Every so often you’ll hear or read a phrase for the first time.
I don’t recall ever having read about someone who ‘over-repented’ until now.
Ted Haggard, a U.S. pastor who had a well documented fall, has returned to Christian ministry.
In an interview piece with Haggard he states:
“Tiger Woods needs to golf. Michael Vick needs to be playing football,” Mr. Haggard said as his new congregation joined him and Gayle in their backyard for a post-worship picnic. Little kids, shrieking with joy, splashed in the pool. Men grilled burgers. Women set out chicken salad.
“Ted Haggard,” Mr. Haggard said, “needs to be leading a church.”
He acknowledged grave lapses of judgment in the episode he refers to as “my crisis.” But Mr. Haggard also said that in his sorrow and shame, he accepted too much guilt after the scandal broke.
“I over-repented,” he said.
In February 2008, Mr. Haggard asked to be released from supervision by other clergy. His former church, New Life, consented, though officials there put out a pointed statement calling Mr. Haggard’s recovery incomplete.
The four pastors who supervised Mr. Haggard wouldn’t comment on his new church. New Life pointed to an earlier statement, released in November 2008, that said, “we cannot endorse his return to vocational ministry.”
Mr. Haggard said that is ridiculous.
Read the whole article from the online Wall Street Journal: Humbled Haggard Climbs Back In Pulpit.
mgpcpastor's blog 
Interesting. I was reading Jerry Bridges book, the pursuit of godliness today and this paragraph comes to mind.
“It is sad that many Christians do not have this aura of godliness about them. They may be very talented and personable, or very busy in the Lord’s work, or even apparently successful in some avenues of Christian service, and still not be godly. Why? Because they are not devoted to God. They may be devoted to a vision, or to a ministry, or to their own reputation as a Christian, but not to God.” pg 15
page 17 in newer version.