After thirty years as one of the nation’s leading religious organizations that vows to pray away same-sex attraction, today Exodus International has announced that they are stepping onto the right side of history by shutting down.
In an amazing, heartfelt and radically unexpected letter of apology, the now former-President of the organization, Alan Chambers, expresses his sadness over the hurt he has caused and his newfangled commitment to being “completely align with Christ, his Good News for all and his offer of peace amidst the storms of life.”
It’s nothing new to hear from individuals who identify as ‘ex-gay survivors,’ people who have suffered through the program put forth by the organization, who now live happy, healthy and very gay lives. Today makes history because the ones who are still in charge are making this positive change in an act of cease and desist.
In part of Chambers’ letter which he addresses specifically to the LGBTQ community, he shares that, “there were several years that I conveniently omitted my ongoing same-sex attractions. I was afraid to share them as readily and easily as I do today. They brought me tremendous shame and I hid them in the hopes they would go away. Looking back, it seems so odd that I thought I could do something to make them stop. Today, however, I accept these feelings as parts of my life that will likely always be there. The days of feeling shame over being human in that way are long over, and I feel free simply accepting myself as my wife and family does. As my friends do. As God does.”
Today marks the day of Exodus International’s final conference. Other organizations that were previously under the exodus umbrella will continue to operate autonomously, but free from a pray-away-the-gay agenda.
The Board of Directors has decided to begin a new and separate ministry, “to a new generation,” says Chambers. “Our goals are to reduce fear, and come alongside churches to become safe, welcoming, and mutually transforming communities.”
