Just in time for Christmas?
We have heard a strong rumor with partial confirmation that Mike Ensley is no longer working for Exodus and further that he may have been laid off. If so, this would further confirm suspicions of financial trouble for the ex-gay ministry. We have asked Ensley for clarification but received nothing as yet. Ensley’s most recent title was Youth Analyst for Exodus. If this is accurate, the timing qualifies for some sort of Scrooge award.
More details as we get them.
Update 4:30pm ET
XGW has confirmed that both Youth Analyst Mike Ensley and Bookstore Manager Chris Stump have been laid off from their jobs at Exodus International. Stump had only recently replaced the outgoing Kevin White in that position. It appears the move came just days ago, made necessary due to a serious reduction of donations being received by the ex-gay referral organization.
It comes as no surprise that Exodus is having budget concerns. The current world-wide economic crisis has hurt even large, well managed non-profits like Focus on the Family. Exodus may have made things worse for themselves, however, with the addition of a million dollar mortgage for the new building they purchased last Spring — bad timing to say the least. Exodus had previously leased a modest set of offices in Orlando but claimed in a newsletter that they were cramped and needed room for new staff.
We aren’t sure why this announcement was made so close to Christmas. Whatever the reason, we wish Mike Ensley well. Getting away from the uber-heterosexual worship at Exodus can only help his life — he never seemed totally indoctrinated but was getting there. Whether he decides to be celibate or sexually honest is his business, but hopefully he won’t make “change” the central theme of his career from this point forward, or marry a woman as proof that he has.
While we imagine he won’t see it as such right now, being laid off might be one of the best things that could have happened to him.
That’s kind of sad actually. I don’t know about the rest of you guys, but I one for actually kind of liked the guy. I guess it’s good in the sense that Exodus’ power is weakening. But as for Mike Ensley himself, I kind of have a soft spot for him that I don’t have for a lot of other ex-gay leaders, even if I don’t agree with his positions. I hope for all the best for him.
On a brighter note, perhaps this will allow Mike to move away from the ex-gay movement. I can’t imagine anything more depressing than being a professional ex-gay.
Agreed.
We MUST MUST MUST not forget that ALL organizations are struggling right now. The struggling economy as well as a general “down” feeling the consuming public possesses has caused this. I have received numerous emails from several pro-gay-equality organizations as well as the Hillel organization (so whoever thinks Jews are immune from financial trouble, think again) begging for contributions. EVERYBODY is struggling, ESPECIALLY “non-profits” who rely largely on donations. Much of the time donations come from disposable income, but now a lot of people are just trying to get by and have less extra income to give. GLAAD has laid off people, I believe.
So while it is tempting to see this as being caused by growing cultural acceptance of sexual minorities and loss of support of “ex-gay” and “pro-family” groups, I strongly disbelieve this is the case.
If anybody sees this as caused by anything else, I’m curious as to what your reasoning is.
All this aside, I wonder why such a high-profile Exodus official is being laid off. Other than Alan Chambers and Randy Thomas (the Prez and Veep) I don’t know anybody else other than Ensley who is a “face” of the organization.
Maybe the youth movement is waning. The “Exodus Youth” facebook group has less than 200 members. Exodus International’s group has about the same amount. The largest “pro-family” facebook group I could find has a few thousand; Focus on the Family’s largest group boasts less than 3,000. To put this in perspective, gay rights facebook groups tout memberships into the tens of thousands. The Human Rights Campaign group has more than 32,000 members; the facebook “causes” page for gay marriage has more than 100,000.
I believe that facebook is a good indicator of youth trends. And if groups like Exodus can’t make their presence known, they probably don’t stand much of a chance with the under-25 set.
There is no doubt the economy is a major factor. However, the purchase of a $1M building by a non-profit with a budget of perhaps $1.1M annually, and doing so at a time when just about any serious analyst would likely have advised against it, that shows a lack of experience and training in running such an organization.
Operations like Exodus do not need a great deal of manpower or facilities. They don’t often bring clients or associates to their offices, and much of that kind of work can be done by telecommute from home. This is, of course, assuming that their goals are not other than those stated.
At Exodus (particularly Randy Thomas) they like to go through the motions like the big boys, and I guess it’s a lot more fun having handsome young guys interning all the time than to have half your staff work from home. Yes Alan, we’ve noticed the pattern.
One exception: I would spend top dollar on that little telephone that gets the 400,000 calls a year.
?? O_o ??
What is meant by this comment? Are you saying you’ve seen their interns and they’re all beefcakes or something?
You will need to make your own determination on that, Emily. BTW, Chris Stump was an intern until a couple of months ago. Another is Ethan Martin.
they’re very attractive looking headshots – I dunno, I’d need to see more than 2. Surely they’ve had more than 2 interns. And some must be women. Right? Hmm.
Maybe Exodus got a little too eccentric for their own budget. With Bush in office for 8 years, and their hope for Palin becoming president, maybe it’s possible E.O. expected the floodgates to burst open with tons of new clients.
Other than the guy who looks like Roseanne Barr, and Michael Johnston from the 90’s, I don’t recall the “ex-gays” being such a large organization during the Clinton years. After 9/11, there was some kind of “spiritual revival” in the United States, and that’s when Exodus became more visible.
Of course Exodus won’t tell us so, but I believe they were preparing for “bigger things to come” for the ex-gay racket business. And now they’re finding out that it wasn’t to be.
I wouldn’t expect Exodus to grow much more in the future. Because of the “ex-gay leaders” along with other Evangelicals running at the mouth, they’ve chased tons of people out of the church these past 8-9 years, and now those people are agnostic, Atheist, or anti-“christian”.
Modern-day pharisees like Mike Ensley might as well give up the idea that they’re going to get rich off touring around and informing people “I’ve stopped sucking dick. So pay me.”. Good riddance to him.
Scott, please be more specific when you use the word “pharisee.”
Emily,
I’m no religious expert, but I’ve always associated the pharisees with the definition from your first URL:
“the New Testament presents the Pharisees as obsessed with man-made rules (especially concerning purity) whereas Jesus is more concerned with God’s love; the Pharisees scorn sinners whereas Jesus seeks them out.”
Kinda like just recently in a conversation, my mom gasped when I referred to the people in my original smalltown church (which she still attends) as “modern-day pharisees”. I think she knew which version I was referring to LOL
Since I and most of the world am not your mother, “LOL,” please specify that next time.
I hope you read the second link and the second paragraph of the first link. In fact I recommend you read the entire article.
This situation is one of the reasons Christianity provides such immense pain for me; and why Christians and Jews will never truly be able to reconcile.
That’s all I’m going to say, before David comes in and chastises me for changing the topic at hand whenever this term is used by a commenter. But the principal is the same as when an atheist commenter comes to this site and starts bashing all Christians as being like Jerry Fallwell, Rick Warren, or even the infamous Phelps.
I’m not going to argue with you on the subject.
The term “modern-day pharisees”, as I originally said, should be clear enough: “those who are more interested in sweeping off everyone’s porch, instead of tending to their own”.
They’re also known as “busybodies”.
The best and most hilarious example is Edie McClurg as “Chastity Pariah”, in the 80’s film ‘Elvira – Mistress of the Dark’.
Maybe the phrase “that’s so gay” will someday also have two meanings, because homosexuality was associated with a negative existence. And so the phrase will remain in use even as gays gain complete acceptance in society, and the excuse will be made that “modern-day ‘that’s so gay'” (meaning “stupid” or “silly”) has nothing to do with homophobia since it’s acquired a context all its own.
I’ve heard people give me this excuse as a matter of fact.
Scott, if you are saying that the term “Pharisee” has gained a meaning among many that comes from what appears to be the corruption of a certain group at a certain time and place, then yes, I’m sure a lot of people will understand your meaning. Many would also understand the word “sodomite” and clearly get your point. In neither case does that fact mean that we must use those words, esp when doing so wrongly hurts so many people in the process.
If I understand correctly, Pharisees are to the Jews as important and cherished as say, the Apostles are to Christians. Many, even most were probably good, faithful servants. I can’t in good conscience ignore the NT references, but nothing there says that was the norm through the ages.
I’ve had to think about that quite a bit myself, so don’t feel alone.
… back to the discussion 😉
I appreciate that response, David. It sounds like you’ve done some homework, too. I can’t tell you how much that means to me.
I guess back to the discussion, I haven’t noticed a peep out of Thomas or Chambers regarding the layoffs. but like good politicians in the realm of “office politics,” nothing should be spoken.
Then again, isn’t Randy’s blog supposed to be “separate” and have nothing to do with Exodus? (at least that’s how he describes it.) So he should feel free to give his condolences or whatever.
Ensley is a frequent commenter on Thomas’ blog as well. I had the feeling they were close “internet buddies” if not good friends. I wonder if this will be affected.
Seriously, when you get fired from an ex-gay ministry, where do you go? Do you find another ex-gay ministry to work for? Is it like office jobs where when you get fired as a secretary you get a job at a different office being a secretary for them? This is the first time I’ve heard of layoffs at an ex-gay ministry – usually when someone is “fired” – from MY observation – it’s because of falling off the hetero wagon. And it’s not really a “firing” so much as a persistant urging to take a “leave” or go get “healed” so you can return to ministry. John Paulk experienced this. But even Michael Johnston is still in the ex-gay game I think. I wonder what Ensley’s qualifications for employment are.
And like just about everyone here, I wonder if – now that he’s out of the professional heterosexual business – he will remain ex-gay. He might. I’m sure there ARE “regular” ex-gays out there that quietly live their ex-gay lives without bashing other gays or parading their story of “change” to the world. I’m curious about those individuals, actually…
In these hard times, services like Exodus are non essential. Perhaps this is a time for the parents of gay young people and the young folks themselves to figure out that really understanding that being gay carries no urgency, except in their minds.
When you talk to those people who are upset that homosexuality was stricken from the DSM, few of them really know why except that militant gay people demanded it.
Funny thing about defining something by everything but what it is, if you press someone enough, they’ll see how wrong the ex gay movement is and will feel rooked for being scared into being parted with money better spent elsewhere.
Usually investing in becoming heterosexual, has no end game or guaranteed result.
I don’t know if I’ve mentioned this before, but there is this caricaturish, almost Disneyland type of way THESE ex gay go about being heterosexual.
I look at them and don’t recognize the real deal when I see it. Heterosexual lite….so to speak.
But heavy on every affectation that no heterosexual works that hard to maintain
It’s not funny. And explains why the usual ex gay WE know get so defensive.
Don’t want those cracks to show.
I never had to get with Jesus to be authentic, nor get married nor go tell it on the mountain that I’m SUCH a heterosexual.
Yeesh.
I think struggle makes any of us, gay or not…interesting. Authenticity makes us more approachable and real.
God knows who we are, and anyone should be able to present that real self to their fellow human beings.
Sometimes, I see black women be a real slave to their hair resembling that of white women. It’s SO expensive and requires a lot of support.
Sometimes I guess the same could be said of balding men.
I remember when I first shaved my head after one bad hair day too many. How absolutely liberating.
I get Mike Ensley’s EY newsletters and the buzz words about freedom and struggle ARE wrapped up too much in a hetero ideal.
Just like the beauty standards most black women of my generation were exposed to a white ideal.
Who says it’s the way one has to be for happiness?
Authenticity is freedom. Facing reality is too. Being truly honest is liberation.
Heterosexuality guarantees nothing, except you won’t be challenged so much when you want to marry.
But even getting married is elusive for so many.
And singletons tend to have another kind of stigma.
As do child free women who choose it.
Approachability doesn’t seem possible with ex gays. So many seem too fragile for the sort of interaction that makes being bothered worthwhile.
That’s a lot of work.
I might be generalizing, but they are guiltier of it, at a price.
I won’t weep for the layoffs. They have to understand they aren’t as needed as THEY think they are and should consider retooling their focus.