Paul Barnes (pastor)

Paul Barnes is the founder and former senior minister of the evangelical church Grace Chapel in Douglas County, Colorado. He confessed to homosexual activity to the church board, and his resignation was accepted on December 7, 2006. He started the church in his basement and watched it reach a membership of 2,100 in his 28 years of leadership.

An anonymous caller to Grace Chapel expressed concern over having heard someone mention "blowing the whistle" on pastors like Barnes. Barnes confessed when he was confronted and apologized by video to Grace Chapel's Sunday congregation, saying, "I have struggled with homosexuality since I was a 5-year-old boy. . . . I can't tell you the number of nights I have cried myself to sleep, begging God to take this away." He also indicated that he had sought counseling in the past but that therapy had not been effective for him. Barnes's resignation came about a month after the resignation of Ted Haggard on 3 November 2006 as pastor of the New Life Church, Colorado, for alleged homosexual activity.