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Statement from Alan Chambers Regarding Exodus and Dawson McAllister
Recent events involving youth leader Dawson McAllister, Clear Channel Communications and Exodus International have been spotlighted in numerous blogs and publications over the past few days. While Exodus is no stranger to controversy, we are usually reluctant to make public statements critical of other organizations or leaders, particularly those for whom we have high personal regard. But the very public nature of this situation leaves us no choice but to clarify our feelings and position on the matter.
On Sunday April 11th, a 22-year old gay blogger named Greg Kimball called into McAllister’s syndicated radio talk show Dawson McAllister Live, posing as a 16-year old seeking advice about his homosexuality. The show’s representative referred him to Exodus, which was listed on McAllister’s website as a partner. (Other partners on the site include Focus on the Family and Campus Crusade for Christ.) Kimball, apparently outraged that a youth-oriented radio show would refer people to Exodus, went public with his discovery, resulting in a number of communications to Clear Channel demanding they take action.
Clear Channel subsequently informed Dawson that he would need to remove Exodus’ name from his referral list. Citing its non-discriminatory policy, the company defended what many would view as censorship, stating that because of their commitment to diversity, they expect that “listeners who call (Dawson McAllister Live) be treated in a manner consistent with our corporate commitments to diversity.” Left with a choice between losing favor with Clear Channel by maintaining a relationship with Exodus, or maintaining media visibility by severing our ties, he chose the latter. On Thursday, April 15th he informed us personally that, while he loves and supports Exodus, our name was now deleted from his partner’s list, and he will no longer refer to us. That decision has been well publicized, requiring a response.
Our esteem for Dawson is not in question here. His achievements are remarkable – over 1 million copies of his books and manuals sold; a 15 year broadcasting career; a radio show boasting over 140 stations – and I’ve made no secret of his impact on me. In 1991 we met in Lakeland, Florida. I was 19 at the time, and it was through his personal referral that I found Exodus International. Dawson McAllister was the catalyst for my journey, which eventually led me to direct the organization he’s now unwilling to officially associate with. (Could the irony be any more bitter?)
But respect notwithstanding, it’s troubling to see any Christian-led organization allow itself to be guided by the demands of pro-gay advocates. While Exodus is the group being marginalized in this case, it’s the freedom to express a traditional viewpoint of sexuality that’s really at stake, raising the obvious question: Who’s Next? Should all on-air ministries who teach that homosexuality falls short of God’s will expect a knock on the door, demanding they either water it down or close shop? And if that knock comes, is the truth about human sexuality really a negotiable item? Is the definition of marriage and family so small a matter to Christian leaders that they’ll avoid inconvenient truth (or inconvenient relationships) to keep their audience? If so, we wonder what other Biblical truths are up for negotiation when on-air visibility is at stake.
We appreciate the need one group may have to distance itself from another. We’ve made that painful decision ourselves, when we’ve realized that differences in belief or approach were so great that we had no choice but to severe ties with those we could longer in good faith support. So if an associate no longer shares our position on homosexuality, we respect his need to break ties with us. Likewise, if someone shares our viewpoint but objects to the way we implement it, we hope they’ll discuss their concerns with us so we can consider them and, if no agreement can be reached, we wish them the best as they move on.
But according to both Dawson and his CEO (who also spoke with me by phone) this severance had nothing to do with disagreement. The CEO, in fact, assured me they still love Exodus and believe in what we are doing, which bothers me all the more. When organizational relations end, due to irreconcilable differences of belief or practice, that makes sense. But when someone publicly dumps you then privately whispers “We still believe in what you’re doing”, isn’t some kind of double-mindedness at play? Both of them also stressed to me their desire to stay on Clear Channel, which is understandable. But at what cost? When a Christian leader is forced to choose between truth and market numbers, should market numbers really be the deciding factor?
Yes, according to Dawson’s CEO, who told me that only 1% of their callers over the past 15 months had phoned in with this issue. “Should we forsake the 99 percent for the 1 percent?” he asked. Had he remembered the parable of the lost sheep, in which a good shepherd left the 99 for the 1, he might have answered his own question.
And there’s the rub. If Dawson McAllister was a secular, non-Christian leader, his priorities would make sense. But if he serves the One who warned “Woe unto you when all men speak well of you”, and follows in the steps of the Apostle who said, “If I seek the favor of men, I should not be a servant of Jesus Christ”, then his response to pressure from gay activists and Clear Channel is distressing. We earnestly hope it will be the exception, not the rule, when similar pressure is exerted on other visible leaders.
As for us, we’ll continue our commitment to Biblically based truth regarding homosexuality, and to that 1% that is, to us, precious. And on a personal note, I’ll admit that yes, I am sad and yet I am determined. I’m not giving up or in. You can count on me, 1%. I’m for you, and both I and my colleagues at Exodus will continue to tell you the truth about God’s never-ending grace and mercy.
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If you would like to contact Clear Channel and Dawson McAllister Live in support of Exodus, here is the information to do so:
Marc Mays, CEO, Clear Channel
Executive Assistant: Carole Adamek – caro...@clearchannel.com, 210-832-3306
Lisa Dollinger, Communications Director, Clear Channel – lisa...@clearchannel.com
Executive Assistant: stac...@clearchannel.com and 210-832-3348
Dawson McAllister Online Contact Form, click here. Their Facebook Page is here.
MORE:
Dawson McAllister Under Fire for Exodus Referral
About Alan Chambers
sad but excellent article, thank you for standing for truth.. stand firm then..
14Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, 15and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. 16In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. 17Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. 18And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints.
19Pray also for me, that whenever I open my mouth, words may be given me so that I will fearlessly make known the mystery of the gospel, 20for which I am an ambassador in chains. Pray that I may declare it fearlessly, as I should.
Alan,
I agree with you that it is not a good thing to curry favor to the higher ups in this manner. This is precisely what is wrong with America; too many Christian leaders are people pleasers over God pleasers and are not demonstrating the courage to stand up for what is right. Courage and faith are relatives and it is sad to see that the radio program lacks faith.
Alan, I can’t imagine how difficult it was for you to make that public response, but I think it was good and necessary. I also believe God was glorified by the way you dealt with this situation…and in the end, that’s really what matters! God bless you! And may He continue to use Exodus to bring men and women out of the darkness into His marvelous Light!
Alan, you couldn’t have taken a higher road on this, in my opinion. You have said what needed to be said for all our sakes, however painful it was to say.
I have had a high regard for Dawson McAllister. This turns on more than a misguided view that “the needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few.” Is it not like punching in the gut those who already have been wounded by the church? Those marginalized by the ones who fear judgment by others if they dare to love the prodigals? Wow. The hypocrisy comes at us from all angles here. And the precedent is highly troubling, as you say.
Perhaps we need a Day of Silence in the Church to “speak out” about this kind of bullying. Or, better, we ought to just dilute it with love and truth. Christ can compel the rocks to cry out, if he so chooses. His Word will never be silenced.
Praying that Dawson will see this through different eyes.
Alan, this is sad to hear. If a 16 year old calls in now and shares that has homosexual feelings but hates it… what will they tell him?
They will tell him “God loves you”, “God cares”, but nothing more. THis is a specific question and point I raised with the CEO of DMA. They intend to continue referring people to Focus on the Family to which I replied, “How long do you think it will be before GLAAD challenges that?” I asked him what they will do if Clear Channel forbids them to refer to Focus and he replied, “We will cross that bridge when we come to it.” SO SAD. I fear they will do anything to stay on the air.
The church’s failure in how the issue of homosexuality has been dealt with is no excuse for the activists to be so bigoted and to attempt to silence those who disagree with them. Their agenda is not only to have the freedom to express their views, but also to stop others from opposing them. They do not support freedom, they coerce.
I’m at a university that is known to be a relatively politically apathetic campus, but still, someone could get in front of a lecture theatre during an intersession break to promote “gay marriage rally”, I felt marginalised sitting there. It’s like, if we don’t agree with them, then we’re bad and strange, spreading a message that sounds like everyone sitting there should support their agenda.
The CEO speaks of diversity, the diversity of his listeners and fellow workers. Cool. I’m all for diversity. The diversity that I can be a Christian and maintain my faith and lifestyle, choosing to be a celibate follower of Jesus. That’s diversity. The problem is, people forget diversity includes Christians who follow Jesus. We’re having trouble with some attempts at lawmaking over here, that diversity for Christians is being negated, so the Evangelical Alliance, along with the two Archbishops, are working with the Government to bring about true diversity and equality. It’s going to be a real struggle, and we are aware that Biblical teaching on SSA and marriage etc could become illegal, and that our celibate org, TfT, could become illegal in the near future, so it is a real concern. The other month, a woman wrote about how she’d been attempting suicide and was self-harming every day until she found TfT. It’s a real concern this supposed diversity. I’m with you, Exodus, in prayer -x-
Precisely what I was wondering, Jason.
See answer below his question, Deb. THanks for your prayers.
http://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2010/aprilweb-only/26-31.0.html?start=1
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Alan – we stand with you.
I’m sorry but it sounds to me like Dawson McAllister decide to follow the authority of Clear Channel instead of the authority of God.
And I fully agree with Debbie – the “diversity” crowd have no room for including Christian beliefs and they’ve written laws and company policies to sanction their anti-Christian position – so much for diversity.
How very ironic. A Christian \Hopeline\ can dispense \hope\ for every one but those who struggle with homosexuality.
Dawson McAllister should be ashamed for abandoning the youth like this. And is what he got out of this deal really worth abandoning young people whom GOD positioned him to help?
Tragic sign of the times.