A BLOG BY ALAN CHAMBERS: Posts from April 2010

Recent events involving youth leader Dawson McAllister, Clear Channel Communications and Exodus International have been spotlighted in numerous blogs and publications over the past few days. While Exodus is no stranger to controversy, we are usually reluctant to make public statements critical of other organizations or leaders, particularly those for whom we have high personal regard. But the very public nature of this situation leaves us no choice but to clarify our feelings and position on the matter.

On Sunday April 11, a 22 year old gay blogger named Greg Kimball called into McAllister’s syndicated radio talk show Dawson McAllister Live, posing as a 16 year old seeking advice about his homosexuality. The show’s representative referred him to Exodus, which was listed on McAllister’s website as a partner. (Other partners on the site include Focus on the Family and Campus Crusade for Christ.) Kimball, apparently outraged that a youth-oriented radio show would refer people to Exodus, went public with his discovery, resulting in a number of communications to Clear Channel demanding they take action.

Clear Channel subsequently informed Dawson that he would need to remove Exodus’ name from his referral list. Citing its non-discriminatory policy, the company defended what many would view as censorship, stating that because of their commitment to diversity, they expect that “listeners who call (Dawson McAllister Live) be treated in a manner consistent with our corporate commitments to diversity.” Left with a choice between losing favor with Clear Channel by maintaining a relationship with Exodus, or maintaining media visibility by severing our ties, he chose the latter. On Thursday April 15 he informed us personally that, while he loves and supports Exodus, our name was now deleted from his partner’s list, and he will no longer refer to us. That decision has been well publicized, requiring a response.

Our esteem for Dawson is not in question here. His achievements are remarkable – <<over 1 million copies of his books and manuals sold; a 15 year broadcasting career; a radio show boasting over 140 stations – and I’ve made no secret of his impact on me. In 1991 we met in Lakeland, Florida. I was 19 at the time, and it was through his personal referral that I found Exodus International. Dawson McAllister was the catalyst for my journey, which eventually led me to direct the organization he’s now unwilling to officially associate with. (Could the irony be any more bitter?)

But respect notwithstanding, it’s troubling to see any Christian-led organization allow itself to be guided by the demands of pro-gay advocates. While Exodus is the group being marginalized in this case, it's the freedom to express a traditional viewpoint of sexuality that's really at stake, raising the obvious question: Who's Next? Should all on-air ministries who teach that homosexuality falls short of God’s will expect a knock on the door, demanding they either water it down or close shop? And if that knock comes, is the truth about human sexuality really a negotiable item? Is the definition of marriage and family so small a matter to Christian leaders that they’ll avoid inconvenient truth (or inconvenient relationships) to keep their audience? If so, we wonder what other Biblical truths are up for negotiation when on-air visibility is at stake.

We appreciate the need one group may have to distance itself from another. We’ve made that painful decision ourselves, when we’ve realized that differences in belief or approach were so great that we had no choice but to severe ties with those we could longer in good faith support. So if an associate no longer shares our position on homosexuality, we respect his need to break ties with us. Likewise, if someone shares our viewpoint but objects to the way we implement it, we hope they’ll discuss their concerns with us so we can consider them and, if no agreement can be reached, we wish them the best as they move on.

But according to both Dawson and his CEO (who also spoke with me by phone) this severance had nothing to do with disagreement. The CEO, in fact, assured me they still love Exodus and believe in what we are doing, which bothers me all the more. When organizational relations end due to irreconcilable differences of belief or practice, that makes sense. But when someone publicly dumps you then privately whispers “We still believe in what you’re doing”, isn’t some kind of double-mindedness at play? Both of them also stressed to me their desire to stay on Clear Channel, which is understandable. But at what cost? When a Christian leader is forced to choose between truth and market numbers, should market numbers really be the deciding factor?

Yes, according to Dawson’s CEO, who told me that only 1% of their callers over the past 15 months had phoned in with this issue. "Should we forsake the 99 percent for the 1 percent?" he asked. Had he remembered the parable of the lost sheep, in which a good shepherd left the 99 for the 1, he might have answered his own question.

And there’s the rub. If Dawson McAllister was a secular, non-Christian leader, his priorities would make sense. But if he serves the One who warned “Woe unto you when all men speak well of you”, and follows in the steps of the Apostle who said, “If I seek the favor of men, I should not be a servant of Jesus Christ”, then his response to pressure from gay activists and Clear Channel is distressing. We earnestly hope it will be the exception, not the rule, when similar pressure is exerted on other visible leaders.

As for us, we’ll continue our commitment to Biblically based truth regarding homosexuality, and to that 1% that is, to us, precious. And on a personal note, I’ll admit that yes, I am sad, yet I am determined. I'm not giving up or in. You can count on me, 1%. I'm for you, and both I and my colleagues at Exodus will continue to tell you the truth about God's never-ending grace and mercy.

To Contact Clear Channel:

Marc Mays, CEO, Clear Channel; Executive Assistant: Carole Adamek, 210-832-3306
Lisa Dollinger, Communications Director, Clear Channel: [email protected]
Ms. Dollinger's Executive Assistant: [email protected]; 210-832-334

When you call or write (OR BOTH), do not simply accept referrals to Premiere Radio--register your concern BOTH places.

Click here to register your concerns with Dawson, as well.

Next week I will be traveling to Belfast, Northern Ireland to speak at an event for a group called Core Issues headed by Dr. Mike Davidson. I have been asked to share insights from my latest book, Leaving Homosexuality (Harvest House, 2009). Core Issues has recently had other Exodus leaders, like Christine Sneeringer, in to speak for what looks like a series on the complexities related to same-sex attraction and faith.

The speaker that kicked off this series for Core Issues and has some official connection to that organization is a man that I do not know named Dr. Paul Miller. Dr. Miller is facing an inquest for his work in the U.K. Because medical doctors and clinicians face these inquests routinely as a follow up to complaints, Exodus and I are not inclined to make a statement or pass judgment on issues for which we have insufficient information. It has been reported that Dr. Miller is an associate of Mr. Richard Cohen of the International Healing Foundation. Upon inquiry we found that, like many good and reputable therapists and laymen alike, Dr. Miller did host a training for Mr. Cohen a few years ago which Dr. Mike Davidson attended. Both have since broken ties with Mr. Cohen and neither utilize or endorse his practices. (BLOGMASTER NOTE: Dr. Mike Davidson simply attended a conference by Cohen thus had no affiliation. Dr. Miller did endorse Mr. Cohen's book several years back, which is still on the IHF website.)

In addition, the idea of "gay-to-straight" therapy is not something that Exodus subscribes to. The mission of Exodus is to help those affected by same-sex attractions grow deeper in their relationship with Christ as they embrace God’s true intent for their identity and sexuality. While many have experienced change in attractions and orientation, that isn't the focus of Exodus nor is it through any technique or tool that Exodus uses to get such a result. As such, I felt it necessary to, once again, clearly denounce unethical techniques like "holding therapy" and the over focus on gay-to-straight conversion therapies. Exodus International upholds the truth of scripture concerning human sexual expression but realizes that the point of this life far transcends attraction. No change or freedom can be attained by focusing solely on such issues.