Unbiblical Concepts of Ministry and Teaching

As the issue of freedom from homosexuality is debated daily, Exodus International is more in the public view and looked to for answers. A recent issue of the Exodus Update features the testimony of a woman who continues to live with her former lover. They have never separated, yet she claims to have worked through their dependency issues. We have spoken to Exodus leaders and written letters on the subject of the need for separation from former lovers and “gay” friends. Our last letter in September 1996 was acknowledged but never answered.

Blasphemy against the Holy Spirit is spoken of by Jesus as the only unpardonable sin. The misunderstanding of this passage has caused many people trapped in the lies of their emotions and in homosexual sin and bondage, to despair and go back to sin because, in a fit of rage, they had cursed God or shaken a fist at Him, renounced Him or torn up and thrown away a Bible. So this Scripture, when read in a state of shame and guilt, can be misread to mean, “I have no hope – I’ve committed the unpardonable sin.” Many even think homosexuality is the unpardonable sin. This is totally false.

“Was Eve present in Adam before God created her from the rib?”

“Are we all both masculine and feminine in God’s image?”

Though Scripture has been misinterpreted since its beginning, it is essential to keep seeking for a unified understanding of truth for the sake of the Church’s stability and it’s witness in the world. Anyone overcoming addictive behavior especially needs a clear grasp of Scripture because the nagging sin problem brings feelings of condemnation and hinders one’s faith in God’s mercy and ability to fully deliver. We have often seen the perception of Scripture skewed by the emotional responses of traumatized people.

An ad for Dr. Tony Campolo’s recent book, “20 Hot Potatoes Christians Are Afraid To Touch” states that he is “not a man to shy away from controversy”. In the chapter, “Does Christianity Have Any Good News for Homosexuals?”, he has certainly stirred controversy. The definition of controversy is a “dispute concerning a matter of opinion”. In his introduction, Dr. Campolo says, “The time has come to be bold and to declare from the rooftops what I have been hiding away in my closet of opinions”.