What’s Happened to Exodus International? – Authentic Drivel: Andy Comiskey Responds to Randy Thomas’ Fawning Piece on John Paulk’s Fall

Exodus leader Alan Chambers works directly with “gay” activists to undermine pro-family Christians

John and Anne Paulk — on the cover of Newsweek magazine in 1998. Recently, Paulk renounced the “ex-gay” movement that he once led. Anne, however, has stayed faithful and is now involved with Restored Hope Network, which has risen up in response to Exodus International’s “gay”-affirming turn away biblical truth. See current photo of John Paulk below.

“Exodus [International] used to focus on how Jesus leads persons out of homosexuality. Now Exodus appears to celebrate those who return to it.” — Andy Comiskey

TAKE ACTION: As you can see from Andy Comiskey’s piece below, Exodus International is no longer a trustworthy “ex-gay” organization for Christians who respect the Bible’s authority. But there is now a biblically-faithful Christian alternative to Exodus: Restored Hope Network (RHN). Although AFTAH supported Exodus for two decades, it has tragically embraced a “gay”-affirming ideology that distorts the wonderful grace of God and, ironically, pushes the defeatist message that most homosexuals cannot change their “sexual orientation.”

I have publicly challenged Exodus President Alan Chambers to find “gay” “sexual orientation” in the Bible; he has not responded. Moreover, Chambers now not only eschews getting involved in “culture war” over homosexuality — Exodus no longer even takes a stand on the blasphemous notion of homosexuality-based “marriage” — but he also urges other Christians to follow suit.

Although AFTAH would rather focus its attention on the aggressive homosexualist agenda, we cannot ignore the escalating confusion and falsehoods advanced by Exodus International under Chambers’ failed leadership. Recently, Chambers called me a “viper” on Twitter (get the Pharisee allusion?) following yet another episode that exposed his newfound pro-homosexual radicalism. In a shocking development that some are calling “Chambers-gate,” the Exodus leader stunned me and other activists by secretly cc’ing homosexual activist Jeremy Hooper in an email thread that included many pro-family leaders. (Details will be forthcoming; here’s one of Hooper’s pieces on the episode; here’s the piece in left-leaning Salon.com).

At the same time, Chambers secretly cc’d evangelical renegade and Grove City College professor Warren Throckmorton — another pro-family-“defector”-turned-pro-homosexual-apologist who, like Alan, is popularizing the dangerous idea that nearly all homosexuals who try cannot change. Talk about denying Jesus’ power (but more on that later).

Talking up “gay Christianity” — another Chambers shift away from truth — is unbiblical, but many believers are unaware of Exodus’ new radical worldview. Americans For Truth urges you to inform your Christian friends about Exodus’ pro-homosexual turn and ask them to support the fledgling Restored Hope Network however they can. Here’s some useful information:

Restored Hope Network website: http://www.restoredhopenetwork.com/

RHN Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/RestoredHopeNetwork

Upcoming RHN Conference (June 21-22, Oklahoma City): http://www.restoredhopenetwork.org/index.php/event/annual-conference/conference-information

Prof. Rob Gagnon’s 2012 in-depth report on Alan Chambers’ unbiblical leadership at Exodus (PDF): “Time for a Change of Leadership at Exodus”

Gagnon follow-up: “Being a ‘Simple-Minded Jesus-Lover’ Is No Excuse for Really Bad Theology” (PDF): click HERE

Andy Comiskey’s Desert Stream Ministries: http://www.desertstream.org/

Below is wonderful response to Exodus VP Randy Thomas’ fawning piece on John Paulk by former homosexual Andy Comiskey, founder of Desert Stream Ministries. We also have reprinted excerpts from the Thomas piece, “John Paulk’s Shocking Secret,” below. — Peter LaBarbera, Americans For Truth

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Andy Comiskey writes:

Authentic Drivel

APRIL 26, 2013, by Andrew Comiskey; reprinted from AndrewComiskey.com:

Andy Comiskey

With grief I consider the irony of Exodus’ response to John Paulk’s immersion in gay culture (Exodus Blog, April 22; Paulk presided over Exodus in the nineties). Exodus used to focus on how Jesus leads persons out of homosexuality. Now Exodus appears to celebrate those who return to it.

Exodus VP Randy Thomas just wrote a glowing account of Paulk’s renunciation of his ‘ex-gay’ status. In the spirit of Exodus new ‘radical’ grace message, Thomas ‘agrees with 95%’ of what Paulk confided in him, commends him to us as ‘one pursuing the true meaning of grace’, and describes John as ‘a man without guile.’

Yet Thomas omits the fact that Paulk’s choices violate his vows to his wife and three boys who as teenagers need their father more than ever. Exodus seems more concerned with John’s authentic gay self than with the needs of his wife and kids.

If I were married to a SSA [Same-Sex-Attraction]-struggler tied to Exodus, I would jump out of my skin. Dabbling in idolatry, even if married, now appears to be covered by Exodus’ ‘grace.’ Ironically, Thomas notes that Paulk “got very emotional talking about young people.” Maybe father Paulk could stop grieving for gay teens and attend undividedly to the teens he sired. Maybe he could be encouraged to cry tears of repentance and return to them.

John Paulk today.

Perhaps John grieves for himself more than for anyone else. Such is the narcissism that drives any ‘ex-gay superstar’ as well as the ‘ex-ex-gay’ who cries victim rather than takes responsibility for his own bad choices. The narcissist is usually winsome in his confession; Thomas sure seems taken by Paulk’s. But confession, when not in the service of repentance, remains in the service of sin. What a novel idea: that Exodus or any ministry claiming to be Christian might discern the difference between authentic drivel and a heart turning back to Jesus.

Only repentance will do—the desperate ache for Jesus, and desperation to repair what one has destroyed. Only then can real grace meet real sin and overcome it.

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Below are excerpts from a blog post by Exodus International Executive VP Randy Thomas on the John Paulk situation — to which Andy Comiskey was responding above.  The full article by Randy  — whom I once considered on the side of pro-family conservatives — is appalling in its obsequiousness to former “ex-gay poster boy” John Paulk — who was hounded “out of the closet” by homosexual activists at Truth Wins Out [see this video], allegedly for making homosexual advances on other men. I know and worked with John Paulk as a “Love Won Out” speaker, and will have more to say about this very sad development.– Peter L.

Since this April 22 post, Thomas has published a two-part interview with Paulk (see links below):

John Paulk’s Shocking Secret

In 2003 John [Paulk] left Focus On The Family and the Love Won Out conference and moved to Portland with his wife Anne and their children. …

Then, last week, an article was published by PQ (Proud Queer) basically saying that John is on his way “back” to the gay community and questioning whether they should accept him. Some, a few … not all, activists act like the religious legalists they abhor by coming up with a laundry list basically stating that John can only be accepted if he does and acts exactly like they think he should.  How weird is it that the church, rightfully in some cases, gets excoriated by these same folks for kicking people out into the street for not publicly espousing the right beliefs and acting the right way and then they turn around and do the same from a different set of rules?

Anyway, after reading the PQ article I messaged John a quick note once again sharing my heart for him and offering to help if I could. This resulted in a phone call and a great conversation….

John got very emotional while we were talking, especially about young people. He seems very committed to combatting shame and condemnation being brought against gay people and especially gay teens because of religious intolerance.

Our conversation lasted about 40 minutes and for the first time in 18 years I completely trusted that everything that came out of his mouth was unhindered and came from a loving, and humbled, heart. I told him that while I related to him more after his gay bar visit in 2000, I could relate to him even more now that he is genuinely questioning past actions and motivations.  While I don’t agree with all of his conclusions he shared on the phone, I can say I agree with about 95 percent of what he shared including renouncing the term “ex-gay.”  I love that he is pursuing the true meaning of God’s grace. I love that he is fiercely protective of his kids. I love that he will not drag his marriage to Anne through the mud even though some seemingly heartless activists demand it…

I don’t think I ever thought of John as being fake. He’s always reminded me of Nathanael, the disciple Jesus described, “in whom there is no guile.” However, listening to John and his apparent newfound depth of honesty made me happy for him…. [go HERE for full article]

Related articles by Randy Thomas:

• John Paulk No Longer Supports the “Ex-Gay” Movement (randythomas.co)
• John Paulk On Recent Comments, Faith, and His Family – Follow Up Interview (randythomas.co)