| (Question continues) The inference is that one can change the desire of the heart, but I have serious doubts. As a gay Christian I don't feel any incongruity with my sexuality and my faith. I recognize the power of faith to do great things in life, but I don't think God wants me to be something that I am not. That doesn't make sense to me. I worry that you offer hollow promises and I know that Exodus confuses the issue of gay equality for many people.
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(Answer) It is not the position of Truth Ministry, its director, or any of its members to condemn anyone for his or her beliefs or homosexual identity. We are here as an option for those who personally believe the Bible is and desire to follow what they believe is God's direction for their life. We further want to help individuals understand the genesis of their thoughts and feelings, escaping the modern mantra of "this is just who I am." We believe that truth will set you free, and with understanding the truth of the origin of homosexuality, and especially God's word, comes freedom.
It is not Truth Ministry's position to convict the homosexual or the homosexual community of "sin" but rather to reach out in love and say that there is a choice. Many in the gay community believe that this "choice" is one of confusion and hate. Certainly, this "choice" brings up the question “What does “change” really mean?” as you so rightly have asked. Exodus has reached out with this same message, and in the last year Alan Chambers of Exodus has spoken specifically on what change means. Click here to read a letter by Alan on change.
Below is a thorough explanation of what change might look like and what a person can expect. We encourage the individual to seek the heart of God in this matter. Each person must make his or her own choice in the matter, with realistic expectations and the right motives in mind.
What Does Change Involve? (from the Exodus Global Alliance website) It is very important to have realistic expectations about the journey out of homosexuality. Sometimes people think that if they pray enough or wish hard enough, their homosexuality will just disappear. This is an unrealistic expectation. Changes in the area of sexual orientation happen as a result of a process that usually involves some hard personal work. Imagine wanting a vegetable garden. You could pray for years that God would make vegetables grow in your backyard. When nothing happens, you might even decide to be angry with God for not hearing your prayers. However, the reality is that while God can make vegetables grow, we must prepare the soil, plant the seeds, water and weed, and do other work. This gives the best chance that there will be an abundance of vegetables to harvest. In the same way, individuals who want to experience changes in their sexuality must do a lot of work as part of the process. God certainly does His work, and by His Spirit accomplishes things that we cannot do ourselves, but we need to prepare the space in our lives and cooperate with what God wants to do. How long the process of change from homosexuality to heterosexuality takes depends on a number of factors. These include: 1. The root issues that are involved. The more difficult or complex the underlying factors involved in a person's same-gender attraction, the longer the process of change may take. For example, the process may take longer for a person who has experienced severe sexual abuse in childhood than for someone who has experienced mild sexual abuse. 2. How much support a person has. The more helpful things a person puts in place, the better progress he or she can expect to make. For example, a woman who only attends the support group will most likely make slower progress than another woman who is also in individual counseling, involved in a church fellowship, and has friends with whom she can share what is happening in her life. 3. One's ability and willingness to face difficult personal issues. As the process of change involves facing difficult personal issues and the pain related to these issues, a person's ability and willingness to face these things will affect their rate of progress. Related to willingness is the question of whether a person truly wants change. It is not unusual for the process of change to take 5-10 years. This is no reason to despair. Significant relief from the intensity of homosexual feelings can also come much sooner. If God is part of the process, He will walk with you, protect you, direct your path, and shine His light into the darkness. Remember the ultimate goal in life is not heterosexuality versus homosexuality, but following God and giving one's life to Him.
Link to Exodus Global Alliance for further answers on:
Is This Guaranteed To Work?
The Best Foundation For Embarking on a Journey of Change
For many people, change happens as we effectively do two things
The Process of Change |
