August 15, 2012

The first “gathering” conference of the Restored Hope Network will be in Fair Oaks, California. Speakers will include Dr. Robert Gagnon, Frank Worthen, and Andrew Comiskey. Both Worthen and Comiskey are past presidents of Exodus International. The conference webpage states, “Nowhere does the transforming power of Jesus Christ have more relevance then in our sexuality. Broken sexuality takes life; Jesus through His body restores hope for the integrity of our intimate relationships.” For more information go to Restored Hope Network Conference.

August 15, 2012

Excerpt reprinted from PFOX bulletin: “In the past, the Christian ministry Exodus International has refused to publicly support ex-gay rights or pro-family marriage legislation because their position was that they do not get involved in ‘politics.’ But now Exodus is openly supporting sodomy rights in foreign countries which do not legally recognize sodomy, according to the New York Times.”

“Also troubling is that Exodus leader Alan Chambers is now denying sexual orientation change. The erroneous notion that the absence of complete eradication of all same-sex attraction is proof that conversion is impossible, has long been championed by gay activists and now mimicked by Exodus. Of course, that notion is neither Biblical nor applied consistently to other sinful impulses.”

“Some affiliated churches and ministries, including those of ex-gays Stephen Black, Andrew Comisky, and Frank Worthen, have left Exodus and started their own ex-gay organization called Restored Hope Network.”

August 8, 2012

Edited text: “Dear Senator Ted Lieu: You claim that ‘sexual orientation conversion therapy is absolutely illegitimate’ and that’s why you ‘want to stop parents from sending their kids to it.’ … please read the 2010 CDC AIDS report: 77% of diagnosed HIV infections were attributed to MSM (men who have sex with men). Of those aged 13 to 24 youth, 89% was attributed to MSM. In fact, MSM aged 13 to 24 youth had the greatest increase in diagnosis (44%). Talk about harm to children! Why do you want to prevent youth from receiving counseling for unwanted same-sex attractions when those attractions can kill them?”

Full text of the PFOX letter: (more…)

August 4, 2012

Excerpt from the promotional webpage for the book: “Linda Carter is a living example of the mercy, grace and power of God. Having lived as a lesbian for 15 years, she was saved and set free by Jesus Christ at age 33. She is no longer gay, has no desire to return to her former life, and offers that when an authentic Christian conversion takes place, a gay person will completely renounce that lifestyle.”

August 6, 2012

Here are a couple of differences articulated in Andy Comisky’s August 6th blog:

A “different view of the consequences of sexual sin. Whereas Exodus believes that practicing ‘gay’ Christians may well inherit the Kingdom of heaven, we beg to differ. We believe that Christ followers must reckon with homosexual behavior as a serious betrayal of their humanity and spirituality, and repent of it in order to be assured of salvation.”

A “different expectation of change for same-sex strugglers. Though we agree with Exodus’ desire to more accurately define ‘change’ for those with SSA, Exodus now appears tentative and unclear as to the degree to which the same-sex attracted will experience change at all in their sexuality. We believe that Jesus brings change to every Christian with SSA who seeks Him whole-heartedly. …”

“A different reliance upon reparative psychology. (more…)

June 30, 2012

The latest post on the NEA’s Ex-Gay Educator’s Caucus website gives examples of individual ex-gays and studies confirming the existence of ex-gays. Liberal leaders of organizations like the National Education Association still do not want to acknowledge the existence of ex-gays. [editor’s note: This refusal to acknowledge the existence of ex-gays is somewhat similar to extremists who deny the holocaust or oppose the existence of Israel] The article argues that “Success rates for changing sexual orientation range from 30-70%, which is about the same as for correcting depression, substance abuse, and eating disorders.”

July 19, 2012

Theologian Dr. Robert Gagnon is not giving Alan Chambers a pass on theological issues he believes Chambers has distorted and minimized. Gagnon’s critique of Chambers’ letter is in four areas. Below are excerpts from all four areas discussed in Dr. Gagnon’s essay “Being a ‘Simple-Minded Jesus Lover’ Is No Excuse for Really Bad Theology:”

“Alan’s first strategy is to play the ‘aw, shucks’ humble card. He’s not a Bible scholar or a theologian, he says, but just a ‘simple-minded Jesus lover,’ neither Calvinist nor Arminian. As ‘just a Christian,’ Alan can rise above the controversy (‘That argument is so last year’) to tell us what the Bible really says. This posture, however, does not entitle him to avoid the hard work of actually reading Scripture contextually (as opposed to cherry-picking favorite texts) and revising his theology when others point out the problems in his interpretation of Scripture.” (more…)

July 17, 2012

Melinda Holloway is the latest to share her testimony on the Exodus International website’s “Real Stories.” Following is the first paragraph of her testimony entitled “No More Hiding:”

“I became a Christian at the age of eight and I was taught from the Bible that homosexuality was an abomination. So when I began having same-sex attractions in my early teens, they scared me. I wondered how I, as a devoted Christian, could be tempted by not just any sin, but THAT sin. God knew about my struggle. But because of my fear of rejection, I would not talk to anyone about my struggle.”

July 17, 2012

Following are a couple excerpts from Alan Chambers’ letter “You Are Not Alone:”

“Sometimes the difficulty in communicating how we’ve changed is due to the fact that we make it so complicated. We feel the story needs to be bigger than it is. I often wonder if there’s something else I should have done to accomplish more than I have? Is there something else that I’m supposed to do? From there I wonder, Is what we offer at Exodus lacking? I asked the attendees this year, ‘What did you come for this week? What did you go to the local Exodus ministry for? What is it that you were, and are, looking for?’” (more…)

July 16, 2012

After the recent Christianity Today article on the theological debate that Dr. Robert Gagnon initiated with Exodus International president Alan Chambers, Christianity Today has published a letter from Alan Chambers. Chambers does not appear interested in the theological debate at all and seems comfortable living in God’s grace. Here is an excerpt from Alan Chamber’s letter titled “Thoughts from a Simple-Minded Jesus Lover:”

“I doubt there will ever be human resolution to the debates surrounding eternal security, whether or not someone can be actively gay and a believer, or so many of the other weighty and divisive controversies plaguing our congregations. But I hope there will be a genuine desire to proclaim the truth of what God is for above all else. I hope that we will all take personal holiness more seriously than we do. I hope that we will seek to judge less and pray more. (more…)