Ex-Homosexual Ministry to Hold 2005 Conference this Week

Truth Ministry is having a two-day conference this weekend, from March 3 - 4 to "help people who struggle with homosexuality be free to live in sexual and relational wholeness according to God's design." The Hope for Wholeness 2005 will be held in Spartanburg, South Carolina.

Truth Ministry began in 1999 as a ministry of Exodus International, "the largest Christian referral and information ministry dealing with homosexual issues in the world today," offering "freedom through the love of Jesus Christ". Truth Ministry ministers out of South Carolina and provides materials, counseling and support groups, including a wives group, though they are careful to state that this does not imply that they are licensed counselors. For events in other cities, visit the Exodus site http://exodus.to/default.asp.

Hope for Wholeness will feature three aspects of homosexual concerns: prevention, overcoming, and education. With regards to prevention, information and tools will be distributed to parents and teachers to assist in "raising emotionally healthy, secure and stable children." 

In terms of the second aspect - overcoming - the conference will speak on possibility for change from homosexuality.

"We want everyone to know that change is possible and offer man and women a safe place to find healing form emotional wounds and wholeness in Jesus Christ," states the aims of the conference on www.truthministry.com.

Third, Hope for Wholeness will focus on educating the leaders of churches and lead them to "understand the impact homosexuality is having on our society and help them minister in a loving, Christ-like manner."

Hope for Wholeness is part of a growing movement of ministries involved in ex-homosexuality ministry. The one-day Love Won Out conference has been held in 30 cities worldwide. The Love Won Out conference placed 16 billboards to advertise for its first-stop in Houston, Texas last month in February, but an outcry from pro-homosexual camp emerged "vehemently" states the release from Exodus International.

Alan Chambers, president of Exodus International and a featured speaker of the conference, says the ministry sponsored the billboards "in the hopes that many in Houston will, possibly for the first time, question the permanence of homosexuality."

Despite the activists not wanting others to know that change is possible, Chambers says, the truth is getting out.

Truth Ministry's Hope for Wholeness is part of this growing movement of healing from homosexuality. "All speakers for [the Hope for Wholeness] conference believe that the Bible contains the answers to these issues and that freedom from homosexuality is found in Jesus Christ," states the Truth Ministry's official website.

The main speakers will be Mike Haley and Melissa Fryrear from Focus on the Family (FOTF) and Scott Davis from Exodus International. Scott Davis is the Director of Exodus Youth, a ministry of Exodus International. Davis is in charge of overseeing ministering to youth in order to help them overcome homosexuality. In addition, Exodus Youth "equips the church to help struggling youth." 

Haley now serves on the Homoexuality and Gender Department for FOTF's Public Policy division, and also served as Chairman of the Board for Exodus International. His testimony of exodusing from homosexuality was recorded in Dr. James Dobson's You Don't Have To Be Gay and Haley, and he recently published 101 Frequently Asked Questions About Homosexuality .

Fryrear was a Regional Representative for Exodus International, served as executive director of CrossOver Ministries, and became a Homosexuality and Gender Analyst for FOTC. Ten years ago, Fryrear attested to beginning her personal route of healing, and she shared this "popular" testimony with the nation during FOTC's Love Won Out conferences (next to be held on April 16 in Louisville, Kentucky) and Exodus International's annual Freedom Conferences.

Performances will be put on by Acts of Renewal Drama Team, and this will be their second appearance at Truth Ministry's Hope for Wholeness conference. The duo, Jim Shores and Carol Anderson-Shores, are professional actors who have traveled nationally since 1992 and whose performances are said to be "humorous, uplifting, emotional, challenging and thought-provoking."

Worship will be led by Offering, an all-male worship band from Virginia who have led worship for the annual Exodus Mid-Atlantic Regional conference in the past.

The conference will also include 16 breakout classes designed to educate. With such titles as "Overcoming Sexual Abuse," "HIV AIDS 101," "Dealing With Loneliness," "A Biblical Foundation for Recovery," and "How can You Make a Difference?" there is something for everyone.