi). The Megavoice is given out during evangelistic missions for illiterate populations.
Storage of bibles of the Bibles for the World organization. Translated in numerous languages (here in Bengali), the Bible is thus sent throughout the world, mostly where Christianity has not being established.
Residential neighbourhood of Colorado Springs.
Residential neighbourhood of Colorado Springs.
The TAG, wednesday night service for teenagers, at the New Life Church of Colorado Springs. A ” cool hangout ” luncheon follows the preachings.
THE MILL, Friday night service of the New Life Church of Colorado Springs, for the twenty-somethings. Nate, 21, member of the church for four years now. Has already gone on evangelistic missions to Mexico and on the West Coast.
Meeting of the New Life Church of Colorado Springs staff on Wednesday mornings.These meetings are held like a classic sermon ( prayers, singing and bible texts support…).
Meeting of the New Life Church of Colorado Springs staff on Wednesday mornings. These meetings are held like a classic sermon ( prayers, singing and bible support…). Here, a young girl who came for a summer camp, organized by the church.
Portrait of pastor Ted Haggard in the World Prayer Center, premises of the New Life Church in Colorado Springs. Prayer journeys for international as well as local causes are carried out day and night.
At the TAG, wednesday night service for teens, at the New Life Church of Colorado Springs.
At the World Prayer Center, premises of the New Life Church in Colorado Springs. Prayer journeys for international as well as local causes are carried out day and night.
The MILL, friday night service for twenty-somethings, at the New Life Church of Colorado Springs.
Sunday morning service at the New Life Church of Colorado Springs. The parking lot is as big as a supermarket’s.
A pro-life and anti-gay Christian activist, during Gay Pride “Pride Fest” in Colorado Springs.
A pro-life and anti-gay Christian activist, during Gay Pride “Pride Fest” in Colorado Springs.
The editorial staff of the monthly Toilet Paper, left-wing provocative and anti-clerical magazine, published in Colorado Springs.
During a stage setting, set up by the editorial staff of the monthly Toilet Paper, a provocative left-wing and anti-clerical magazine, published in Colorado Springs. This subversive scene starts the column Church Whipper series.
Sexually Pure
This reportage was supported by Elle France magazine, which produced it in 2006.
Purity Balls are an initiative of the Clearinghouse Abstinence Organisation in South Dakota, and represent one of the concrete examples of sexual abstinence among American youth. The balls are exclusively reserved for young girls escorted by their fathers.
During the ceremony, the father commits to being the protector and guardian of his daughter’s virginity, with the Christian community, his daughter and God as his witness. His daughter makes her own commitment - that of staying pure until God puts on her path the husband he has chosen for her. Everything is organised to make the young girls believe that marriage is the most beautiful dream that could ever come true. As a result, the good old fairytale hero, prince charming, sneaks his way into their unconscious. The young girls usually wear a purity ring to remind them of their commitment when faced with the inevitable temptations to come.
Aside from this ceremony, the religious message of the abstinence advocates is hidden behind the smokescreen of public health campaigns warning about the dangers of sexually transmitted diseases. This facade is mandatory in order for them to intervene on college campuses and schools, and to collect federal funding - in the U.S., one must respect the separation of church and state.
Their meetings and conferences are based upon the manichean stigmatisation of relationships out of wedlock… If you listened to them you would think that all relationships outside of marriage are doomed to be unhappy and destructive, and that emotional suffering and sadness is the only outcome. True love simply cannot exist without being married.
The promotion of sexual abstinence before marriage is one of the many wars waged by the ultraconservative religious right. Since they believe that traditional American family values are in danger, they are often the same people that want to ban abortion, the birth control pill, and who reject homosexuality.
Controlling the sexual activity of young people, and young girls in particular, results in having control over a woman’s freedom, and therefore her position in society. At home, voluntarily admitting their inferiority to men, women become safe-keepers of the return of family values.
Humbracht family’s home, residential area of Spearfish, South Dakota.
Liza, 13, and Kelsey, 14, getting ready for the annual Spearfish’s Purity Ball, South Dakota.
In one of the Merkle daughter’s room, handwritten psalms. Sioux Falls, South Dakota.
Kelsey, 14, getting ready for the annual Spearfish’s Purity Ball, South Dakota.
The Merkle family is getting ready for the annual Purity Ball in Sioux Falls, South Dakota.
Sarah, 12 years old. The Merkle family is getting ready for the annual Purity Ball in Sioux Falls, South Dakota.
South Dakota roadside.
At the annual Purity Ball in Sioux Falls, South Dakota.
At the annual Purity Ball in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. Mackenzi, 12, and her father.
At the annual Purity Ball in Sioux Falls, South Dakota.
At the annual Purity Ball in Spearfish, South Dakota.
Purity Covering and Covenant. I, …….. , choose before God to cover …….. her authority and protection in the area of purity. I will be pure in my own life as a man and leader. I will be a man of integrity and accountability as I lead, guide, and pray over her. This covering will be used by God to influence generations to come.
At the annual Purity Ball in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. The pledges and covenants time has come. Promises both sides to stay a virgin and to be the protector of that virginity.
My Pledge : With confidence in His Power to strengthen me, I make a promise this day to God, my family, myself, my future husband, and my future children; to remain sexually pure until the day I give myself as a wedding gift to my husband. I know that God requires this of me, that He loves me, and that He will reward me for my faithfulness, in this life, and in the next.
At the annual Purity Ball in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. The pledges and covenants time has come. Promises both sides to stay a virgin and to be the protector of that virginity.
My Pledge : With confidence in His Power to strengthen me, I make a promise this day to God, my family, myself, my future husband, and my future children; to remain sexually pure until the day I give myself as a wedding gift to my husband. I know that God requires this of me, that He loves me, and that He will reward me for my faithfulness, in this life, and in the next.
Rachel, 14, and her father, Spearfish Purity Ball, South Dakota.
At the annual Purity Ball in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. A father buying a Purity ring for her daughter, to remind her to her pledge when faced with the inevitable temptations to come.
At a Silver Ring Thing evening in Charleston, West Virginia. Young girl showing her purity ring as a pledge to keeping abstinent, marked with Thessalonians 4:3,4 verses – For this is the will of God, your sanctification; that is, that you abstain from sexual immorality – That each of you know how to possess his own vessel in sanctification and honor. The Silver Ring Thing is a teen abstinence program based on high-tech presentation style incorporating music, laser lights, fast-paced video, drama & comedy performances. Teens attending just love it, because it’s fun and without taboos in the speeches. Consequently, they become very open to the message.
Father and his daughter Sarah, 13, listening the sermon and some testimonies at the Spearfish Purity Ball, South Dakota.
At the annual Purity Ball in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. Angela, 14, with a sticker I’m Worth Waiting For.
Fathers invite their daughters for a dance at the end, Spearfish Purity Ball, South Dakota.
Brittney, 14, at the Rapid City’s Purity Ball, South Dakota. White rose symbolizes her virginity.
At the annual Purity Ball in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. All the girls have put their white rose, symbol of their virginity, at the foot of the Cross.
At the annual Purity Ball in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. Fathers and daughters will get a photograph back home.
Leslee Unruh, founder and president of Abstinence Clearinghouse organization, South Dakota. She’s supposed to be the one who launched the Purity Balls concept.
Taya, 17, became receptive to sexual abstinence until marriage through the ” Truth 4 Youth ” program, designed for teens and created by Abstinence Clearinghouse organization in South Dakota.
The Love and Abstinence store on the premises of Abstinence Clearinghouse organization, South Dakota.
The Love and Abstinence store on the premises of Abstinence Clearinghouse organization, South Dakota.
Heidi, 15, became receptive to sexual abstinence until marriage through the ” Truth 4 Youth ” program, designed for teens and created by Abstinence Clearinghouse organization in South Dakota.
Bekah, 17, became receptive to sexual abstinence until marriage through the ” Truth 4 Youth ” program, designed for teens and created by Abstinence Clearinghouse organization in South Dakota.
Alan, 18, became receptive to sexual abstinence until marriage through the ” Truth 4 Youth ” program, designed for teens and created by Abstinence Clearinghouse organization in South Dakota.
A Purity ring, to remind these young people of their commitment when faced with the inevitable temptations to come.
Embassy of God
Founded by the Nigerian pastor Sunday Adelaja in Kiev in 1993, the Embassy of God has become the biggest megachurch in Europe, with almost 25,000 members in Kiev alone. Present in 32 countries, with 425 churches, the goal of the church-goers here is to attain a thousand churches in 2007. The pastor Sunday doesn’t hide his desire to evangelize muslim countries, or his political ambitions.
