The changes at Exodus International just keep coming. As Jim Burroway points out, though their names are similar, Exodus International is mostly a domestic organization, and was a founding member of the Exodus Global Alliance. However, said founding member has now chosen to disassociate itself from the Exodus global organization:
The Exodus International Board of Directors officially voted to withdraw from the Exodus Global Alliance (EGA) May 28, 2013 after 18 years of membership. Exodus International was a founding member of EGA in 1995. This change in relationship releases both ministries to serve the Lord, the Church and their constituents in ways that honor their respective calling.
EGA is the worldwide coalition of “Exodus” ministries, which seek to work together under one umbrella structure. In 2005 Exodus Europe withdrew from EGA, as well.
Exodus International wishes to thank Bryan Kliewer, the EGA Board and network of ministries for their longstanding partnership and friendship.
Jim adds more background on the rapid changes happening at Exodus International:
This announcement is the latest in a long string of developments over the past year and a half, in which Exodus International president Alan Chambers has steered the organization through several changes in messaging and tone. The changes began with his acknowledgment in January 2012 that, “the majority of people that I have met, and I would say the majority meaning 99.9% of them, have not experienced a change in their orientation.” Later that month, Chambers withdrew his organization’s support for the particular from of conversion therapy known as “reparative therapy.” Chambers came underincreasing criticism from several key players in the ex-gay movement, and many member ministries have withdrawn from Exodus to form the much more hard-core Restored Hope Network. Joe Dallas, who had led Exodus International from 1991 to 1993 and has been closely identified with Exodus as a conference speaker throughout the past two decades, was one of the founding members of RHN. Last week, he announced that he was leaving Exodus International.
The former flagship model of the dying “ex-gay” industry does seem to be in shambles, doesn’t it?
This makes us even more interested to see the fall-out after Lisa Ling’s upcoming special, where Alan Chambers confronts “ex-gay” survivors and apologizes, airs next week.
