Honoring Marriage – Interview with Andy Comiskey and Jason Thompson

Andy Comiskey of Desert Streams Ministry is starting a 40 day fast to pray and meditate on the issue of Biblical marriage. Last year, Andy maintained a blog for 40 days prior to the Prop 8 marriage vote in California. This resulted in a booklet and for this fall’s follow up effort of prayer and fasting in the face of more upcoming marriage battles.

In Exodus, we have three networks of over 230 member agencies. While it is fair to assume that all of these agencies (Member Ministries, Counselors and Churches) hold to a Biblical view of marriage being between one man and one woman for a lifetime, not all of the agencies agree on what approach to take with regard to public policy battles. It is nice to see an effort arise that is rooted in prayer.

I personally love Andy’s idea for a 40 day prayer and fasting over the issue. I sent him some interview questions and he was very gracious to respond. I have included those questions and his response below. Also, because of the wide variety of opinion in our network, I also asked the same or similar questions of Jason Thompson who leads Portland Fellowship in Oregon. I asked him since he is one of our Regional Coordinators and also because Washington state, in the region Jason coordinates, is also facing a marriage battle this fall.

That said, I did very little editing (spelling, combining the two interviews and arrangement mostly). Let’s begin.

Randy to Andy and Jason: First of all please explain Desert Streams, Portland Fellowship (respectively) and give an update on your overall vision for the rest of 2009 and 2010.

Andy: Our overall vision is to continue to help others dig deep wells of healing in their churches, both nationally and internationally. We do this through training lay leaders to run groups. If the region/nation is developed already, then we gather with existing leaders for further healing/training/mentoring. That pastoral dimension of our mission is the basis for the prophetic dimension of DSM. We want to mobilize wounded healers to take a stand for righteousness, in particular, to uphold the beauty of man for woman , woman for man in their region or nation. We know first hand the fracturing of persons and marriages through sexual sin, so how great to turn that around by resisting efforts to redefine marriage while calling the faithful to take seriously their vows.

Jason: The update and vision for the coming year is both continue to offer the services that we have provided for many years, but also make ongoing resources more known to those who are in need of additional support.

Some of these items include:

• Taking Back Ground ( a program option for groups and/or individuals.)
• Reach Truth (Continue to find ways of letting people know it exist.. many people don’t have access to a ministry or too young to be in a group – www.reachtruth.com can be a good option)
• Upper Room Community (Advanced work for men and women who have completed a program and desire more)

Randy to Andy: Please explain the project of fasting and praying for 40 days concerning Marriage.

Andy: We want to gather and ask for God’s help in empowering both the pastoral and prophetic dimensions of ministry. So we pray. We give up something that might otherwise occupy/fill us and we position ourselves before Jesus and ask for His help. I did not know what to do last year when my home state, CA, had become the latest home of ‘gay marriage.’ I could not vote, as I now live in Missouri. So I wrote a prayer guide as to why marriage matters for everyone and how the church could understand and minister to those with same-sex attraction rather than cede to the irrational demands of activists in the name of ‘justice.’ We won. The people overturned the will of the Supreme Court and I think that prayer empowered it. Also, the spirit of the whole effort was Christian and loving–not against those with same-sex issues but for marriage. It was a beautiful, Spirit-filled effort.

If you want to join us for some part of the fast, just go on our website and find out how: www.desertstream.org. You can order the prayer guide from us cheap. We are praying especially for states most vulnerable to ‘gay marriage’ like New York, Illinois, Minn., Wis., Ore., and Wash. We are also praying for those seeking to overturn ‘gay marraige’: Maine, Iowa, and the continued battles over Prop. 8 in CA.

Randy to Jason: What do you think about the idea of fasting and praying about Marriage? What other complementary approach would you recommend?

Jason: Pray and fasting is a powerful spiritual discipline that puts our hearts in line with the amazing work God is doing. I would encourage all believers to pray for the things God lays on your heart. I believe the reason Randy asked me to respond to this question is to share my emphasis on the ministry God has called us to do at Portland Fellowship. I struggle with the countless needs the world faces and wonder where I should put our time and efforts. Obviously there are great needs in our world and we could fast and pray for so many important things such as the unbelievers; for women seeking abortion; for those caught in sex trafficking; for the homosexual and the list goes on. My struggle as a ministry leader is where I put my efforts. Is it to put attention into protecting marriage? I would have to say, no. Not because I don’t care about marriage, of course I do. But Portland Fellowship is called to lead individuals into wholeness and healing from their struggles through Christ. That is the work and focus, and that is what I’m called to do..

Randy to Andy: Explain the redemptive nature of this project and how is this different than “political activism?”

Andy: I am not a political animal–I am convinced that a real prophet has a limited place in a democracy. But we can pray prophetically and invoke the power of the One who created us in His image and who delights in our representing Him on the earth in how we steward that truth. In this fast, we are simply asking Him to help us awaken people to the truth of their authentic gender and sexual selves, and to live out that truth responsibly in a pluralistic culture. The Scripture says that marriage should be honored by all (Heb. 13:4)–so let’s do our part and honor marriage for the good of everyone, Christian and none.

Randy to Jason: It’s really kind of open here … what do you think is the best approach this issue redemptively?

Jason: We have been given a wonderful analogy that Christians all over the world make up only One Body, and within that body, there are many parts. I think at times, we as Christians tend to forget that we don’t make up the whole body, but part of it (and that is one huge reason why we need each other)… and just like our physical body, each part has a function, a purpose, a “calling” if you will. Translating that to Portland Fellowship (possibly Exodus), our call in the Body of Christ is to bring a redemptive message (and resources) to men and women struggling with unwanted same-sex attractions. That’s it. As I’ve shared above, there are countless battles in our world that NEED attention from other parts of the body, but I think we can give ourselves permission and grace to stay focused on the things God has laid on our heart. My passions will not be the same as others and that is not only ok… it is good and healthy for a body to function the way it should.

Randy to Andy: How do we celebrate the good of marriage while at the same time opposing attempts to redefine it?

Andy: We celebrate marriage by recognizing and savoring and blessing those good marriages that have given us a renewed vision of how opposite-gender unions are the most solid and creative units on the planet. Not all qualify, of course–wretched unions have ruined many to that truth. So that truth needs to be redeemed by celebrating whole unions, and praying for those who badly need the Redeemer of that union to reclaim the dignity of man for woman, woman for man.

Randy to Jason: Same question

Jason: My answer may be way too simple… I will keep my marriage healthy, fun, and an example to my children, the church, and the world that will view it.

The world has redefined and twisted God’s truth ALL OVER THE PLACE (from sea to shining sea). From my understanding of Scripture, I simply live life honoring God, being prepared to share the truth of God (in and out of season), train up my children in the way of God, and love and show compassion to the fallen world… Remembering that it is God’s compassion that leads us to repentance… and that is what I will pass on to those redefining God’s truth. Love them and live a life that is upright and pleasing to God. While praying and fasting for marriage, Love those who are deceived and confused. Love them well.

Randy to Andy: What would you say to the person, who identifies as gay, who becomes aware of your efforts and truly can’t understand why you oppose something they might hold dear?

Andy: In your efforts to discover real love and security in realtionships, don’t mistake your freedom of discovery with a right to marry. The latter is by its essential definition the domain of male and female, joined for the purpose of the kids that may well result from their union. At core, marriage is about providing a stable, two-parent home for the kids created by that duality. By its very definition it cannot include your friendship.

That has nothing to do with taking away your right to pursue same-sex love; it simply means that doing so does not also give you the right to call it a marriage. Sentiment must bow the knee to reason.

Randy to Jason: Same question

Because of my focus in ministry, I wouldn’t be in that situation. But if I were, I would listen to them, understand their felt needs, meet them where they are at… and if asked about my convictions, share with grace, seasoned with love… and if they aren’t interested, wipe my feet on their door mat and walk away in peace.

Randy to Andy: What would you like for people to learn, or take away, from the experience of joining in this fast?

Andy: A heart for what man can be for woman, what woman can be for man, and the bigger view of how that relationship impacts everyone it touches. I would also like to see people experience the dignity of disciplining themselves to pray in a focused way.

Jason’s input: If God is calling you to fast and pray for marriage… keep the people in your hearts… not just the cause. Fast for the love of Christ to be revealed in their lives. Although marriage is very important on so many points, keep in mind that marriage will no longer be in Heaven… but remembering that those who don’t know the love of Christ won’t be there either. It’s not simply about marriage, but people and the truth of God.

Randy to both Andy and Jason: Explain how people can connect with you best before, during and after this project.

Andy: Go on our website at www.desertstream.org, and find out more. It starts Oct. 17 and runs through Nov. 25th. You can buy the prayer guide and listen to the podcast; we will also have daily listings of how to pray specifically for states vulnerable to ‘gay marriage.’

Jason: Easiest way is to see both our websites… www.portlandfellowship.com and www.reachtruth.com.

A big “thank you” to both Andy and Jason. I am personally praying about how I can join in this fast. It starts this Saturday October 17th and runs through till November 25th. I encourage you all to consider what Andy and Jason have shared and join us in doing your part in facing this very difficult issue.

UPDATE 8:01 PM EDT:

Jason wanted to add this further clarification.  He put this in the comments but we thought it would be good to add to the post itself.

Thanks Randy for the blog. I want to take a moment and share with your readers a few additional thoughts…

For clarification, I was responding to your emailed questions with Portland Fellowship and my ministry passion in mind…. not as a response to what Andy is doing… with that I want to add a blessing to Andy and his passion for protecting marriage.

In many ways, my comments don’t fit with Andy’s comments. They are not in opposition nor even talking about the same thing. Andy is sharing about his 40 day prayer and fast. I was asked what my opinion is on a topic that Portland Fellowship simply does not focus on. The result makes for a mix-matched interview. This does not negate anything I said, but simply wanted to give it some additional context.

So with that, I pray God’s favor on Andy and all who engage in the 40 days of fasting and prayer. And thanks Amy Lee for the comments.

Thank *you* Jason! This is the first time I have tried to interview more than one person via email and I apologize if I wasn’t clear about the purpose of the questions I sent you. I probably should have sent you his answers too?  So, I am learning as we go and want to make sure you and Andy both get your points across.  Thanks again!