( CNN ) -- Ted Haggard , the former megachurch pastor and former National Association of Evangelicals chief whose career was undone by a sex and drugs scandal in 2006 , will appear in a cable TV special this month . `` Ted Haggard : Scandalous '' will explore his fall from grace , he said . `` It shows the drama and the intrigue '' that exploded following revelations that he had engaged in sexual encounters with a male prostitute and purchased crystal meth . Haggard described the scandal as `` highly embarrassing and shameful for me . '' The show is scheduled to air on TLC on January 16 . In 2006 , Haggard acknowledged having received a massage from a Denver , Colorado , man who said that the prominent pastor had paid him for sex over three years . Haggard also admitted he had bought methamphetamine but said he threw it away . Those statements led the Board of Overseers at New Life Church to fire Haggard as senior pastor . The church 's independent investigative board said he was guilty of `` sexually immoral conduct . '' After the allegations were made public , Haggard resigned as president of the influential National Association of Evangelicals , an umbrella group representing more than 45,000 churches with 30 million members . But the special goes further than the scandal , he said , documenting Haggard 's attempt to build a new ministry in Colorado Springs , Colorado . `` It 's the resurrection story , '' he said . He likened his journey to NFL quarterback Michael Vick and former New York Gov . Eliot Spitzer , co-host of CNN 's `` Parker Spitzer , '' both of whom endured scandal but have recently returned to the public eye . Haggard 's St. James Church in Colorado Springs , Colorado , has 300 congregants , he said , a far cry from the thousands who heard him preach in his heyday at crosstown New Life Church . The church , which is not affiliated with any denomination , opened its doors in June . `` All are welcome . Whether you 're a Democrat , a Republican , gay , straight , bi- ( sexual ) , tall , short , addict , recovering addict . ... I believe Jesus ' arms are open to all , '' Haggard said at the time . This is not the first post-scandal TV show Haggard has appeared in . The 2009 HBO documentary , `` The Trials of Ted Haggard '' revealed the financial hardships his family was facing after his ouster from New Life Church . Haggard said he 's still struggling financially . `` We 're still living on the equity of our home , '' he said .
Haggard said he got a massage from a man who said the pastor had paid him for sex . He said he purchased crystal meth , but threw it away . Haggard was once pastor of the New Life Church megachurch in Colorado Springs , Colorado . TLC special on him will air on January 16 .