Confessions of an Evangelical Christian

A recent hullabaloo over a conference in Uganda has had me thinking and praying about some things.  The conference centered on a conservative, presumably Christian, response to gay issues in that country.  In Uganda, homosexual behavior is punishable by imprisonment and there is talk of stiffening the penalties.  Several American gay activists and even some conservative Christians have raised a ruckus about the event and rightfully so. Uganda's policies seem reprehensible. Publicly exposing or arresting gay-identified men and women for homosexual behavior or forcing them to undergo therapy is a true violation of free will and a compassionless transgression.
 
I'm not an expert on Ugandan law or even on U.S. law. I am, however, a Christian and can share my perspective on an issue that I believe transcends legal and cultural boundaries. I know a few things relevant to this discussion. For one, Christ came for all of us or He came for none of us.  I know He loves us equally regardless of our skin color, religious beliefs, affiliations or orientations.  Nothing can make Him love us more or less.  I also know that there is a right and a wrong as well as a good and an evil.  I know every single human being who has and ever will be born, aside from Jesus Christ, of course, is a sinner in need of a Savior.  And I also know that love transcends hate.
 
About 40 years ago, the gay rights movement really took off in America.  The Stonewall riots occurred. Organized groups began looking at how they could bring about social change in psychology, religion and government. I'll freely admit they did an amazing job in accomplishing the task. They were far more brilliant in how they capitalized on something deeper and infinitely more significant - the hypocrisy, apathy, pride, division, laziness, ignorance and un-Christlike attitudes that existed in the Christian church.
 
Surprised to hear me say that? It may not make me sound like much of a Christian, but I am. I'm a follower of Christ and believe every word of the Bible is true and infallible.  However, I have to be honest. I am troubled by what I see as one of the most significant failures in church history. I wasn't alive in the 60's and I barely remember the early 70's, but I watched enough Christian television and took in enough news in the 80's to know that the Christian church didn't experience its finest moment at a time when gay individuals desperately needed to know God's unconditional love. Don't get me wrong. I'm not saying that 100% of all Christians or all churches failed, but if we are truly to be a united group as the Bible suggests, then what one of us did wrong, we all did wrong. We must own that, deal with it, turn away from it and move forward with humility, honesty and compassion.
 
I will never forget the early days of the AIDS epidemic. I remember reading about entire families that were run out of town simply because a member of their family contracted AIDS through a blood transfusion.  One family in Belle Glade, Florida that had three hemophiliac sons with AIDS were kicked out of school, forced out of their home and subjected to cruel torture by angry mobs.  I wondered where the Church was. Then there was the story of young Ryan White who contracted AIDS from tainted blood. Unfortunately, it wasn't the Church that became known for embracing him and his single mother and sister - it was the gay community.  I applaud the gay community for doing what the Church should have done.

I think of actors like Rock Hudson who was the brunt of cruel jokes after his diagnosis with AIDS for being gay.  I remember the sermons I heard about the abominable sin of homosexuality - as if it was the only abominable sin in the Bible.  I vividly remember the all-too-common sentiments I heard from many Christian people entrapped in ignorance and fear who said, "Ship the gays all off to an island and let them have at it" or  "AIDS is God's judgment on the homosexual."  A dear friend of mine with two gay sons once said in response to that comment, "Aren't you glad there isn't a cancer for a judgmental heart and vicious tongue?"  The horror stories are endless.  And they served as an open door that many gay activists walked through to obtain sympathy from a detached and even ignorant society.

While Christians were pointing the finger at homosexuals, many were shacking up with secretaries, shooting up in bathrooms and paying for sex on the street.  Hypocritical for sure.  Many Christians can tell you the story of Sodom and Gomorrah, but they don't know Romans 2:4 (NAS) states, “….the kindness of God leads you to repentance.” Many of our shortcomings, as a church, set the stage for they gay rights movement that ensued.

I unapologetically believe what the Bible says about homosexuality just as much as I believe what it says about every other sin, too.  I know Proverbs 6:16-19 by heart in a dozen languages.  You know that reference, right?  It's the most famous verse listing abominations:

"There are six things the LORD hates, seven that are detestable to him: haughty eyes, a lying tongue, hands that shed innocent blood, a heart that devises wicked schemes, feet that are quick to rush into evil, a false witness who pours out lies and a man who stirs up dissension among brothers."

Ironically, there is no reference to homosexuality.  While there are plenty of other direct references, I think every Christian needs look no further than their own heart to see themselves in these verses. Lying tongues? Haughty eyes?  We're all guilty of those things and I'm thankful that the ground is level at the foot of the Cross.

Most recently, our nation has been engaged in marriage initiatives like Proposition 8 in California.  While I supported this initiative and all others that uphold what I believe is God's intention for marriage, I have often wondered what things in California might be like if the Church had spent the $39 million dollars they raised for Proposition 8 to show the love of Christ to the gay community.  The visual impact of that overt gesture would be undeniable - Christians raising a small fortune simply to show their love for gay people.  I can't imagine. And I am sad that I can't. Consequently, I believe that policies on social issues do matter, but only because the people behind them do. Losing that truth means losing the full heart of God.  When conveying the heart of God becomes impossible to do in policy battles then we need to stay silent.  And, if there is a way to express the heart of God and forgo the policy battle altogether---even if it is a much longer and more rigorous process—then by all means, choose it.  For instance, might there be a way to strengthen marriage as the union of one man and one woman for one lifetime that isn’t reactionary and based on policy?  Even if such an effort took longer and was far more labor intensive?  Isn’t it always better to have a campaign for something rather than one that is against?  Just my honest questions here.

Confession is good for the soul, they say. There's a reason for that. So, to my fellow Christians in Uganda, California and elsewhere around the world, my suggestion as you engage in social dialogue over this issue is this: pray, confess your own sins and remember where you were before God found you.  And to the gay community: it is my great hope that we as a Christian church will give you no more reasons to justifiably doubt God's love for you.  I am sorry for the times when I have contributed to that.

Comments

[Shawn]

Alan,

Thank you. I totally agree with your words and challenge. I was worried that Exodus was siding with the Uganda crisis - from what I had heard anyway.

The church needs to do a lot of apologizing.

[Jason Thompson]

Well said Alan. I pray Christians everywhere will first and foremost remember the Gospel of Love. Thanks for sharing this.

[Ken]

"I have often wondered what things in California might be like if the Church had spent the $39 million dollars they raised for Proposition 8 to show the love of Christ to the gay community."

You and me both. There isn't a day that goes by that I don't consider the alternative action that any of these churches could have chosen to take. It's very, very sad.

[J]

Wow. As a gay Christian I find this very touching coming from the president of Exodus. I often feel that my Christian brothers and sisters are out to get me which is a scary, painful feeling. But your thoughts here are beautiful, allowing for your right to believe what you do about the Bible and simultaneously love everyone. Reading over my previous sentence I think, isn't love the whole point of the Bible anyway? It's why God did what he did for us and it allows us to truly love our neighbor.

I've always hoped there could be better communication between ex-gay Christians and gay Christians but I feared it wouldn't ever be a real possibility. Your article here has helped assuage some of that fear.

[Joe Cook]

Dr. Chambers,

as a pastor in a traditional group in the Bible Belt of Oklahoma I applaud your wonderful remarks and appreciate your questions. It saddens me as a christ follower to see so many people express anger and hatred toward people who are not of the same views as them.

Like you I hold a traditional view from scripture on homosexuality. However I hold the same opinion for every other sin scripture describes.

Thank you for bringing a compassionate expression to this difficult subject.

Bless you!
Joe Cook

[Randy Thomas]

I know we talk about this a lot in person and especially today at lunch but I thought I could leave a comment here too.

I REALLY like this post and direction.

This is why I like working for you AND call you friend. ;-)

BTW, your blog looks awesome!

[Matt V.]

Alan, I so appreciate your heart.

The Church in America is caught up in a culture war that I fear for us to win just as much as lose. The deepest passion of my soul is to see same-sex attracted men and women find the desires of their hearts met by the love of God in Christ. Yet the path the Church is on is anything but the honest, humble dialogue of reconciling our past failures and expressing the love of the Lord. If we continue down the road we're on an entire generation of immensely valuable, incredibly gifted, intricately created human beings will never know the unfailing Love of Christ. And it will be our fault.

It is deplorable that the loudest voice for the Church on this issue is still a small group of false prophets who travel the nation shouting, "God hates f**s" with a hateful condemnation that's entirely antichrist. It must break His heart. We've become so caught up with winning the battle over same-sex marriage that we've completely lost sight of the real goal: to love God's beloved sons and daughters - who were formed and made in His image to know the glory of their creator - into the abundant life available in the Kingdom of Heaven.

[Jeshua Franklin]

Alan, thank you for being so honest and transparent. Your servant's heart and true character shine forth. Thanks especially for the comments on Prop 8. As a California native, I wrestled over that issue. Thanks for sharing.

[Alan Chambers]

Thank you all for your encouragement on this. I wrote this over a month ago and tried to get it in a publication (on both sides) to no avail so I ended up posting on my own blog because it was eating me up not to be able to say what I was truly feeling.

Pray for us at Exodus, people often "think" they have us pegged for what we actually think and believe and often it isn't true. I understand there is often a reason for such perceptions but we are going to work on that. It's a hard road to walk, but we're going to walk it.

Thanks, again. And, thank you Randy for pimping my blog--what would I do without a friend who speaks HTML?

[Timothy Kincaid]

Alan,

I'm disappointed that you are discussing "the Church" and "fellow Christians in Uganda" while saying nothing whatsoever about the part that you and Exodus played.

Most readers here won't know what I'm talking about. But you, me, and God all know.

[Sarah Melnychuk]

Hi Alan,

I think I like this blog ...

Anyways, I've been challenged in responding to a friend of mine who compared Exodus/Focus On The Family/and Living Waters with Rev. Phelps and the KKK.

I think I did ok but I guess here's a learning curve for me right now.

I really appreciated your blog post and it's refreshing really to read this response of yours. Maybe I am on the right track in my response.

[Sarah Melnychuk]

I guess I should bring clarity to my position there ....

My friend went through the Living Waters program the same year I went through. The difference is that I continued in that direction and he left feeling like he went through a sort of programming... don't know why him and I have had a very different experience. I went through LW twice as a participant then through the leadership training and then just this past year as an assistant small group leader. In other words, I know Andy Comisky's teachings well and have studied the books for at least 5 years. I do not agree with the conclusions my friend had made. And as for me personally, 17 years of processing before I could honestly say that I'm moving beyond homosexuality. My testimony to me is a pretty powerful testimony in times of real ignorance.

I didn't want you to think I had the same belief as my friend there but I am wondering how you'd respond to the comparison my friend had made.

[Sarah Melnychuk]

One last comment ...

Some of the questions that you had in your blog posts were refreshing to read. Seriously, as a Canadian Christian and one who's walked away from homosexuality even I was confused about Prop 8 for the longest time. I felt conflicted in a LOT of ways but primarily because there was something I sensed but I didn't know what that was. As much as I whole heartedly would like to defend marriage, which Canadian Christians failed at by the way.. you touched on what that something was in this blog posting.

"Isn't it always better to have a campaign for something rather then one against..."

I sat inside this pub with another friend along with his partner spewing out his anger towards the Christian community in the States because of Prop 8. I waited for him to stop spewing and then shared a little more of my own personal journey/testimony out of homosexuality while having dinner inside a gay pub. I live and work in a very gay affirming city and country and so there are some places I just need to learn how to stand in because there's no other choice for me. Don't get me wrong, I've stopped going to the night clubs and I'm not joining any gay club either. But I eat dinner inside a lot of Pubs, that's just the way it is in Vancouver, BC.

I guess what I'm trying to say is that after reading this blog post of yours I'm not so conflicted anymore. You voiced a lot of what I've been thinking and honestly believing.

[Alan Chambers]

Timothy: You can spin the Uganda situation however you want to spin it but that won't ever change the fact that Exodus and I had *nothing* to do with that event.

[TonyElizabeth]

Alan, this blog does not undo the damage you have done and continue to do to gays and lesbians around the world by insisting that one can pray the gay away. Your views and advocacy are just as toxic as what is happening in Uganda. I have much pity for you.

[Alex]

"You can spin the Uganda situation however you want to spin it but that won't ever change the fact that Exodus and I had *nothing* to do with that event."

Alan,

And no matter what you say about it, people will forever associate the human rights atrocities in Uganda with the name Exodus International.

[Sarah Melnychuk]

Alex,

Those who do "associate the human rights atrocities in Uganda with the name Exodus Internation" do so in complete ignorance.

I have followed Focus On The Family and Exodus International/ex-gay ministries for 16 years. That didn't in the least cause me any harm but what it DID do is show me the alternative that I was ALREADY looking for in my own personal life for which I am thankful for.

[Timothy (TRiG)]

Sarah Melnychuk: Those who do "associate the human rights atrocities in Uganda with the name Exodus Internation" do so in complete ignorance.

And what do you know of the actions of Exodus International in sending representatives to the hateful conference in Uganda? It's been fairly well documented by Timothy Kincaid at Box Turtle Bulletin.

TRiG.

[Alan Chambers]

TRiG: No one was sent to Uganda. Exodus International was never contacted by anyone in Uganda to come to this conference or to speak at it. We were not featured there or anything of the sort.

[Alan Chambers]

Tony,

People have a right to decide for themselves how they want to steward their sexuality. I was gay and I chose to live a different life. Whatever your circumstances are you have made a decision to live the way you are currently living with regard to your sexuality. To say there is no ability for one to choose the life they want to lead is simply wrong. We all have the ability to choose---I didn't choose my feelings but when I was old enough to choose what to do with based upon all the facts I made the decisions that have resulted in me living the life that I love, want and was created to live.

How about giving everyone the same courtesy that has been extended to you in this free and tolerant country to do with your sexuality what you think is best.

If someone wants to "pray away the gay" which is such a silly trite little phrase then so be it. If someone wants to "pray in the gay" then that is also their right.

For freedom and true tolerance,

Alan

[bob estrada]

are you calling timothy kincaid a liar?

[Boris Hirsi]

Alan

I don't believe a word. Your repentance comes late after weeks of silence and only after they have actually started rounding gays up to be detained... and it is your doing. Your agency has actively been involved in exporting anti-gay hatred to former socialist countries and into developing world.

After all you failed in your attempts to keep sodomy statutes in books in USAA so you openly endorse the persecution of gays in Africa. Your every word is a lie but then we have used to that haven't we remember when you talked about "hundreds of thousands of ex-gays".

Your board member sided with holocaust revisionist who denies the persecustions and deaths of gays in the hands of nazis. Your agency provided excuses for more intensified and now you're here whining.

Take responsibility for once of your own actions. You're acting the way you do when you claim your behavior in your youth to be sue not to your own choices and self loathing but the fact that you're a gay man. In similar manner you try to run away from the repsonsibility about the hate your vicious hate group spreads all over the world.

And if you would get to decide there would be no tolerance for gays, on the contrary YOU supported the sodomy statutes, you habitual liar. I remember what you have done, I will never forget and I will never allow you to whitewash your vicious actions.

[Timothy Kincaid]

Alan - Are you telling me that I did not email you about the nature of the conference on February 27? Are you saying that you did not respond on March 1?

Are you saying that I didn't warn you that "actions taken by Don surely reflect on the organization as a whole"? Or that you didn't talk to Don about this trip before he went?

Or are you claiming that Schmeirer didn't reference his affiliation with Exodus at the Conference?

I know that you want to say that Schmeirer didn't go as an official representative of Exodus. Sure.

But you did nothing to stop Schmeirer. You congratulated him. You praised his efforts in Uganda. He continues to sit on your Board of Directors.

Alan, I did what I could in advance to stop what WE BOTH knew was going to happen. You did not. Even when you stopped responding and I went to a third party - an Exodus member - to try and get you to do something you did nothing.

I can sleep at night knowing that whatever happens, I do not have blood on my hands.