Former New Life pastor Ted Haggard is starting over. He is leading a worship group of followers in Colorado Springs. He called the prayer meeting at his house three years after a sex and drug scandal forced him out of the church he founded.

More than a hundred showed up even though the Haggards were expecting less than 20 people. Those who showed up say they are ready for Haggard to be a spiritual leader again.

“That was a fatal blow I took. I created it for myself, but people love a comeback. What I mean is that I was able to get up again," Haggard tells 11 News.

He started the prayer meeting with a teaching from the Bible. “Love is patient, love is kind, and love is gentle. Patience and kindness means a whole lot to me and my family now," says Haggard.

“You know, there's no guarantee he won't fall again, but we love him anyway," says Alan Hawkins, a pastor who drove all the way from Albuquerque just to attend the meeting.

“He touched my life. He blessed me when I had struggles. I'll never forget that," says Hawkins.

"I know tonight will bring a new church for Pastor Ted. It maybe in his living room or it may be in a building the size of New Life, but it will be a new church,” says Lisa Vanbebber.

Haggard says he has no intention of starting a new church at his house even though that's how new life started 25 years ago. He says he intends to hold this prayer meeting every week from now on.

They collected an offering at the prayer meeting. Half of that money is going to go to New Life Church. The other is going to non-profit.

A publicist here at the house was also passing out a preview of Gayle Haggard's new book about why she stayed with her husband. It's going to be released in January.