Kurt Serpe and his family began attending Ted Haggard's church in Colorado Springs during the early years, when services were held in Ted's basement. Today's news describes Serpe as Ted's 20-year-long, close friend and someone who demanded from Ted an accounting of the exact nature of the improprieties that Ted had committed. Last October, Ted responded to Serpe in an e-mail. Yesterday, Serpe distributed that e-mail to KRDO-TV in Colorado Springs. Here's a copy of it:

October 3, 2007

I was referred to Mike Jones from the concierge at a Marriott hotel when I asked for a masseur. It was during the massage that it started to become sensual, and that led to him masturbating me. That was and is our only sexual contact, but it was immoral and it was this experience that caused me to confess immorality in my letter of resignation from New Life Church. During the conversation with Mike during and after the time he masturbated me, he told me about some drugs that he could get for me that would enhance my masturbation experience. I returned on five occasions and bought those drugs. I actually used them three times, throwing them away in shame before use two times. It is for these offenses that I confessed being immoral and deceitful.

These are the answers you have requested, but I do not know why you would say you deserve them? That seems odd to me.

God bless,

Ted Haggard

Ted isn't being candid about the extent of the activity that occurred between himself and the male prostitute, but that's beside the point. What impresses me is that someone in Ted's life – someone other than a suite of business associates – demanded to hear the truth from Ted. Serpe demonstrated his friendship by expecting Ted to be accountable. And from the vantage point of where we're at today, it looks like Ted could have used a few more friends like Serpe throughout his career.