Haggard Begs for Money, Church Says No

Ted Haggard was fired last November from his 14,000-member mega-church after he admitted buying meth and getting massages from a male escort. Now the disgraced TV evangelist is asking his supporters for financial help even though he's still pulling in a $140,000 salary.

Haggard and his family moved to Arizona shortly after the gay sex / drug scandal broke, following a period of what Haggard referred to as "intensive restoration therapy," which made Haggard "completely heterosexual" in just under three weeks.

Last week the former pastor of New Life Church, and head of the National Association of Evangelicals, sent an email to supporters asking for their financial support in order to help him and his wife to obtain University degrees at the University of Phoenix.

However, he didn't mention that when he left the church, New Life Church leaders agreed to pay his salary through 2007 - estimated at about $138,000 annually.

In addition, El Paso County Assessor property records show that the Haggard's still own their 5-bedroom home in Colorado Springs, valued at $715,051.

Overseers at New Life Church were shocked by Haggard's request and released a statement, telling the ex-minister to get a job: "Mr. Haggard's solicitation for personal support was inappropriate. It was never the intention of the Dream Center that Mr. Haggard would provide any counsel or other ministry. Mr. Haggard will not be moving in or working with the Dream Center. He will not be doing any ministry. He will be seeking secular employment to support himself and his family."