HOMOSEXUALITY RESOURCES

 

ORGANIZATIONS

Brethren/Mennonite Council for Gay Concerns (BMC) 
Box 24060, Washington, D.C. 20024 The Brethern/Menonite Council for Lesbian and Gay Concerns was founded in 1976 to provide support for Menonite and Brethren gay, lesbian, transgender, and bisexual people, their friends and families; to foster dialogue between gay and non-gay people in churches; and to provide accurate information about human sexuality from various theological, sociological, psychological, and biblical perspectives.

Desert Stream/Living Waters
led by Andrew Comiskey (Pursuing Sexual Wholeness) and under the umbrella of Exodus International reports a 50% success record with 33% making little or no progress.

Evangelicals Concerned
30 East 60th Street, New York City, NY 10022 Founded by Dr. Ralph Blair, EC provides hope, encouragement, teaching and fellowship to women and men seeking to integrate their faith and (homo-) sexual orientation. With a conservative statement of faith including “We believe the Bible, God’s inspired Word…” they review news and literature and hold conferences.

Exodus International

For 30 years, Exodus has served men and women who are affected by homosexuality. Freedom ispossible through Jesus Christ!  Our member ministries provide support not only for those leaving homosexuality, but for affected family and friends.  For students, we offer special conferences, resources, and online support forums. Check it out at exodusyouth.net.

Harvest Ministries

"Exists to partner with and equip the Church in bringing the power of the gospel of Jesus Christ to transform the lives of those affected by sexual sin."

Metanoia Ministries
P.O.

Box 33039, Seattle, WA 98133

. A personal outreach Web ministry encouraging Christian lifestyle with daily devotional support, centered on repentance and discipleship.

National Youth Advocacy Coalition
1711

Connecticut Avenue NW

,

Suite 206

, Washington, DC 20009. The National Youth Advocacy Coalition (NYAC) is the only national organization focused solely on improving the lives of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and questioning (LGBTQ) youth through advocacy, education, and information.

Pastoral Care Ministries
Wheaton, IL. Founded by Leanne Payne, this “healing of memories” approach combines depth psychology and healing ministries. Leanne Payne and her ministry have influenced Comiskey’s Desert Stream/Living Waters and Bergner’s Redeemed Life Ministries.

Redeemed Life Ministries

PO Box 1211, Wheaton, IL 60189 Pastoral care and discipleship led by Rev. Mario Bergner, with special attention to college-age gay seeking change and reporting some 80% success. Holds healing conferences for all sexual disorders.

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Baker, D. (1985). Beyond rejection: The church, homosexuals and hope. Portland, OR: Multnomah. A series of testimonies.

Bass, E. with Kaufman, K. (1996). Free your mind: The book for gay, lesbian, and bisexual youth—and their allies. San Francisco: HarperCollins. Ellen Bass watched what her daughter went through when she came out in high school as a lesbian. Kate Kaufman is a family counselor. Described as a practical guidebook, this paperback offers advice on coming out, finding supportive adults, and participating in the gay and lesbian community.

Bergner, Mario. Setting love in order: Hope and healing for the homosexual. This book is written from the standpoint of those who believe recovery, not only from homosexuality, but all kinds of sexual issues is possible. The author, once a practicing homosexual, is now married with children and is honest about his own continuing issues and the range of homosexual orientation. A compassionate book from a compassionate man.

Bieber, I. et al. (1962). Homosexuality: A psychoanalytic study of male homosexuality. New York: Vintage. A secular, psychoanalytic approach. "We assume that heterosexuality is the biologic norm and that unless interfered with all individuals are heterosexual. Homosexuals do not bypass heterosexual developmental phases and all remain potentially heterosexual...We have learned a great deal about male homosexuality, yet we are under no illusion that this is a final statement on the subject" (p. 309).

Blair, R. An evangelical look at homosexuality. Etiological and treatment literature on homosexuality. Available from Homosexual Community Counseling Center, 30 East 60th Street, New York City, NY 10022. Strong arguments from an evangelical gay leader.

Boorse, C. (1982, June). Homosexuality reclassified. The Hastings Center Report, 12, pp. 42-44.

Castle, T. (1995). The apparitional lesbian: Female homosexuality and modern culture. New York: Columbia University Press. Lively essays the thesis of which is "that lesbians have been ‘ghosted’ "—made into apparitions, visible but not quite present—throughout history. The author finds numerous examples of homosexual women being described as "spectral"…Castle’s "ghosting" looks suspiciously like a fancier wording for the well-explored phenomenon of "lesbian invisibility,"’ but the author (who is openly gay) infuses new life into the concept by underlining various characters’ feistiness and "gaiety’" rather than their victimization.. (Review by Kirkus Assoc. from Amazon.com; the following from Booknews, Inc.) Traces the history of the "apparitional lesbian"—so characterized because lesbians have been so often marginalized, sanitized, or censored. Studies the evolution of lesbian sensibility from 1750 to the present, drawing on images and reflections found in literature, music, film, and history.

Dallas, Joe (updated 2003) Desires in conflict: Hope for men who struggle with sexual identity, Harvest House Publishers, 288 pp. (From Amazon reviews) “To the detractors of the ex-gay movement: How can you ask for tolerance and respect for diversity, and then be completely intolerant of people in the ex-gay movement…”  “This book was like looking in a mirror for me. In a tough-love sort of personal way, the author speaks to the reader in the first person….” The book is criticized by others.

Davies, B. & Worthen, A. Someone I love is gay: How family and friends can respond. Davies, B. & Rentzel, L. (1994). Coming out of homosexuality: New freedom for men and women. Downers Grove, IL: Intervarsity Press. A book meant to be a practical handbook for recovery and growth with widely-used strategies for healing and working out sexual identities. It has been very helpful for some, and objected to by others.

Drakeford, J. (1971). Forbidden love: A homosexual looks for understanding and help. Waco, TX: Word Books. Jeff Johnson was a married, church music director. He describes his feelings and reactions when he is left completely alone—his wife, his children, his pastor all desert him when the awful truth becomes public knowledge. His search for help and understanding reveals a great wasteland where compassion and involvement should have dwelt. Every "straight" adult needs to read this book.

Jones, Stanton L. and Mark A. Yarhouse (2000) Homosexuality: The Use of Scientific Research in the Church’s Moral Debate, Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 189 pp. The authors of this book try to clarify the relationship of science, philosophy and faith. They describe distortions and avoidance of scientific studies. As conservatives on this issue, they try to provide a comprehensive analysis of what studies over the years have shown about this contentious issue. They arrive at no simple or conclusive answers to the complex subject—as to what causes homosexuality or how it can be changed. Discussions on the subject should refer to this review of the scientific literature. 

Mallon, G. (1992, November-December). Gay and no place to go: Assessing the needs of gay and lesbian adolescents in out-of-home care settings. Child Welfare, 71(6), p. 547.

Martin, D. & Lyon, P. (1972). Lesbian woman. New York: Bantam Books. Two lesbian women, "married" for nineteen years, tell what is like to live in a hostile, male-dominated society.

Moberly, Elizabeth R. (1983). Psychogenesis: The Early Development of Gender Identity, Boston: Routledge, Kegan & Paul, 11pp.This author sees homosexuality as an arrested stage of development, the result of parental nurturing deficiency. As with other addictions, she believes homosexuality can be changed.

Payne, Leanne (1978). The healing of the homosexual. Westchester, IL: Crossway Books. Many recognize Leanne Payne as a great healer and leader in pastoral healing ministries.

Payne, Leanne (1996). The Broken Image: Restoring Personal Wholeness Through Healing Prayer, Rand Rapids, MI: Baker Books, 176 pp.  Using case studies, this book brings together biblical, orthodox theology, sound psychotherapeutic principles and spiritual healing of memories. Vilified by psychiatrists who reject reparative therapy out of hand, it is commended by psychotherapists who have seen change and homosexuals who have found healing.

Satinover, Jeffrey, MD (1996) Homosexuality and the Politics of Truth, Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Books, 280 pp. This book sets forth an argument for the possibility of healing and change in homosexuals. It documents the radical politics of gay activists that changed psychoanalytic definitions and guidelines in the early 1970s, the stifling of scientific reports on change in the profession, the documented reports of change through secular therapies and the even more successful work of healing ministries. Especially striking is the analogy between AA and HA describing early therapeutic disdain for AA as a quasi-religious cult and how it gradually received credit for results through a spiritual approach to alcoholism. It does not say much if anything about those who are not able to change.

Scanzoni, Letha Dawson and Virginia Ramey Mollenkott (1978, revised, 1994) Who Is My Neighbor? Positive Christian Response, HarperSanFrancisco, 256 pp. Two evangelical gay leaders argue love and acceptance of homosexuals by church and society.

Soards, M.L. (1995). Scripture and homosexuality: Biblical authority and the church today. Westminster, John Knox Press. Describes a focused starting point for the discussion of homosexuality. Encourages the church to respond to and deal with issues of homosexuality.

Treese, R.L. (1966). Homosexuality: A contemporary view of the biblical perspective. Prepared for the Consultation on Theology and the Homosexual, Glide Urban Center, San Francisco.

Ukleja, P.M. (1983). Homosexuality and the Old Testament. Bibliotheca Sacra. Dallas Theological Seminary, 140(559) 259-266.

Uribe, V. & Harbeck, K.M. (1991, October-November). Addressing the needs of lesbian, gay, and bisexual youth: The origins of PROJECT and school-based intervention. Journal of Homosexuality, 22(3,4), p. 9.

Web, William J. (2001) Slaves, Women & Homosexuals: Exploring the Hermeneutics of Cultural Analysis, Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 301 pp. The shifting opinions about slaves and women from Old Testament to New, and changing manner in which Scripture has been interpreted and applied as to the place of slaves and women in society and the church, have led to strong arguments that the same shift of opinions should be adopted regarding practicing gays. This is primarily a book of biblical exegesis regarding these three issues. Through careful analysis this author comes to the conclusion that there is progressive revelation in Scripture regarding slaves and women. In short, God took the low cultural estimates of both and gradually encouraged better treatment of both as equals. In the case of homosexual practice, the author sees no evidence of changing standards and carefully answers the counter-interpretations of revisionists.

 

Wilson, Glenn and Oazi Rahman (2005) Born Gay? The Psychology of Sex Orientation, Peter Owens Publishers, 200 pp. If the authors of this book said most homosexuals are born gay or that nature is much more influential than nurture (social influences), or if they said that most therapies of change do not work for homosexuals, then the book might be taken more seriously. But in fact, though fairly widely touted, this book leaves no room for parental or social influences; sexual orientation is fixed at birth, period; all scientific studies agree. And corrective therapies never work—any more than a woman can be cured of her gender or a heterosexual of his/her attraction for the opposite sex.

Dean Borgman, Bill Finley, and Kathryn Q. Powers cCYS