Media Round-Up from Love Won Out San Diego

Terri Brown and Volunteer Staff the Information Booth

Love Won Out, San Diego, California- Exodus International hosted its first Love Won Out conference since assuming leadership of the event from Focus on the Family. Several media outlets covered the conference and while we were protested at this event, consider this story from a young man who protested a Love Won Out conference in San Diego a few years ago:

“At a conference in Pasadena, a volunteer approached one of our staff and shared how Love Won Out changed his life. Several years prior, at a LWO conference in San Diego, this young man was participating in the protest outside the church where our event was held. He wanted to hear what we were saying, so he paid the registration fee to enter the conference. As he sat through the sessions, and especially after hearing Mike Haley’s personal story of walking away from homosexuality, he gave his life to the Lord and vowed to overcome this in his own life. He contacted a local Exodus ministry and began his journey. Years later, he volunteered for our event in Pasadena and shared his story with our team.” -  Dr.Michael Brown, former speaker at Love Won Out

• The San Diego Union Tribune, ‘Choice’ of Homosexuality Focus of Dueling Meetings
• The Christian Examiner, Exodus to Launch First Love Won Out Conference in San Diego
• The Christian Post, Group Hopes to Change How Churches Respond to Gays Li
• Good News, Etc., Love Won Out in San Diego on March 6
• Assist Christian Publications- Attended & covered the conference, interviewed several conference speakers *no link
• KGTV-TV, ABC, Channel 10- Covered the conference, interviewed Alan Chambers *segment not available on web
• XETV-TV, Fox, Channel 6- Covered the conference, interviewed Alan Chambers *segment not available on the web
• Salem Radio Network’s The Bob Siegel Show- Interviewed Alan Chambers on the conference
• KPRZ-FM, San Diego County- Ran public service announcements promoting the conference
• Annenberg School of Journalism- Filmed portions of the conference and covered the event

I did a lot of running around with some of the media at the event itself before leaving early due to a severe head cold.  However, Julie did an amazing job on this … her last big project for Exodus. She even compiled all the information for this post that appears before this paragraph. But, seasons change and Julie is moving on.

::: sniffle :::  I will miss you Jules.  Who will help calm me down when I lose sleep over Perez Hilton harassing Carrie Prejean? Julie, I will miss your expertise here at Exodus but am glad we are fbff’s (Facebook friends forever!)

We are very happy for Julie and the new season of life she is moving into.

But back to the media coverage.  Among some of the various good points represented in different interviews, I really liked this from the Christian Post:

Months after taking the reins from Focus on the Family, Exodus International introduces its first Love Won Out conference in southern California.

“Our goal is to help the global Christian church to be the healing community God intended it to be,” Exodus International President Alan Chambers said in a statement.

For years now the Love Won Out event has helped more than 50,000 people who are either struggling with same-sex desires or have a loved one impacted by homosexuality. The conference equips participants to minister in truth and compassion to those struggling.

Organizers recognize that beneath all the controversies and debates surrounding the issue, there are a lot of people who are hurting.

“All too often the controversial nature of this issue grabs the spotlight, but there are hurting people living in the shadows who need practical help and compassionate encouragement,” said Chambers, a former homosexual. “We want to put an arm around this often hidden group of men and women and help others better understand these issues so that the isolation and rejection many of us experienced will no longer be typical of Christian churches across America.”

Excellent.

MORE:

San Diego Pastor Echoes Call to Help Hidden Group in Churches

Christian Examiner Covers LWO San Diego

Love Won Out Website

Love Won Out on Facebook

Love Won Out on Twitter