Fashioning A Compassionate Response ~ One Day Seminar Concerning Homosexuality ~ by First Stone Ministries – April 10, 2010
What to Expect
Have you ever wondered how to address homosexuality in your church, community or family? Having over 25 years of experience with this issue, First Stone Ministries, in partnership with Bryant Avenue Baptist Church, is offering a one-day seminar to cover these topics so you too can Fashion a Compassionate Response. Seminar will include worship, teachings, testimonies, panel discussion, resources and lunch.
Sessions will include:
- Understanding Homosexuality
- How to Minister to the Person Struggling with Homosexuality
- Theology: Ours and Theirs – Answering the “Gay Christian” Question Biblically
- Answering the Need – How Then Shall We Respond?
Schedule
8:00 – 8:30 – Worship
8:30 – 9:30 – Session One
9:45 – 10:45 – Session Two
11:00 – 12:00 – Q & A
12:00 – 1:00 – Lunch at Church
1:15 – 1:45 – Worship
1:45 – 2:45 – Session Three
3:00 – 4:00 – Session Four
4:15 – 5:00 – Panel Discussion
Cost
Love offering will be taken
Registration Required
(we need to reserve resources and lunch)
Register with First Stone Ministries at Eventbrite.com OR (405) 236-4673
Appropriate Minimum Seminar Age Attendance: 14 with parental/guardian presence or prior written consent; (otherwise 18 and above).
When
Saturday, April 10, 2010
Where
Bryant Avenue Baptist Church
4748 S Bryant Ave
Oklahoma City, OK 73135
(405) 672-4511
Freedom from Homosexuality!
Ex-gay Leaders Speak Out about FREEDOM from Homosexuality! There is help! There is freedom!
The Coming Out 4 Good YouTube Ex-gay videos have launched, with many more to come! I am very excited for the truth to be told. There is freedom in dying to this self-centered world we live. Jesus has called us to deny ourselves. There are many who are walking in denial of what Christ says, and are embracing deception in a “gay gospel.” They teach God loves you as an indication of approval for their sinful lifestyles. This was prophesied to happen in the last days, people running after teachers to tickle their ears and give them “another gospel” which is one of selfish indulgence. There is no gay gene that we are aware of to date with millions of days spent to prove it! All of this deception of denial about sexual sins only leads to destruction as is written in the Scriptures.
“You can be certain of this, you should be sure of this: that no person practicing sexual vices or impurity in thought or in life, or one who is covetous [who has lustful desire for the property of others and is greedy for gain]–for he [in effect] is an idolater–has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God. You can be sure of this that no one who practices adultery, fornication, homosexuality, prostitution, lying, stealing, reviling, idolatry, covetousness or things like this will have any inheritance in God’s Heaven.” Eph 5:5 (Amp, and modern versions). (click to see 1 Cor. 6:9-11)
I really like what the late Keith Green used to say, praying prayers isn’t what saves you! Everyone prays prayers in every religion, it is loving and adoring Jesus Christ as God and King; surrendering to HIS LORDSHIP, believing in HIS sacrifice that saves us. Truly believing in HIS sacrifice alone and not in ourselves. We surrender ourselves to HIM! This is salvation to have true fellowship with God through Jesus Christ our Lord. Jesus loves us so much. He gave Himself completely to save us from the penalty of death and hell. The Scripture goes on to tell us the truth about being in denial.
Let no one delude and/or deceive you with empty excuses and groundless arguments [for all these sins], you cannot practice these sins and love God, for through these things sinful practices the wrath of God comes upon the sons of rebellion and disobedience. So do not associate or be sharers with them. For once you were darkness, but now you are light in the Lord; walk as children of Light. Eph 5:6-8
It is not how you start a race but how you finish determines IF you win. Let us run the race in such a way as to win!
He who overcomes will receive the crown of life which the Lord promises to those who love and obey Him. James 1:12-13 & Rev. 2:10
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click picture to watch First Stone Ministries Freedom from Sexual Brokenness Video
Left to right: Joseph Thiessen, Laura Leigh Stanlake, and Stephen Black
There is hope for those who desire freedom! Jesus Christ did not die in vain. He died so that we can live a life free now, and to have eternal life. His compassion reaches to the Heavens. God does not desire for anyone to suffer but for all to come to Him in full surrender. He loves us all. He wants us to love Him in return, with our wholeheart and with our whole-life.
Unholy Week? Crucifying Christ Afresh through ‘Gay Marriage’
On the week that centers on Christ Crucified for millions around the globe, the USA has acted in a most unholy manner. Palm Sunday to Good Friday was marked by daily advances of ‘gay marriage’ forces in our land. Our Bridegroom King, whose very image is manifest in male and female, and who is returning for a Bride, spotless and true, is being crucified afresh.
Consider this: I read on Palm Sunday that Iowa’s unanimous Supreme Court decision to legalize ‘gay marriage’ deliberately excluded any ‘religious’ interference. According to the justice who wrote the Iowa decision, the Judeo-Christian structures on which our entire judicial system is built should no longer inform marriage. Left in the hands of secular servants, marriage mutates. We crucify Christ afresh.
On Monday, Rick Warren, arguably the most influential Christian leader in the USA, said on national TV that he never really supported a ban on ‘gay marriage’ in CA. (He clearly had and did.) He claims that he called all of his gay friends and apologized for any perceived support of the ban, underscoring that he has ‘never been and never will be an anti-gay marriage activist.’ Deceiving, confusing, political back-pedaling: Warren is rewriting history and has bought the lie that to support marriage is ‘ant-gay’. And he is backing off entirely from standing for marriage when it is most in peril. We crucify Christ afresh.
On Tuesday, Vermont became the first state in the union to allow same-sex marriage through legislative action instead of a court ruling. That empowers nine other legislatures that are considering marriage measures this year, including New York, New Jersey, Maine and New Hampshire. Activists in New England are unashamed to admit that they are choosing states where organized religious opposition is the weakest. We are now aware and without excuse: there is a systematic, targeted effort to establish a same-sex marriage stronghold in the Northeast. We crucify Christ afresh.
On Wednesday, I read of Obama’s appointment of a gay political activist and ‘Christian’ to his advisory board for ‘Faith-based Partnerships.’ The appointee, Harry Knox, was previously head of Religion and Faith for the biggest gay advocacy group in the nation (the Human Rights Campaign), and has been instrumental in reinterpreting scripture in a gay-affirming manner for churches throughout the USA. We crucify Christ afresh.
By Maundy Thursday, I was beat up. I needed my feet washed from the idolatrous ground of my nation; I was hungry for Jesus and I partook of Him heartily at the communion table that night.
As we gathered for Good Friday as a church, I looked around the body and saw Gideon’s army, a humble band of men and women whom the Crucified has rescued from the idolatry of this world: husbands and wives, singles, old and young, heterosexually and homosexually broken and yet being made new, ‘an army whose weaknesses are being turned to strength and who are becoming powerful in battle, able to route foreign armies.’ (Heb. 11: 34)
I felt hope. Isn’t that what Good Friday is all about? In the darkest hour, at the time when men extinguish the light, God prepares the most glorious expression of His light. N.T. Wright says: ‘The cross is not the world’s victory over Jesus, but Jesus’ victory over the world.’
Jesus death is the ground on which resurrection power is manifest. So is our surrender to His purposes. Let man’s efforts to crucify Christ afresh through ‘gay marriage’ have its perfect work. Raise from the dead a Gideon’s army, O God. Let a repentant, empowered people arise.
Let us arise out of fear or intimidation of the dark powers. Let us hold fast to Him as the One who makes a way for us to make Him known. We do so by upholding His image in humanity and by refusing all efforts, however winsome, to distort that image.
Marriage matters. It represents Christ on earth more clearly than any other relationship. While we have the light, let us live with integrity what it means to bear His image and insist on its clear representation in the land. We cannot afford to be unclear or uncommitted towards marriage in this perilous hour.
We do so in and through Him, His resurrection power rooted in our very weakness. May we emerge out of this dismal winter of ‘gay marriage’ advances and into the spring of upholding God’s design for all. Consider man for woman, woman for man-the awesome dance of masculine strength and feminine beauty. It’s worth fighting for.
Post by Andy Comiskey — Copyright © 2009 by Desert Stream Ministries
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Who is Andy Comiskey?
Click here to: Read Andy Comiskey’s Blog
Seven Things I Wished That Pro-Gay People Would Admit
1. I wish they would admit that many people are not happy with their homosexuality or lesbianism, and that this conflict is internal, based on legitimate, intelligent religious and moral convictions–not just the result of a so-called “homophobic” society which is forcing guilt upon people who don’t conform to a heterosexual ethic.
Stop throwing out the cheap, inaccurate labels like “internalized homophobia” to explain our motivations.
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2. I wish they would acknowledge that homosexuals and lesbians can experience significant change in their sexual feelings and desires, even though they may never be totally heterosexual in their sexual thoughts and feelings.
Be honest enough to admit that such change is significant and genuine, even if it isn’t complete.
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3. I wish they would acknowledge that many former homosexuals and lesbians have found a greater measure of peace and satisfaction after leaving a gay or lesbian lifestyle than they ever experienced while embracing homosexuality.
Not all “ex-gays” are miserable, plotting how to secretly fulfill their homosexual lusts without being caught.
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4. I wish they would acknowledge that many former homosexuals and lesbians have genuine joy in their marriages.
Most former gays and lesbians don’t get married in a futile attempt to “escape” homosexuality; they marry as a natural consequence of resolving that issue in their lives.
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5. I wish they would acknowledge that all people have as much right to pursue a heterosexual lifestyle as they do to pursue homosexuality.
Former homosexuals and lesbians should not be harassed and castigated by the gay community. But I have never heard any gay or lesbian leaders speak out against the violence (such as bomb threats and physical/verbal abuse) which some people perpetuate against Exodus ministries.
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6. I wish they would stop equating our decision to leave homosexuality with “hatred” and “bigotry” against gays and lesbians.
We don’t hate gays; we simply desire to live free of homosexuality. Don’t put nasty labels upon our motives. That’s being judgmental and unfair.
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7. I wish pro-gay religious leaders would admit that their endorsement and promotion of monogamous homosexual relationships is a facade.
Many–probably most–men and women involved in long-term partnerships are not sexually monogamous, but gay churches don’t discipline members for committing “adultery” outside their “gay marriage.” Neither do they discipline gays or lesbians who have sex before entering into a “holy union” with their partner.
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Bob Davies is the Director Emeritus with Exodus International, as Bob was the Executive Director with Exodus International from 1985 -2001. Alan Chambers is the current Executive Director of Exodus International.
Copyright 1997 ~ Used with permission from Bob Davies
