Focus on the Family’s conference on homosexuality joins Exodus’ expanding church outreach
Orlando, FL. — Focus on the Family’s Love Won Out conference on homosexuality will be moving to Exodus International starting November, the longtime allies announced today. The move is a logical step not only for both organizations, but also for a movement that has educated and equipped Christians for decades about the reality that unwanted same-sex attractions can be overcome.
Exodus is making church education a priority effort. Recently, Exodus announced it was merging with outreach ministries of the Presbyterian and Reformed faith communities as well as The United Methodist Church. Those new partnerships will focus on equipping churches with a biblical perspective of sexuality and gender – efforts critical in continuing the original mission of the Love Won Out conference.
“Exodus is thrilled with this opportunity as the Love Won Out conference is a natural fit in our ongoing efforts to share the hope we’ve found,” said Alan Chambers, President of Exodus International. “Love Won Out has been and will continue to be a powerful event dedicated to helping the global Christian church better understand and more effectively reflect biblical truth and Christ-like compassion to a hurting world.”
Focus on the Family launched Love Won Out in 1998 to educate and equip Christians on how to respond to the issue of homosexuality in a biblical way, and has traveled to more than 50 cities worldwide with its message of truth and grace. The conference has always featured Exodus speakers and highlighted Exodus member ministries.
“There is no one better equipped to take over the operation of Love Won Out than Alan and his team,” said Focus on the Family’s Melissa Fryrear, a Love Won Out speaker and host for more than six years. “They have been with us since the beginning. They have stood alongside us in sharing the hope that, with Christ, transformation is possible for those unhappy with same-sex attractions. And we will stand alongside them as they continue to share that message as the organizer of Love Won Out.”
Focus on the Family’s gender team will continue its efforts tracking and analyzing homosexuality and its surrounding issues, as well as providing expert support to other Focus departments and practical help to its constituents.
Gary Schneeberger, vice president of media and public relations for the ministry, acknowledged that financial realities played a role in the conference’s transition to Exodus.
“Everyone knows these are challenging times for organizations and individuals all across the globe,” he said. “It is not an inexpensive undertaking to put on a Love Won Out event; and contrary to what our detractors say, the conferences rarely have recouped the financial investment made in them. That is a cost we have always paid because of the positive impact the events have had.
“With Exodus moving aggressively to strengthen its church outreach, though, they are the ones who ought to be shepherding Love Won Out as it continues on in its second decade. Our financial challenges have led us to recognize a strategic opportunity that makes sense independent of economic circumstances.”
Focus on the Family will continue to support the Love Won Out conference financially, and by providing speakers and marketing support. “Focus remains very committed to sharing biblical view of homosexuality,” said Fryrear. “After all, we’re still in the truth and grace business.”
Focus on the Family will lead its last Love Won Out conference in Birmingham, Ala. on Nov. 7.
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I attended one of these years ago to write about it, and felt like my soul was just *beat* for weeks afterwards.
Schadenfreude is definitely a sometimes food, but I think I’ll allow myself just a nibble here. I know this doesn’t mean it’s over, but I’ll take hurting. After all, they’ve caused lots of hurt with these conferences.
No money, not love from FotF!
I don’t see how they can lose money from these. Their costs are:
Rent – From a church or para-church so I’m sure they get a good deal
Speakers – A half dozen or dozen who work for Exodus or FotF anyway
Organization – People to take your money and give you a info packet. When I went, some, maybe all, were volunteers
Marketing – Hmmm…. Their billboard over I70 in the heart of St. Louis was surely expensive. How much does it cost to send a brochure to the area churches?
They make money on
Admission – We paid $30 a head
Food – $5 bottled water
Books
Donations
Therapists – Get more business
They’re not making a killing, but all-in-all, they must be making a profit.
Ephilei, you’re absolutely right. If there was enough interest in these conferences then the number of people coming would more than fund the effort. The problem for them is the nasty little secret is starting to get out that people, even Christians, cannot change their sexual orientation. I bit into the apple for five years worth of reparative therapy that changed not one ounce of my being gay. Finally, I had to admit that maybe I misunderstood the Bible, and that’s when true healing came. Alan Chamber’s and other “ex-gays” are at least starting to be a bit more honest on what they are actually promoting and it’s sort of an unspoken I think now in these churches that gay-to-straight just doesn’t happen and the lack of interest in these conferences testifies to this fact.
Given the cost of renting a highway billboard and travel expenses for all the Focus/Exodus staffers I don’t really believe LWO turns a profit, especially at some of the lower attendance numbers we’ve been hearing about recently.
@Dan I think you’re right. But if they cut out the billboards they’d do alright. I can’t imagine a single person goes to Love Won Out because they see a billboard.
I agree but the billboard does get lots of locals riled up and often results in additional news coverage leading up to the conference.
Like Jesus fish and bumperstickers, LWO’s billboards are probably not effective at recruiting new ex-gays, but that isn’t their point. Like Jesus fish and bumperstickers, LWO’s billboards and conferences are about rallying straight social conservatives. Hence why I’ve only seen LWO and it’s billboards come to my town in advance of an anti-gay ballot measure to affirm a ‘compassionate conservative’ way to discriminate against LGBTs.