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Going to California – Ramping Up For The Freedom Conference

June 17, 2010 By Randy Thomas
Click Image to Visit Conference Website

I love working at Exodus.  Especially this time of year in getting ready for the Exodus International Freedom Conference.  The team really comes together and it is simply amazing to watch the myriad of plans, talents, vision, details and more ... all come together so beautifully. Stress?  ... just a bit. :) But through it all we know that the end result will glorify the Lord and bring edification to His church.  He instills an inner peace even as we run around like crazy getting everything ready! This is the 35th Annual Exodus Freedom Conference.  Exodus was formed after the … [Read more...]

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Divine Appointments At The Exodus Conference – Nathan’s Experience

June 15, 2010 By Randy Thomas
sessions-280x80

Regular readers might remember Nathan's guest follow up post about Jennifer Knapp titled True Repentance Always Comes With Provision To Live It Out. Last night he sent me another post that I thought would be an encouragement today. Parts of it are really funny too  (Emphasis Nathan ... linkage mine.) *** Still debating whether to attend the Exodus Freedom Conference next week? My advice is to go. If my past experience at three previous conferences holds true for this conference, God has some divine appointments He wants me—and you—to keep. I remember my first conference in … [Read more...]

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The Jesus Movement and Joe Dallas – Testimony

June 11, 2010 By Randy Thomas
Click Image to visit JoeDallas.com

Joe Dallas is featured in an extended version of his testimony on Godreports.com.  Here is an excerpt from Jesus Movement prodigal slid into homosexual sin, but God’s love drew him out (parenthesis mine): As Paul’s letter to the Corinthians says, “We have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us.” By some measures, Dallas’ quality of life was high during this period (of living with a male partner.) He held a good job, led an active social life, and lived in a comfortable apartment. “The circumstances of my life seemed … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Bi-sexuality, Church, Culture, Encourage, Exodus Blog, Gay, Jesus Christ, Marriage, Member Ministry, Post-gay, Support, Testimonies Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Feelings: Dictator or Indicator? – by Brenna Kate Simonds

June 9, 2010 By Randy Thomas
feelings

The following is written by Brenna Kate Simonds, Director of Alive In Christ Ministries (an Exodus Member Ministry) in Boston Massachusetts. *** Feelings: Dictator or Indicator? It had been a challenging morning. With a 2 ½ year old & an under 6 month old, I was still adjusting to life with 2 kids. I was feeling frustrating, overwhelmed & impatient. And it wasn't even 9 AM yet! I generally would have just gone & hid when feeling this way, , but in a moment of uncharacteristic wisdom, I stopped, bowed my head, and prayed, “God, just help me. Help me to be patient … [Read more...]

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Eve Tushnet, “Gay and Celibate,” Featured in the New York Times

June 7, 2010 By Randy Thomas
Photo Credit: Luke Sharrett/The New York Times

I still hold the perspective that we are headed, increasingly, into a post-gay reality.  A reality where gay vs. straight forced into the glbtqi? soup of labels fails to suffice as our (those who have or had same sex attractions) only context for a relational paradigm. Is Eve an example of that post-gay reality coming into being?  I don't believe I have ever met her and not sure she would agree with me since she does embrace a gay identity ... but her life doesn't really fit any of the conventional culture war stereotypes.  I find that intriguing. From the New York Times: WASHINGTON … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Catholic, Church, Culture, Encourage, Exodus Blog, Gay, God, Identity, Jesus Christ, Lesbian, Post-gay, Sexuality, Testimonies, Youth & Young Adults Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

“Reconciliation” – A Movie That Will Challenge And Touch Your Heart

June 1, 2010 By Randy Thomas
Reconciliation the Movie

RECONCILIATION trailer from Chad Ahrendt on Vimeo. In a previous post, Gay Father + Christian Son = Reconciliation, I mentioned and showed the trailer for "Reconciliaiton."  I was excited that a movie coming from a redemptive Christian perspective was being made and looked forward to viewing it. The Director, Chad Ahrendt, sent a "screening" copy because I wasn't in Los Angeles to catch the premiere.  However, one of our leaders in the area, Carol Wagstaff with Living Stones Ministries, went and she emailed and left a voicemail very excited about the movie.  She said that it was very … [Read more...]

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About John Paulk – A Brief Response To Rev. Cheng On The Huffington Post

May 28, 2010 By Randy Thomas
light in darkness

I read a blog post the other day by a Rev. Patrick Cheng PhD, for The Huffington Post. He basically said that ex-gays were going to hell and really, really deserved it. I never tell anyone they are going to hell. It wasn't the fear of hell that saved me. It was the kindness, mercy and love of God that led me to repentance. In the years I spent as a gay-identified man I didn't appreciate Christians telling me to "flip or fry." Today as an ex-gay man I still don't appreciate being told I deserve hell especially by a theologian who is selective about his tolerance, not to mention his … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Blogs, Church, Culture, Encourage, Exodus Blog, Gay, God, Identity, Jesus Christ, Lesbian, Marriage, Media Mentions, Post-gay, Religious Liberty, Sexuality, Testimonies Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

An Encouraging Flashback – Bob Davies In Christianity Today

May 26, 2010 By Randy Thomas
bob

I was digging around the Christianity Today website and found the article Ex-gay Sheds The Mocking Quote Marks which is an article featuring former Exodus President Bob Davies. Here are some excerpts (Published on 1/7/2002) : ... After 22 years, I've been aware for a while that I was ready for a change. I loved it, and this has been the most exciting, fulfilling time in my life. But as I prayed about it, I got an impression or a message from the Lord, and it was a message of two words: "Finish well." I thought, Okay, what does that mean? Am I going to be dying of cancer in the next couple … [Read more...]

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Is Religious Freedom and Self-Determination in Professional Counseling in Danger?

May 24, 2010 By Randy Thomas
horizon

Of our two hundred and forty Member Agencies out there, around 40 of them are professional counselors.  Over the past year or so we have had a great increase in the number of reports coming in threatening counselors who are willing to help people with unwanted homosexuality.  Lately, Californian therapists are being threatened. SAN DIEGO, California, May 3, 2010 (LifeSiteNews.com) - California's pro-family therapists are striving to persuade the state's largest therapist association to stand firm against demands to suppress or kick out members who seek to help clients with unwanted … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Church, Culture, Encourage, Exodus Blog, Gay, Identity, Jesus Christ, Lesbian, Post-gay, Professional Counseling, Religious Liberty, Sexuality, Support Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Are Those Angels On The Roof?

May 20, 2010 By Randy Thomas
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Hardly. Yesterday, after another full and very busy day here at Exodus I decided to go home and relax for a bit before cooking dinner.  Oh who am I kidding, I don't really cook.  I wanted to take a nap before microwaving a Lean Cuisine.  Yes I am on a diet and yes, not a huge fan of Lean Cuisine ... but they are good enough for a fat single dude trying to get skinny ...again. But I digress. So, I sat down on the couch and thought hmmm... a nap sure would be nice.  It really takes very little effort to go from sitting down on the couch to laying down on the couch. And just as I had … [Read more...]

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