Church — Exodus International Blog

Suicide Rates Among Gay Community Increase

August 9, 2010 By Randy Thomas

From Deseret News: SALT LAKE CITY — As the number of suicides among lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender populations continues to increase across the nation, concern among the Utah LGBT community has begun to push the issue into the spotlight. In July, Utah's LGBT community lost at least three members to suicide, including a 28-year-old man whose death was mourned by more than 300 people during a candlelight vigil on the steps of the state Capitol. Two other suicides of well-known members of the LGBT community, also gay men, have occurred in the past month. Though the problem is … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Church, Culture, Educate, Exodus Blog, God, Identity, Jesus Christ, Sexuality Tagged With: Abuse, Christians, Church, Community, Counsel, Criticism, Emotional, Faith, Gay, Gay Community, Giving, God, Gospel, Grace, Heart, Homosexuality, Hope, Jesus, Lesbian, Life, Love, Men, Ministry, Parent, Respect, Sin, Support, Support Group, The Gospel, Transgender, Unconditional Love

Happy 1st Blog/Facebook Birthday Exodus!

August 6, 2010 By Randy Thomas

It's hard to believe we have had this blog, and complementary Facebook page, for a full year as of today! I am very glad to see this blog succeed. We had one serious attempt to have a ministry blog in the past that just didn't quite work. So with lessons learned and the advent of social networking ... this blog took off right out of the gate! While I don't know that our blog will *ever* be a top dog blog like Instapundit (who knows really? :) ) we don't do this for "the numbers." Regardless, I am a stats-a-holic so here are some statistical tidbits that those who do read this blog might … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Church, Culture, Equip, Exodus Blog, Gay, God, Identity, Jesus Christ, Lesbian, Parents, Pop Culture, Post-gay, Puerto Rico, Purpose, Religious Liberty, Sexuality, Uganda, Youth & Young Adults Tagged With: Alan Chambers, Alan Medinger, Blogging, Change, Coming Out, Community, Encourage, Exodus International, Facebook, Gayle Haggard, God, Grace, Homosexuality, Jennifer Knapp, Joy, Liberty Counsel, Media, Men, Ministry, Movie, Myths, Nessie, OneByOne, Online, Rachel Maddow, Renee Dallas, Richard Cohen, Sexuality, Social Networking, Support, Testimonies, Top Ten, Twitter, Uganda

Alan Chambers Interview on Dublin’s Newstalk 106-108 (Audio)

August 5, 2010 By Randy Thomas

The interview is in part 1 of the three part show for 8/2/2010 … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Church, Educate, Exodus Blog, Gay, God, Homosexuality, Ireland, Post-gay, Radio Tagged With: Homosexuality, Interview, Media, Post-gay, Radio

Anne Rice Rejects Christianity

July 30, 2010 By Randy Thomas

Click Image to Visit Anne Rice's FB Page

Anne Rice is the author of many books on Vampires (now Angels) and whatnot starting with Interview With The Vampire. Her son, Christopher, has also become an author and has embraced a gay identity/worldview. Recently Anne posted on her facebook page: As I said below, I quit being a Christian. I'm out. In the name of Christ, I refuse to be anti-gay. I refuse to be anti-feminist. I refuse to be anti-artificial birth control. I refuse to be anti-Democrat. I refuse to be anti-secular humanism. I refuse to be anti-science. I refuse to be anti-life. In the name of Christ, I quit Christianity … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Church, Culture, Educate, Exodus Blog, Gay, Identity, Jesus Christ, Parents, Post-gay, Religious Liberty, Scriptures, Sexuality Tagged With: Books, Christianity, Christians, Facebook, Gay, Grace, Identity, Jesus, Judgment

Some Thoughts On Church/Denominational Conflict

July 28, 2010 By Randy Thomas

This post was inspired by Matt Kaufman over at the Boundless Line. He wrote, in response to the ELCA decision, a good question (emphasis mine): ... When should you leave a church on principle -- not for personal reasons (which we've talked about elsewhere on this blog), but for reasons of its doctrines or practices? And a follow-up question: Have you ever had to wrestle with this decision? That is definitely a tough question with plenty of potential variables. In the 18 years I have been a Christian I haven't ever left a church on "principle" (when I have it has been for personal … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Church, Culture, Equip, Exodus Blog, Exodus Church Association, Gay, Holy Spirit, Identity, Jesus Christ, Lesbian, Lutherans, Post-gay, Religious Liberty, Sexuality, The Father Tagged With: Battles, Bible, Books, Boundless, Christianity, Christians, Church, Clergy, Counseling, Culture, ECA, ELCA, Encourage, Evolution, Exodus, Exodus Church Association, Forgiveness, Friends, Gay, God, Gospel, Grace, Guide, Heart, Homosexuality, Hope, Jesus, Lent, Life, Love, Lutheran, Ministry, Needs, Old Testament, Pastors, Pornography, Post-modernism, Public Policy, Relationship, Resurrection, Sacrifice, Scripture, Sexuality, Sin, Study, Support, Testimony, The Gospel, Truth, Victory, Worldview, Worship

“Non-Celibate Gay Ministers” Welcomed In Lutheran Church

July 26, 2010 By Randy Thomas

From the New York Times NYT (emphasis mine because I find it an interesting description): With a laying on of hands, the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America on Sunday welcomed into its fold seven openly gay pastors who had until recently been barred from the church’s ministry. The ceremony at St. Mark’s Lutheran Church in San Francisco was the first of several planned since the denomination took a watershed vote at its convention last year to allow noncelibate gay ministers in committed relationships to serve the church. “Today the church is speaking with a clear voice,” the … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Church, Culture, Educate, Exodus Blog, Gay, God, Holy Spirit, Identity, Jesus Christ, Lesbian, Lutherans, Post-gay, Religious Liberty, Sexuality, The Father Tagged With: Church, Clergy, Conference, ECA, ELCA, Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, Freedom, Gay, God, Grace, Heart, Holy Spirit, Homosexuality, Judgment, Life, Love, Lutheran, Men, Ministry, New York Times, news, Parent, Pastors, Prayer, Presbyterian, Protest, Relationships, Respect, Sexuality, Sin, Speaking, Truth, Unconditional Love

Eighteen Years and Counting

July 23, 2010 By Randy Thomas

This is cross-posted on the ETC Blog. Here is an audio file (embedded at the end of this post as well.) *** Today is the day that I remember the actual moment in which I turned away from my gay worldview and began my Christian post-gay journey. This is *not* the day I became a Christian. I was born again before I turned away from homosexuality. The anniversary of accepting Christ as Lord and Savior is in the last week of May. So yes, I considered myself a "gay Christian" for the whole two months between May and July of 1992. During a prayer time 18 years ago the Lord (no … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Church, Encourage, Exodus Blog, Friendship, Gay, Holy Spirit, Identity, Jesus Christ, Post-gay, Sexuality, Testimonies, The Father Tagged With: AIDS, Bible, Change, Christianity, Christians, Church, Community, Counsel, Criticism, Ex-gay, Exodus, Faith, Family, Fear, Friendship, Gay, Gay Community, God, Heterosexual, Homosexuality, Identity, Intimacy, Jesus, Journey, Joy, Life, Love, Men, Ministry, Post-gay, Prayer, Relationship, Reparative Therapy, Sexual Orientation, Sexuality, Sin, straight, Teen, Testimony, Women, Worldview

When To Confront Someone’s Sin? – John Piper (Video)

July 21, 2010 By Randy Thomas

I am currently writing for a different project the topic of salvation and how some emphasize sin and hell to an inordinate degree. It's a tough one to write. I found this video late last night. I think it is important to note that Piper says that the importance of "confronting" sin in another increases among Christians to other Christians. That is what I understand from the scriptures as well. However, he also emphasizes that we have to be aware of our own spiritual walk with humility and meekness before talking with someone else about what he terms "destructive" behavior. Now, … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Church, Encourage, Exodus Blog, Jesus Christ, Post-gay, Support, Video Tagged With: Christians, Feedback, John Piper, Love, Salvation, Sexuality, Sin, Video

One By One Report on Presbyterian Church U.S.A. General Assembly 2010

July 15, 2010 By Kristin Tremba

OneByOne at Presbyterian Church USA General Assembly 2010

It is a “sign of the times” when the message of Christ’s healing and redemptive power in regards to human sexuality is rejected by his Church. This past week the governing bodies of the Presbyterian Church U.S.A. voted to approve gay ordination as it did in 2008. Again, this legislation will go before the Presbyteries in the coming months for a final vote. Hopefully, it will be turned down, as it was in '08, and yet year after year more Presbyteries endorse homosexuality as a gift from God to be blessed and celebrated. Team members of OneByOne were present at this year’s PCUSA … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Church, Culture, Educate, Exodus Blog, Gay, Jesus Christ, Lesbian, Post-gay, Presbyterian, Youth & Young Adults Tagged With: Church, Encourage, Exodus Church Association, Gay, God, Grace, Healing, Homosexuality, Hope, Joy, Love, Ministry, One By One, OneByOne, Pastors, Presbyterian, Redemptive, Relationships, Sexuality, Testimonies, Testimony, Truth, Young Adults

Are You Happier Now Than When You Were Gay?

July 14, 2010 By Randy Thomas

You Just Never Know What Could Happen Now Do You?

One of my young(er) friends on Facebook sent me a message that I have been getting a lot lately. Now that I have passed the 40 year old mark by two years the youngin's ask me "lonely old man" questions a lot. They don't say it like that and I am being humorous in phrasing it that way but it's true, I am getting older and have been celibate for 18 years this coming July 23rd. So they want to know if you can be happy, older and not pursuing or in a gay relationship. Wade (not his real name) writes in part: Are you happy? I know your probably thinking 'weirdo', but I'm not. Basically … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Church, Encourage, Exodus Blog, Gay, God, Holy Spirit, Jesus Christ, Post-gay, Support, Testimonies, Youth & Young Adults Tagged With: Church, Emotional, Encourage, encouragement, Exodus, Facebook, Faith, Family, Fear, Friends, Gay, God, Gospel, Grace, Heart, Holy Spirit, Hope, Intimacy, Jesus, Jesus Christ, Joy, Life, Love, Needs, Perseverance, Prayer, Relationship, Relationships, Romans, Scripture, Scriptures, Sin, Soul, Speaking, Study, The Gospel, Worship, Writing

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Suicide Rates Among Gay Community Increase

Alan Chambers Interview on Dublin’s Newstalk 106-108 (Audio)

Anne Rice Rejects Christianity

Some Thoughts On Church/Denominational Conflict

“Non-Celibate Gay Ministers” Welcomed In Lutheran Church

Eighteen Years and Counting

When To Confront Someone’s Sin? – John Piper (Video)

One By One Report on Presbyterian Church U.S.A. General Assembly 2010

Are You Happier Now Than When You Were Gay?

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