I watched the live stream of Alan Chambers’ keynote address at the Exodus Freedom conference tonight, where Alan announced that Exodus International will be closing its doors.
During the livestream, a post appeared on Exodus’s website, affirming the decision:
Exodus International to Shut Down
Thirty-seven-year-old ministry for those with same-sex attraction marks its last national conference
Irvine, Calif. (June 19, 2013) — Exodus International, the oldest and largest Christian ministry dealing with faith and homosexuality announced tonight that it’s closing its doors after three-plus decades of ministry. The Board of Directors reached a decision after a year of dialogue and prayer about the organization’s place in a changing culture.
“We’re not negating the ways God used Exodus to positively affect thousands of people, but a new generation of Christians is looking for change – and they want to be heard,” Tony Moore, Board member of Exodus. The message came less than a day after Exodus released a statement apologizing to the gay community for years of undue judgment by the organization and the Christian Church as a whole.
“Exodus is an institution in the conservative Christian world, but we’ve ceased to be a living, breathing organism,” said Alan Chambers, President of Exodus. “For quite some time we’ve been imprisoned in a worldview that’s neither honoring toward our fellow human beings, nor biblical.”
Chambers continued: “From a Judeo-Christian perspective, gay, straight or otherwise, we’re all prodigal sons and daughters. Exodus International is the prodigal’s older brother, trying to impose its will on God’s promises, and make judgments on who’s worthy of His Kingdom. God is calling us to be the Father – to welcome everyone, to love unhindered.”
For these reasons, the Board of Directors unanimously voted to close Exodus International and begin a separate ministry. “This is a new season of ministry, to a new generation,” said Chambers. “Our goals are to reduce fear (reducefear.org), and come alongside churches to become safe, welcoming, and mutually transforming communities.”
Local affiliated ministries, which have always been autonomous, will continue, but not under the name or umbrella of Exodus.
We will have more coverage of this early tomorrow morning, but for now we must commend Alan Chambers. His written apology was open and one-hundred percent honest, and quite frankly, it took a real man to write it; to acknowledge the pain that Exodus has caused over the years; to apologize without equivocation, and with specificity; and to do all this with his own livelihood on the line. Much work remains to be done to defeat the lie of “ex-gay”/reparative therapy, but this is a huge step in the right direction. In his talk tonight, I saw a humble, honest, and most importantly authentic man who isn’t afraid to face the music, and to do what he can to fix the problems he’s had a part in creating.
Alan stated in his talk tonight that he doesn’t want to see another “ex-gay” organization fill the void left by Exodus’s closing, but called on the Church to actually become a safe place for gays and lesbians. Of course, the Restored Hope Network is having their conference in Oklahoma City, featuring the biggest quacks in the “ex-gay” industry, so they’ll fight tooth and nail to make sure that Alan’s vision of the Church being a loving place will never come to pass. Thus, our work must continue. Exodus was a large pillar in the “ex-gay” world, but this fight is far from over.
We wish Alan Chambers all our best and look forward to a day when we can truly consider him an ally.
