http://www.ncmfresno.org/default.aspx Email: [email protected] New Creation Ministries Since 1983 ew !reation "inistries # !

"$ has been helping men% women and adolescents get free from sexual and relational bro&enness. 'e offer indi(idual counseling and support groups in a warm% confidential setting. 'e are a !hrist)centered ministr* that emphasi+es ,od-s grace and truth for the bro&en person. 'e are a non)profit ./1#c$#3$ charit*. !" also does training% wor&shops and conference for churches% ministries or interested groups that e0uip them to care for the sexuall* bro&en. http://www.ncmfresno.org/default.aspx Testimonies > True Love Changes You: How Jesus Christ Loved Me Out of Homosexuality 1 grew up in a small town% the son of a Southern 2aptist preacher. 1 was raised on the gospel% and our famil* remained% b* the grace of ,od% free of an* substance abuse% sexual (iolation% and m* parents were ne(er di(orced or e(en separated. 1f an*one should ne(er ha(e de(eloped a homosexual orientation% it was me. 2ut 1 did. 1 didn-t understand the feelings at first. 1 had alwa*s felt different from other bo*s% isolated because 1 couldn-t pla* their sports or act tough% e(en though 1 alwa*s longed for their acceptance. 1n 3unior high% an older teenager exposed himself to me in a sexual wa*. 4lthough it was a scar* and confusing experience% 1 also experienced a strange excitement that got me thin&ing. 5hese feelings continued to grow in me and 1 began to reali+e with horror that 1 was actuall* becoming the 6faggot6 the other bo*s in school had alwa*s accused me of being. 1 pra*ed fer(entl* for ,od to ta&e the feelings awa*% but 7e did not. 1 felt too ashamed to as& an*one for help% so 1 tried in secret to ma&e it go awa*. E(entuall* 1 3ust become wear* of feeling so alone. 'hen 1 was a freshman in high school% a female friend came out to me as a lesbian and 1 suddenl* felt a liberation 1 had ne(er &nown. 8inall*% 1 could tell someone about m* secret struggle. 9nfortunatel*% this confession onl* opened up the path into the homosexual lifest*le. 5hrough m* friend% 1 was introduced to other ga* people and their ideals. 1 disco(ered pornograph* for which 1 had a (er* eager interest. 1n m* heart 1 &new 1 was disobe*ing ,od% but 1 felt 7e had abandoned me and hated me because 1 was ga*. 5he homosexual life offered me the first taste of intimac* and acceptance 1-d e(er had. 2ut on the other hand% 1 was leading a double life% l*ing to e(er*one% and in constant moral turmoil. :espite the
1

pleasure of sin% 1 couldn-t reconcile m* ga* lifest*le with what 1 &new of ,od. 1 wanted to die. "eanwhile% m* parents disco(ered m* secret life and tried to end it. 5he* tried to monitor me e(er* hour. 5he* too& me to !hristian therapists and e(en those professionals tried to tell them there was no hope for me% that 1 would alwa*s be ga*. 2ut m* parents wouldn-t accept that. E(entuall* the* too& me to ew !reation "inistries to tal& to a woman named :onna who was a former lesbian. 1 thought it was preposterous% but somewhere deep inside a small seed of hope began to grow. ;ne da* when 1 was in one of the places 1 went to 6hoo& up6% feeling disgusted with m*self but hopelessl* need*% 1 was suddenl* o(ercome b* the presence of the <ord. 1 heard a (oice in m* heart telling me =esus had followed me there% e(en to that nast* sinful place% and wanted me to come bac& with 7im. 5his re(elation about 7is merciful nature began a slow but ine(itable change in m* mind. 5he sinful habits 1 had made were hard to brea& because the* were more than 3ust habits> sex was how 1 dealt with life? 1 had to face the pain of m* past and re3ect the lies 1 had belie(ed about m*self. 5hrough counseling and accountabilit* with fellow !hristians% 1 learned healthier wa*s of relating. "ore than an*thing% m* relationship with =esus was what changed me from the inside out. 4t a conference% a complete stranger felt compelled to tell me that ,od lo(ed me 6as though 7e had no other children at all.6 'hat that stranger didn-t &now was that deep inside 1 had alwa*s felt that ,od onl* lo(ed me because 7e had to% that was his 3ob as ,od #this was reall* how 1 felt about m* dad% the pastor$. 5hat-s 3ust one example of how =esus- lo(e has undone the lies that so deepl* wounded m* identit*. 4s 1 wal& dail* in deeper intimac* with 7im% and in genuine intimac* with other gu*s% 1 experience continuing (ictor* o(er this struggle. 5he wal& out of Eg*pt didn-t happen o(ernight and it is not o(er *et. 2ut ,od is showing me 7is power to do the impossible in m* life. 7e is healing the lonel* little bo* inside% rebuilding m* shattered masculinit*% and dail* extending grace to an imperfect son. 1n 7im% 1 can be the man 1 ne(er thought 1 was. http://www.ncmfresno.org/articles/5rue<o(e.aspx Testimonies > ll The !ifferen"e #n The $orld 5he ringing of the phone 3arred m* wife and 1 from a sound sleep. 1t was the husband of m* wife-s best friend. 61 need to tal& to *ou%6 he said. Somehow 1 3ust &new he had found out about m* affair with his wife. 1 reali+ed in that moment that life% as 1 &new it% was about to be o(er. 5he phone call blew the lid off a lifetime of adulter*% deceit and denial. "* 3ourne* to full)blown sexual addiction was (er* unremar&able. 1 didn-t come from an abusi(e home% and there was no alcoholism or (iolence. "* mother was a (er* lo(ing and compassionate woman and m* father was one of the hardest wor&ers 1-(e e(er &nown #and ,od has used that in him$. 2ut as 1 loo& bac& 1 do see a fatal flaw in our famil* that would set the stage for me to become a sex addict *ears later )) detachment.
@

2ecause m* father was disconnected from his alcoholic father% he was unable to deepl* connect with me. 1n place of connection% m* father and 1 related through achie(ement. 1 became the dri(en businessman that he was. !orporatel* 1 achie(ed a lot> relationall* 1 achie(ed (er* little. 1 made up for this b* pursuing bigger and bigger con0uests in business. 1 also got houses% cars and 6stuff6. 5his didn-t ma&e the emptiness go awa*% howe(er. So 1 sought to fill the (oid with other women. 4fter being introduced to Playboy at the age of fourteen 1 began to see women as one more con0uest. 1n m* famil* circle 1 felt affirmed for ha(ing girlfriends. 7ungr* for the (alidation this pro(ided 1 sought to alwa*s ha(e a girl on m* arm. 'hat 1 reall* needed were clear boundaries about how to treat women )) 1 had none% so 1 began a pattern of using sex to meet all of m* emotional needs. 5his continued o(er the *ears. 'hen 1 met m* wife and got married 1 straightened out for a while. ot too long after that 1 graduated from college% got a 3ob and got a house. 1n short order% m* wife and 1 began pursuing the 4merican dream. ;ur famil* was ta&ing shape according to the model 1 had been gi(en. 'ithin a few *ears of marriage 1 began ro(ing again. 1 would ha(e a secret relationship with another woman for about a *ear and then mo(e on to someone else. aturall*% m* relationship with m* wife was awful. She was the dutiful wife and homema&er who ne(er complained% and 1 too& ad(antage of her good nature. 5o hear me tell it *ou would thin& 1 wasn-t a !hristian. 2ut the shameful thing is )) 1 was. 1 was plugged in to m* church and doing all of the 6!hristian6 things. 2ut 1 was unrelational with e(er*one% including ,od. 1 was good at following the rule and being a good bo* #m* sexual immoralit* notwithstanding$% but m* !hristianit* was impersonal and anemic. 'hile in(ol(ed with the 5imoth* Arogram 1 did ha(e something of a brea&through% but the core issues of m* heart were untouched. 8or eight *ears m* life was a series of business deals% cabins% cars and women. 1n 199B 1 got the phone call that brought down m* house of cards. "* sweet and gentle wife finall* got some bac&bone and told me to lea(e. 1 had indeed hit bottom. 'hen 1 poured the whole thing out to m* pastor he recommended that 1 go to ew !reation "inistries. 1 didn-t &now what to expect when 1 met with Cussell for the first time. "* wife and 1 had been to other !hristian counselors but the* hadn-t presented !hrist% and onl* pandered to m* inborn selfishness. !" was different. 4fter m* first counseling session 1 felt as though 1 had some real answers. 2est of all% 1 heard ,od sa*ing to me that 7e was going to sa(e me and raise me up from the ash)heap. ,etting in(ol(ed in a group for sexuall* addicted men was a life)changing experience. 5he people 1 met there were brutall* honest and we got right down to business. 1 could see ,od rebuilding their li(es% which ga(e me hope for mine. 1 learned that m* beha(ior was sinful% of course% but that it grew out of some legitimate unmet needs in m* life. 5he teaching helped me with the 6wh*s6 and the support help dri(e it home. 5he greatest re(elation 1-(e recei(ed is that !hrist died and 1 died with 7im. 1 probabl* heard this a do+en times in church% but it was through that it came home. 1 understood that dead men didn-t lust? 5his freed me to li(e for =esus and for m* wife #a big change for a life)
3

long egoist?$. 1 &now what it-s li&e to 6ha(e it all6 and still feel hopeless. 1 &now what it-s li&e to be in the church% to stud* the 2ible and to be &nown in the !hristian communit*% and still be far from ,od. 1 also &now what it-s li&e to be lo(ed b* an indescribable Sa(ior when 1 don-t deser(e it% and to ha(e *our famil* and *our faith and *our future restored b* a lo(ing ,od. "* goal in life is to be dead to sin and ali(e to =esus. 8or me% this is not 3ust a cle(er sa*ing> it is ma&ing all the difference in the world. http://www.ncmfresno.org/articles/4ll5he:ifference.aspx Testimonies > His %nfailing &ra"e Go home to your family and tell them how much the Lord has done for you, and how He has had mercy on you. (Mark 5:1 ! 1 praise ,od that 1 can share m* testimon* about how the <ord is freeing me from homosexualit*. 5han&s to !" 1 now recogni+e how patterns and choices made long ago are directl* lin&ed to what 1 thought was an unchangeable sexual orientation. 5here were serious problems in m* famil*. "* father was an alcoholic and drug addict% spending a lot of time in and out of prison. E(en when he was at home% he was not emotionall* a(ailable. "* mother% on the other hand% was into the part* life where drugs and sex were abundant. "* two sisters and 1 were often left alone to fend for oursel(es. 4s a result of these and other problems% m* world as a child was stressful and insecure. 2ecause this was m* experience of normal famil* life% e(en toda* 1 struggle with what a -normalfamil* is suppose to be li&e. 5his is one of the areas 1-m now growing in. "* famil* literall* fell apart when 1 was 1. *ears old after m* father went to prison and 1 was left with extended famil* members. 1 was sexuall* molested soon after as an indirect result of this separation. 1 felt ruined b* the experience% and assumed that 1 must ha(e done something terribl* wrong to pro(o&e someone to do that to me. 1 also assumed that the molestation pro(ed 1 was ga*% a suspicion that 1-d had for some time. ;n top of that% 1 felt responsible for what happened to m* famil* ) 1 was the reason m* mother and father abandoned me. 1-m onl* now examining how some of these wrong conclusions caused me e(en more pain as 1 continued down the wrong path. "* older sister also struggled with lesbianism. 4lso a (ictim of sexual abuse% she &new that the 2ible condemned homosexual beha(ior and felt condemned because she couldn-t ma&e the feelings stop. She committed suicide when her girlfriend was &illed in an accident. 5his e(ent pushed me e(en further into homosexualit*. 1 began ma&ing excuses for the ga* lifest*le% feeling that if people had understood m* sister-s needs and feelings% she might still be ali(e. 1 now reali+e that she had multiple problems that needed to be addressed. She did not need people to understand her homosexual feelings. She needed hel" with the root problems% of which homosexualit* was merel* a s*mptom.
D

4t the age of eighteen 1 ga(e m* life to =esus !hrist. 7owe(er% 1 still struggled with homosexual thoughts and sought the help of a pastor. 7e was uncomfortable and didn-t &now what to sa* or how to help me. 1 was also ignorant of the 2ible and &new nothing of what it said regarding homosexualit*. 1t wasn-t long before 1 began to bac&slide and e(entuall* become deepl* in(ol(ed in the ga* lifest*le. ,a* people told me that the 2ible did not condemn homosexualit* and that 1 was born that wa*. 1 followed their ad(ice and submerged m*self in the ga* communit*. 1 partied hard% but as relationship followed relationship% 1 felt the (oid increase. 1 turned to alcohol and drugs to numb the pain this (oid created. 1 &new that something was still missing. 5hen one da* in 198B% 1 read these words taped to a street pole: 6Cepent% and let each of *ou be bapti+ed in the name of =esus !hrist for the forgi(eness of *our sins> and *ou shall recei(e the gift of the 7ol* Spirit.6 #4cts @:38$ 1 was con(icted of the wa* 1 had been li(ing. 5hat night 1 rededicated m* life to =esus while watching 2ill* ,raham on 5E. 1 stopped the drin&ing and doing drugs and ended m* current ga* relationship. 1 was determined to follow the <ord with all m* heart. 5he next few months were mar&ed b* an intense struggle. ,od was leading me bac& to the church but 1 was afraid to share m* struggle due to the fear of re3ection. Satan was also tempting me with the opportunit* to li(e the 6high life6 ) the price being m* bod* gi(en to other men to do with as the* pleased. 5hrough the pra*er and prompting of famil* and !hristian friends% 1 left where 1 was sta*ing% mo(ed to 8resno and was read* to deal with m* issues. 1 heard about !"% got in touch with 2ud Searc* and plugged into the ministr*-s program. ot long after accepting the <ord% 1 was diagnosed as 71E positi(e. 5his was hard at first. 1 soon reali+ed that this was not ,od-s fault but a conse0uence of m* own choices. 1 reali+ed that how 1 let this disease affect m* life was up to me ) 1 could either be angr* and depressed or choose to li(e life to the fullest. 1 chose the latter. 1 see now that% as strange as it ma* seem% 41:S is a blessing in that it causes me to appreciate each moment of life 1 ha(e. 1sn-t that how we are all to li(e ) e(en when we are in perfect healthF 4t !" 1 found the safet* to share m* struggles and began to reach out to others in health* wa*s. 1 ha(e been learning about what it means to be a ,odl* man and how to embrace m* own ,od)gi(en masculine identit*. 1 ha(e also been growing in relationship to the opposite sex. 4 new and exciting thing is happening as the <ord has awa&ened in me a desire for women and marriage. 4s a matter of fact% 1 am dating a wonderful !hristian lad* who 1 care for a lot. "* struggle with her is not m* feelings for her% for ,od has resurrected in me what 1 ne(er thought possible. "* struggle comes when 1 thin& about imposing m* affliction with 41:S upon her life. 5he <ord is also helping me to deal with the painful wounds created b* m* abuse and abandonment. 5hough painful% 1 ha(e forgi(en m* famil* and the <ord is bringing tremendous healing between m* relationship with both m* mother and father. "* pastor now &nows m* stor* and 1 also ha(e !hristian friends in(ol(ed in m* healing process. 1 understand how homosexualit* was an ineffecti(e attempt to meet m* needs and 1 am dealing with the past and relearning relational s&ills. 1 feel great about m* relationship
.

with =esus and 1 am letting 7im meet m* needs. 4 personal relationship with =esus is what 1 was alwa*s searching for without reali+ing it% 7e is true fulfillment. 1-m also in(ol(ed in ministr*% something 1 ne(er thought 1 would be doing. 1-m teaching Sunda* School% conducting ser(ices at rest homes and telling people about =esus e(er* chance 1 get. 7is grace is trul* unfailing and sufficient for me. 1 lo(e the <ord and 7e is 4'ES;"E? http://www.ncmfresno.org/articles/7is9nfailing,race.aspx Testimonies > Loo'ing (or Mira"le

5here are three reasons moti(ating me to share m* experiences being set free from homosexualit*. 8irst% to gi(e praise to the <i(ing ,od who ne(er needs to change. Second% to erase the m*th that one can lose the power of choice to change regarding homosexualit*. 5hird% that one can be too old to change unwanted homosexualit*. 1t is this third aspect% of being too old% that badl* needs to be remo(ed from the (iewpoint of all men and women e(er*where. Some ha(e said to me% 6Gou can-t change *ou-re too old6. 1 am li(ing proof that -an old dog "an learn new tric&s.- ot onl* ha(e 1 0uit addicti(el* acting out homosexuall* after a lifetime of doing so% but m* homosexual feelings ha(e greatl* diminished. ;ther unwanted facets of m* dail* life ha(e also been remo(ed. ;nce 1 thought 1 should chase after change. 1 disco(ered though% that m* pursuit needed to be for the power to ma&e right choices. "* percei(ed loss of choice led me bac& to the (er* thing 1 desperatel* cried for ) a lo(e affair with =esus that ga(e me the power to choose. 5he first thirt* *ears of m* life contained a &aleidoscope of e(ents% a mix of warm affection and innumerable abusi(e boundar* (iolations. 4ll of this created a great amount of confusion% mistrust and pain. 1 was born in 1931 and was adopted b* parents with no li(ing children. "* adopti(e mother was a 0uiet% sweet person who suffered as much as 1 under the t*rann* of m* rage)a)holic adopti(e father. 7e was a regular church attender% sang in the choir% taught Sunda* School% was a *outh leader% a deacon and a licensed la* preacher. 2ut at home dad would terrori+e us all. 1 dreaded him coming home from wor&. 1 ne(er &new what little thing would set him off. 4t the age of eight% 1 ga(e m* life to =esus !hrist and was bapti+ed that same e(ening. Soon after% because of some childish act on m* part% dad se(erel* beat me. 1 (owed that da* that 1 would ne(er be li&e him. :ad-s angr* rages also went to church. 7e was often the center of a church fight and terrori+ed the pastor of e(er* church we attended. 1 was humiliated b* his beha(ior and often attempted to fix the messes he made. 4s a teenager 1 offered m* life to the <ord for ministr*. 1t was at this time that m* father chose to sexuall* (iolate me. ow m* confusion and torment was nearl* complete. 1 carried this baggage until 1 was .8 *ears old. 1 carried it all through high school and
H

college. 1 carried it into m* marriage and into m* parenting. 1 lugged it for @/ *ears as an ordained 4merican 2aptist minister. 1 blamed the church and the ministr* for not pro(iding me with understanding or help. So 1 left the ministr*% went into business and 3oined another denomination. 1t was not until 8ebruar* of 1989 that 1 first found a place where real help was a(ailable. 1 read a little three line ad in the 8resno 2ee personals. 5he ad said 6'ant out of homosexualit*F 5here is a wa*. !all ))).6 "* first reaction was rage at being confronted again? 1 sought help so man* times through professional therapists but nothing helped. 1 begged ,od to &ill me or lea(e me alone. 2ut 7e would do neither. "* teen *ears is when 1 first began see&ing help b* telling m* parents about m* homosexual desires and acti(ities. "* father hit the roof? 1 also told m* pastor but he was too embarrassed and 3ust sat there loo&ing down at his des&. 1 came to the conclusion that there was no help for me. So when 1 read the ad in the newspaper% all m* doubts% fears and anger began to repla* in m* head. 65here-s no help for *ou. Gour hopeless? 2esides% *ou-re too old to change?6 2ut in spite of all the disappointments of the past% 1 called and made an appointment. 5his was the first in a succession of miracles that would ta&e place. 5hat da* ,od heard m* cr* of repentance and 1 began the 3ourne* out of homosexualit*. 5he long path that led to ew !reation "inistries had man* twists and turns. :uring m* three *ear in(ol(ement in their program 1 was often in a fog of despair. =ust before coming to !"% 1 had been arrested on two occasions for lewd and lasci(ious conduct in a public place. 4fter the second arrest% 1 was sent for counseling b* the court. ;n m* first (isit the counselor as&ed me if 1 wanted to li(e with m* homosexualit*. 1 loo&ed him in the e*e and said 1-d ha(e none of that? 'hat 1 wanted was a "1C4!<E and nothing less. 1 ha(e been married 38 *ears #at this writing$. E(en though 1 ga(e this beautiful woman man* good reasons to di(orce me% she ne(er did. ;n hundreds of occasions she told me of her lo(e. 7owe(er% one da* she loo&ed me in the e*es and said% 6'hen *ou finish running around% 1-ll still lo(e *ou and want *ou. 1f *ou bring home a disease% e(en then 1 will still lo(e *ou.6 'hat she said that da* bro&e m* heart and prepared me to see& help one more time. !oming to !" 1 found m* miracle. 5he help 1 found not onl* changed m* life% but also greatl* affected the ones 1 lo(e. ,od helped me see how prideful and rebellious 1 was in responding to 7is plan for m* healing. 7e continued to re(eal how much 7e lo(ed and cared for me% in spite of all that 1 had done. 4s 1 read 7is 'ord% communed in pra*er and continued in the program at !"% 7e began to re(eal 7is great pro(ision in =esus to ta&e care of m* real core needs. 7e began to heal the unresol(ed bro&enness with m* father. 1 also began to learn to ha(e health* right% relationships with men. ;ne e(ening at an !" group meeting% 2ud Searc*% the Executi(e :irector of !"% pra*ed 6<ord% help us see oursel(es as Gou see us.6 :id that e(er push m* buttons? 1 exploded in anger at 2ud. 1 felt 1 alread* &new what 1-d see and didn-t want to see an* more. ,entl* he explained that 1 needed to see m*self as ,od sees me through =esus ) lo(ed% forgi(en% cleansed% righteous and sanctified. 1n that (er* hour 1 came to reali+e that% while 1
B

had much head &nowledge about =esus% 1 did not &now 7im nor did 1 let 7im &now me. 1 was crushed b* that re(elation. 5hat night 1 told =esus that if 7e-d still ha(e me 1-d stand in submission to 7is will and allow 7im to do whate(er 7e wanted. 8rom that time on 1 became aware of a new and growing desire to wal& out a life of repentance. 1 ha(e recei(ed more healing that 1 had e(er thought possible% especiall* for someone m* age. 'hile 1 ha(e temptation from time to time% 1 ha(e not acted out in . *ears #at the time of this writing$. ,od is healing m* relationship with m* children that 1 so badl* damaged. 4lso% something else has occurred that 1 thought would ne(er happen: 5he <ord has restored to me the honor of ser(ing 7im in ministr*. 1 thought 1 had destro*ed that for the rest of m* life. 'hat was once a point of shame is an opportunit* to gi(e glor* to our wonderful ,od. 1 don-t belie(e in miracles ) 16" <1E1 , ; E?? http://www.ncmfresno.org/articles/<oo&ing.aspx Testimonies > One of You 1 grew up as an a(erage &id not &nowing a thing about sexual addiction or homosexualit*. 4s a high school student 1 was li&e others who 3o&ed about effeminate males and referred to them with un&ind names. 8or some reason% howe(er% the issue of homosexualit* caused a lot of curiosit* in m* thin&ing. 1n the B/-s 1 read some !hristian material on the sub3ect of homosexualit*. 5his helped me put some things in perspecti(e and de(elop a clearer picture of what the* were going through. 5his &nowledge caused me to want to learn e(en more. 1n the 8/-s 1 had an opportunit* to attend a conference put on b* ew !reation "inistries. 1 saw more clearl* than e(er what the 2iblical perspecti(e was and what some ministries were doing around the world to help homosexual strugglers. 1 saw that homosexualit* was indeed sinful and destructi(e% *et 1 was hearing a perspecti(e 1 had ne(er heard before: ,od lo(es the person who struggles and is eager to affirm them and restore them to health* sexualit*/spiritualit*. 1t hit me with mountain weight that 1 was 3ust as sinful in m* thoughts and attitudes though 1 had ne(er committed this sin. 4 *ear later #1989$ 1 was in(ited b* the executi(e director to assist him directl* in the wor& he was doing. 1-(e been a small group leader e(er since. 1 ha(e learned man* things as a result of spending hundreds of hours with men who are sexuall* addicted or men who struggle with homosexualit*. 1t would be impossible for me to describe how the 7ol* Spirit has changed me as 1-(e worshipped with this men and interacted with them% but let me tr*: Things #)ve learned 1. 1 am no different than an* other sinner% we all fall short of ,od-s glor*. 'hat 1 &new in theor* before has become real as 1-(e gotten into the hearts and sexuall* bro&en men and seen m*self mirrored there. @. ,od doesn-t ha(e a list of sins with homosexualit* being at the top. 5hough scripture clearl* sa*s that homosexualit* is an abomination% ,od also sa*s that proud e*es% a l*ing tongue% and stirring up dissension among brothers are abominations as well
8

#Aro(erbs H:1H)19$. 5hese are things 1 ha(e done more times than 1 would want to &now. 'hen 1 wal& out of the 5hursda* night group 1 &now 1-(e been in the presence of dear brothers and sisters in !hrist who are in desperate need of ,od-s lo(e and forgi(eness% same as me. 3. =esus wants me to extend grace to fellow sinners #e(en sexual sinners$ the same wa* that 7e continues to extend grace to me. D. 5he sexuall* bro&en are re0uired to pursue intimac* with =esus or there is no possibilit* of healing and change. 1 ha(e watched them% o(er the *ears% growing into the image of !hrist and surrendering to 7im in wa*s that most !hristians rarel* do. .. 'hen belie(ers are honest ) reall* honest ) with each other about their sins and hold each other accountable to do something about them% change happens. 1-(e seen people who submit to this process come to a le(el of maturit* that the* would ne(er experience otherwise. 1 don-t belie(e there is a single !hristian in the church who wouldn-t benefit b* learning and practicing what people at !" ha(e to do e(er* da*. 1 will ne(er forget the time during a group meeting when one of the men as&ed me% 6Ed% since *ou ha(e ne(er struggled with sexual sin in the wa*s we ha(e% how do *ou feel about usF 4fter all% *ou-re not one of us.6 "* response was immediate and heartfelt% 67ow do 1 feel about *ouF 1 lo(e *ou because *ou are m* brother. 4nd% b* the wa*% 1 am 6one of *ou.6 1 could respond this wa* because 1 understand =esus- teaching about the sin in each of our hearts. 8or instance% 1 am no stranger to lust% and if 1 ta&e ,od-s 'ord seriousl* on this point 1 ha(e to conclude that 1 ha(e the same inner heart as e(er*one in the group. 1 ha(e indulged this sin inwardl* more times than 1 can count% and% at times% still do. 4m 1 different from themF 7ardl*. 1 am as sinful and wretched as an*one 1-(e e(er met in the group and in e0ual need of ,od-s forgi(eness. 1 count it a pri(ilege to be in(ol(ed in the wor& of !"% not onl* because 1 minister to others but because 1 m*self ha(e been ministered to time and time again. 5hrough m* association with the sexuall* bro&en in the bod* of !hrist% ,od has wor&ed powerfull* in m* life as well. Since childhood 1 ha(e mo(ed through man* stages in m* understanding of sin% both othersand m* own. 'hen it comes to homosexualit* 1 started with ignorance% suspicion and fear. 5his grew into re(ulsion% anger and 3udgment. 4s 1-(e humbled m*self before ,od and wal&ed beside these same people m* critical spirit and self)righteousness ha(e melted into understanding% empath* and genuine !hrist)li&e lo(e. http://www.ncmfresno.org/articles/;ne;fGou.aspx