New research may change the terms of debate. Psychologists Stanton Jones of Wheaton College and Mark Yarhouse of Regent University released today a book detailing their findings from the first three years of an ongoing study. They are investigating participants in 16 different ex-gay programs associated with Exodus, the largest ex-gay ministry group.
The results show that some participants experienced significant change, though the change was usually partial, not complete. Furthermore, participants showed no additional mental or spiritual distress as a result of their involvement in the ex-gay program. This study is the first to use multiple interviews and questionnaires over a period of years, assessing participants from near the beginning of their involvement in an ex-gay program.
“Given adverse public opinion, the ambivalent support of conservative churches, and the common assertion that ex-gays condemn themselves to a life of frustration, you would think the movement would shrivel. Yet Exodus affiliates have doubled in number over the last 18 years.” Gee if TEC would only ask for a life of discibleship in Christ maybe it would grow!
This is a time during which – if any Christian church is going to be able to survive as a community faithful to the Bible and traditional Christianity – it must be “counter-cultural” and have a particular powerful skepticism regarding public opinion polls or anything purporting to be the voice of the faithful.
For it has become clear billions of dollars are being spent by secularist foundations, anti-Christian morality groups, and pro-decadence (by traditional Christian standards) cohorts to co-opt our culture and society–even to the point of controlling many major churches and their institutions.
The cultural and media contempt for ex-Gay organizations is a product of this outpouring of money dedicated to controlling the politics and culture of America.