exodus youth

Every week at Exodus we get phone calls, emails and letters from teenagers who are struggling with same-sex attraction–and nobody knows. The fact is, whether your youth group is large or small, you could have students who are confused about their sexual identity and aren’t telling you.

Let’s face it: pastors are among the last people struggling teens feel comfortable confiding in. It probably has something to do with the fact that homosexuality isn’t talked about in church–and when it is, it’s often treated rather harsh and simplistically.

The best way to encourage those students to open up to you is to talk about the issue with grace, truth and understanding. When they see that homosexuality doesn’t freak you out, that you understand that nobody chooses that struggle, and most of all that you love and care about people who find themselves in that situation, they’ll be far more likely to trust you with their secret struggle–rather than a friend or schoolteacher who might point them down the wrong path. (more…)

There are many powerful stories out there about men and women whom God has delivered from the gay lifestyle. It touches the heart and certainly glorifies God when we see these people getting married and leading godly lives free of homosexuality, but in all honesty, what about the rest of us who deal with this issue and haven’t come to our “happy ending” yet? What about those of us who continue to struggle with same-sex attraction (SSA), even after choosing to follow Christ? We’re caught in a sort of identity limbo, unsure whether we can or even should hope to experience heterosexual desire, get married and start a family someday.
(more…)

Why do we speak up about what the Bible says about homosexuality? Why do some of us who have walked away from it go public with our stories? What’s the point of trying to communicate this message to a culture that doesn’t want to hear it? These are important questions that each of us needs to have answered in our own hearts. Here is some of what motivates us.

(more…)

A lot of people lately are talking about a complete overhaul in the way our society thinks about sexuality and gender. One of the biggest concepts being promoted is “fluid” gender and sexuality. It’s coming to our attention more and more that people are having a wide range of experiences in their sexual attractions and responses. Some take this to mean that our sexuality is meant for whatever it may respond to, and people should experiment to try to find their “true” sexuality. Straight, gay, bi and trans can’t even cover all of what’s out there, some are saying.

This same idea of fluidity is being applied to gender. Many are considering that perhaps the binary (two-part) concept of male and female is too rigid. After all, there are so many people who grow up never feeling like they fit into either of the stereotypical gender roles presented to them by society. Some believe that this is evidence that there are other sexes besides male and female, and society should recognize and promote them.

(more…)

I met ‘Greg’ in high school through the drama team. He just came up to me one day and asked me to make him laugh, so I did. We were pretty much inseparable from then on.It was rare for me to find another guy with the same sense of humor, the same taste in movies and hobbies, so being together was really fun. And we hung out a lot. I always enjoyed spending time with Greg, so much so that I thought about him whenever I wasn’t with him. Whatever I got involved in, I thought of ways to get him involved, too.

We ended up going to the same college and taking a lot of classes together. As we drifted away from our high school friends, we got even closer. He was a really affectionate guy who had no problem hugging me, and sometimes we even wrestled around together. He was so considerate, calling me often and giving me silly little gifts or messages.

There was a down side to this seemingly fulfilling friendship, though. No matter how loving Greg was toward me, I always wanted more. Even if we spent a whole day together, for some reason I would go home at the end of it with a sort of frustrated, dissatisfied feeling. He was very social, and when I saw him laughing with other guys I felt jealous. I always worried, ‘What if he likes them more?’ (more…)