Scripture — Exodus International Blog

Inaccuracy Shrouds Kirsten Power’s Article

November 18, 2010 By Jeff Buchanan

The following was submitted to USA Today as a Letter to the Editor last week in response to Kirsten Powers article "Hypocrisy shrouds the gay marriage debate." The letter has not been published in their paper as of yet. --- Inaccuracy Shrouds Kirsten Power’s Article As the Director of “Day of Truth 2010”, I am disappointed with the inaccurate perspective of Kirsten Power’s article. Voicing disapproval of homosexuality was not the focus of this event but rather exercising the right to present an alternative message and educating individuals about their choices. For these … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Blogs, Church, Culture, Encourage, Exodus Blog, Homosexuality, Identity, Marriage, Media Mentions, Print, Religious Liberty, Sexuality, Youth & Young Adults Tagged With: Christians, Church, Compassion, Day Of Truth, Debate, ECA, Exodus Church Association, Exodus International, Exodus Youth, Gay, Homosexuality, Jeff Buchanan, Letter To The Editor, Scripture, Sexuality, Teen

What’s in a Name? The Story of Brenna Kate Simonds – Part 2

November 12, 2010 By Brenna Kate Simonds

Yesterday, I shared the first half of my story. This is the second half. I had just become a Christian. In one sense, I felt hope, but at the same time, the labels were still haunting me. Even though at the time I could not voice what was going on, I continued to spiral out of control with my eating and relationships. I was so desperate for love that I entered into a relationship with an 18 year old woman with a drug problem (I was 24 at the time). After 3 months, this woman (having been raised in a Christian home) said to me, “Listen – the Bible says you must either be hot or … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Bi-sexuality, Encourage, Exodus Blog, Gay, God, Holy Spirit, Homosexuality, Jesus Christ, Lesbian, Marriage, Post-gay, Purpose, The Father, Youth & Young Adults Tagged With: Abuse, Addiction, Bible, Biblical Sexuality, Brenna Kate Simonds, Change, Christians, Church, Counseling, Ex-gay, Family, Fear, Friends, Friendship, God, Gospel, Grace, Homosexuality, Hope, Identity, Jesus, Lies, Pain, Relationship, Scripture, Sexual Abuse, Sexuality, The Gospel, Therapy, Transparency, Trust

What’s in a Name? The Story of Brenna Kate Simonds – Part 1

November 11, 2010 By Brenna Kate Simonds

Brenna with a mohawk from having her head shaved

A Christian speaker recently reminded me that words are a container for power. The book of Proverbs says “reckless words pierce like a sword”, “the words of the wicked lie in wait for blood”, and “when words are many, sin is not absent”. In the Bible, words & names are very important. Throughout my life, I allowed people and circumstances to label me, name me, and define who I am. I was born prematurely in May of 1975. I was given a 50% chance of survival and rode in an ambulance to a hospital 50 miles away since the hospital where I was born did not have premie … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Bi-sexuality, Encourage, Exodus Blog, Friendship, Gay, God, Holy Spirit, Homosexuality, Jesus Christ, Lesbian, Marriage, Post-gay, Purpose, Support, Testimonies, The Father, Youth & Young Adults Tagged With: Abuse, Addiction, Bible, Biblical Sexuality, Brenna Kate Simonds, Change, Christians, Church, Counseling, Ex-gay, Family, Fear, Friends, Friendship, God, Gospel, Grace, Homosexuality, Hope, Identity, Jesus, Lies, Pain, Relationship, Scripture, Sexual Abuse, Sexuality, Therapy, Transparency, Trust

Difficulty Can Lead to Clarity of Vision and Inspiration – Letter from Alan Chambers for September 2010

September 22, 2010 By Alan Chambers

This letter from Alan Chambers appears in both our offline and online newsletters. To receive this letter along with the full newsletter online via email or offline through the postal service please sign up here. --- Dear Friends, I often forget when seasons of desperation begin how beneficial they can be, when I give them over to God and ask Him to guide me through them. When these seasons start I usually try to employ my own gifts and talents to manage the turbulence. Then if that doesn’t work I begin to panic, spending hours thinking about what else “I” can do to get … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Church, Equip, Exodus Blog, God, Holy Spirit, Jesus Christ, Post-gay Tagged With: Alan Chambers, Change, Church, Conference, Conferences, ECA, Educate, Encourage, Exodus, Exodus International, Exodus Staff, Faith, Freedom, Freedom Conference, Friends, God, Guide, Heart, Hope, Love Won Out, Men, Ministry, Nancy Brown, news, Prayer, Scripture, Scriptures, Speaking, Writing

ELCA Split Births New NALC Denomination

August 26, 2010 By Randy Thomas

The fallout from the denominational split over homosexuality continues. From New Lutheran Group Likely to Rise from Gay Discord (emphasis mine): ... As of early August, 199 congregations had cleared the hurdles to leave the ELCA for good, while another 136 awaited the second vote needed to make it official. In all there are 10,239 ELCA churches with about 4.5 million members, making it still by far the largest Lutheran denomination in the U.S. And the breakaway members gathering in Ohio will face their own challenges if they vote to start another denomination at a time when attendance at … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Church, Educate, Exodus Blog, Gay, Lutherans, Post-gay Tagged With: Church, Clergy, ECA, ELCA, Exodus, Exodus Church Association, Faith, Gay, God, Homosexuality, Hope, Identity, Lutheran, Lutherans, Marriage, news, Pastors, Prayer, Scripture, Sexuality

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

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

The Jesus Movement and Joe Dallas – Testimony

June 11, 2010 By Randy Thomas

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: APA, Change, Christians, Church, Counseling, Encourage, encouragement, Exodus, Freedom, Gay, Genesis Counseling, God, Homosexuality, Jesus, Joe Dallas, Porn, Renee Dallas, Sanctification, Scripture, Scriptures, Sexuality, Sin, Television, Testimony, WifeBoat

Responding to Bradlee Dean’s Condemning Comments – UPDATED

June 1, 2010 By Randy Thomas

I was alerted to Dr. Warren Throckmorton's post about Bradlee Dean's (pictured) public comments saying that Muslim countries who call for homosexuals to be killed are more "moral" than American Christians. I listened to the segment of Mr. Dean's radio program and was shocked. You will be too if you decide to listen: UPDATE: Audio added June 2, 2009. We called our contacts in Minnesota and apparently Mr. Dean is somewhat known in Christian circles there. They have run into him a couple of times but have not appreciated his strident tone. They were as upset by his statements as we are. … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Church, Culture, Educate, Exodus Blog, Gay, Jesus Christ, Lesbian, Post-gay Tagged With: Adultery, Bradlee Dean, Christians, Church, Exodus, God, Grace, Homosexuality, Islam, Jesus, Love, Muslim, New Covenant, Old Testament, Radio, Respect, Sacrifice, Salvation, Scripture, Scriptures, Sexuality, Sin, Stigmatization, Warren Throckmorton

Ignore Homosexuality For “God’s Sake” … Really?

May 19, 2010 By Randy Thomas

Albert Mohler lends his great intellect to making complex issues approachable. He has done so again regarding the recent ordination of Mary Glasspool as a Bishop in the Episcopal church. Ms. Glasspool has openly embraced lesbianism and makes the second gay Bishop in the denomination and first lesbian identified Bishop. Here is the introduction and conclusion of Mr. Mohler's very interesting blog post (of which you should read the whole thing): The ordination of Mary Glasspool as a bishop of the Episcopal Church on Sunday drives yet another wedge into the already fracturing Anglican … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Anglican, Church, Culture, Educate, Episcopal, Exodus Blog, Gay, God, Identity, Lesbian, Sexuality Tagged With: Albert Mohler, Anglican, Church, Communion, Episcopal, Gay, God, Homosexuality, Lesbian, Lesbianism, Scripture, Scriptures, Sexuality, Sin, The Associated Press

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Inaccuracy Shrouds Kirsten Power’s Article

What’s in a Name? The Story of Brenna Kate Simonds – Part 2

What’s in a Name? The Story of Brenna Kate Simonds – Part 1

Difficulty Can Lead to Clarity of Vision and Inspiration – Letter from Alan Chambers for September 2010

ELCA Split Births New NALC Denomination

Some Thoughts On Church/Denominational Conflict

Are You Happier Now Than When You Were Gay?

The Jesus Movement and Joe Dallas – Testimony

Responding to Bradlee Dean’s Condemning Comments – UPDATED

Ignore Homosexuality For “God’s Sake” … Really?

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