It recognized "that there are among us persons who experience themselves as having a homosexual orientation. Many of these are members of the Church and are seeking the pastoral care, moral direction of the Church, and God's transforming power for the living of their lives and the ordering of relationships."

The resolution went to on to call Anglicans to commit themselves to listen to the experience of homosexual persons and to assure them that they are loved by God and that all baptised, believing and faithful persons, regardless of sexual orientation, are full members of the Body of Christ."

The resolution rejected homosexual practice as incompatible with Scripture, and called on all people to minister pastorally and sensitively to all irrespective of sexual orientation and to condemn irrational fear of homosexuals, violence within marriage and any trivialisation and commercialisation of sex. It also could not advise the legitimising or blessing of same sex unions nor ordaining those involved in same gender unions and requested the Primates and the ACC to establish a means of monitoring the work done on the subject of human sexuality in the Communion and to share statements and resources among us.

Since that was written endless papers have been written about exactly what it means to "minister pastorally" to homosexuals.

While orthodox Anglicans remained largely silent, cowed by aggressive homosexuals in the US and UK, activist Anglican and Episcopal homosexuals went on a rampage accusing African and orthodox Episcopalians and Anglicans of homophobia and worse, honing in on one aspect of the resolution, "to listen to the experience of homosexuals."

This resulted in an Orwellian move by the Anglican Communion Office in London recently establishing a department of "listening" to the whine of gays with the long term view of brokering them and their behavior into the church. Whether this succeeds or not only time will tell. Western provinces have all but formally approved of same sex blessings and the U.S. has consecrated an openly homoerotic man to the highest office in the church.

The truth is, "listeners" and those whining about "listening" don't want to listen to counselors who offer hope of healing or those who have been rescued from the lifestyle. To do so would be to admit that those participating in this deadly game of Russian roulette with their bodies have got it all wrong, and those willing to participate and engage in their own healing might just be right!

What was largely ignored in the resolution by all and sundry was the call to "minister pastorally" to homosexuals and to offer them "God's transforming power for the living of their lives and the ordering of relationships."

Few, if any orthodox bishops in the Episcopal Church or Church of England have done that, leaving the field wide open to pansexualists to push their agenda for full acceptance of their lifestyle and behavior, resulting in local option allowing rites for same sex blessings to continue unabated as well as the ordination of avowed sodomists to the priesthood and the episcopacy. It has been a roller coaster ride of pansexual acceptance never before seen in the entire 2,000-year history of the Christian Church.

There has been a shameful silence by orthodox bishops in ministering pastorally to homosexuals, largely, one suspects, out of fear that false scientific views concluded that sexual orientation was immutable and change impossible. They have been cowed into silence.

There have been a number of thoughtful books and biblical exegesis done on homosexuality including theologian Dr. Robert Gagnon's superb analytical exegesis on Homosexuality and the Bible; apologetics by Dr. Earle Fox and scientific and psychiatric work done by Dr. Jeffrey Satinover and many others.

But there has been little offered in the way of practical advice about how to actually get help for homosexuals and how they can change and be transformed by the power of the Holy Spirit.

Tim Wilkins, a Baptist and former homosexual, now happily married, heads up Cross Ministry, Inc. (Cross) a Christian organization giving visibility to the reality of change for the homosexual through Jesus Christ. "Cross seeks to glorify God through the Lord Jesus Christ who is the Bridegroom of the Church, in the unparalleled power of the Holy Spirit. Among the tangible expressions of that purpose is to equip local congregations to evangelize and disciple the homosexual and assimilate them into the ministry of the church."

Wilkins has stepped up to the plate with practical ways a person can locate a Counselor for the person with unwanted same-sex attractions. In a recent article he says that locating an experienced counselor who will help a person overcome unwanted same-sex attractions can be a long and arduous task but it can be done.

He writes: Because this form of counseling is "politically incorrect" among many counselors, strugglers and/or their family and friends need to know how to investigate and secure a counselor who shares their belief–that freedom is possible. When I am contacted by someone needing counseling for homosexuality, I immediately refer them to an Exodus member ministry in their area. (www.exodus.to) Sometimes distance makes this unfeasible. Simply picking up the phone and making an appointment with the first counselor to answer can be a horrible mistake.

Thus, I have specific guidelines for those seeking such help. While calling one's pastor for a referral is helpful, oftentimes he may not know who to suggest, he says. "Go through the yellow pages and begin calling counselors.

Do not assume that the designation "Christian or Biblical Counseling" means what you think it means. When you get a counselor on the phone, tell them "I need help for someone who is experiencing anxiety regarding same-sex attractions." Do not say "I need help for a man/woman who is experiencing unwanted same-sex attractions"; you do not want to tip your hand with the word "unwanted."

By using the word "unwanted," you are telling the counselor up front that the struggler wants freedom-- thus allowing the counselor to modify his/her comments in order to get another client in the door, even if he or she does not believe in or advocate freedom. (If you get an answering machine or a receptionist, leave your phone number for them to return your call; DO NOT give details.)

After this brief introduction, immediately ask this diagnostic question, "what approach do you take with such a client?" Say nothing more; wait in complete silence for their response.

If the counselor asks a question before responding to your question, politely but firmly repeat your question with a slight variation, "how do you go about dealing with such a person?" Maintain control of the conversation-- after all you made the phone call. Refuse to be drawn into answering qualifying questions. If the counselor cannot or will not tell you their approach, thank them for their time and end the call.

If the counselor is candid and says he deals only with the homosexual's anxiety versus freedom, again politely end the call. He is not what you are looking for. If the counselor's answers are solidly biblical, press further.

If the counselor uses biblical terminology, but comes across with simplistic answers such as "I teach him how to trust the Lord," or "I share the gospel and tell her to repent," again politely end the phone call. What you want to hear is a lucid, compassionate, biblical response that homosexual behavior is sin and freedom is possible through Jesus Christ. When you get the appropriate response, ask what books they have read on the subject and how much experience they have had counseling in this area."

Wilkins urged inquirers to listen for book titles such as:

Someone I Love is Gay by Bob Davies & Anita Worthen
Homosexual No More by Bill Consiglio
Setting Love in Order by Mario Bergner Homosexuality
The Politics of Truth by Dr. Jeffrey Satinover
Coming Out of Homosexuality by Bob Davies & Lori Rentzel
Out of Egypt by Jeanette Howard
Desires in Conflict-- When Homosexuality Hits Home--A Strong
Delusion by Joe Dallas Unwanted Harvest? by Mona Riley and Brad Sargent
Straight and Narrow? by Thomas Schmidt
Loving Homosexuals as Jesus Would by Chad Thompson

The above books are classics advocating change for the homosexual. If you continue to get positive responses from the counselor, set an appointment for you or your loved one.

Wilkins ministry can be reached at www.crossministry.org and his personal testimony of God's love that embodies change can be found here: http://www.crossministry.org/Obedience.htm

END

Book Reviews

Recommended books for those dealing with these issues personally, and for those in positions of pastoral care:

Leanne Payne: Crisis in Masculinity (ISBN: 080105320X) Mrs Payne investigates the background reasons for many of the issues in gender and sexuality that we face today, particularly in western societies. This book will help everyone to grow in their understanding of themselves and others. Mrs Payne provides insights and examples from her own many years' experience of ministering to men and women suffering from issues related to the lack of proper understanding of the masculine and feminine in our society. The thoroughly Christ-centred understanding of reality that Mrs Payne demonstrates is combined with her deep knowledge and understanding of psychology and a great love towards all those who are trying to follow Christ, making this a very powerful book. Especially those who do not have real hope for healing should read it: they might find hope restored.

Mario Bergner: Setting Love in Order (ISBN: 080105186X) Mario has extensive experience of healing in the area of sexuality - his own personal experience is combined with the experiences and understanding he has gained over many years of ministry. His own story is a powerful testimony to the power of the Spirit, but Mario does not stop there; as Andy Comiskey put it, "the truths that Mario discovered over the course of his healing fan out like flames and inspire us on to a deeper and more authentic reliance upon Christ."

Leanne Payne: The Healing Presence (ISBN: 080105348X), and Restoring the Christian Soul (ISBN: 0801056993) These two books are a must-read for anyone committed to ministry. This is serious Christian psychology and spiritual theology, crammed with insights and examples, dealing in depth with issues of psychological harm and spiritual warfare - and explaining the distinction. Her critique of Jung from a Christian perspective is masterly, and, apart from her extensive quoting of Scripture, she also quotes from C.S. Lewis, Tolstoy, Solzhenitsyn, Hopko, the SSJE's Manual for Priests, Dr Frank Lake and Oswald Chambers, among others; has anyone involved in the healing ministry so thoroughly Christian a worldview as Mrs Payne?

Robert Gagnon: The Bible and Homosexual Practice (ISBN: 0687022797) Published in 2001, this is the 'most thorough analysis to date of the biblical texts relating to homosexuality'. Gagnon rigorously engages scholars on both sides of the debate, takes context seriously, and in addition to covering all the relevant scriptural texts, devotes a sizeable chapter to a discussion of the hermeneutical relevance of the biblical witness. According to John Barton (Oxford's Professor of the Interpretation of Holy Scripture), "No Christian concerned with homosexuality can afford to ignore this book. Agree with the conclusions or not, it presents a meticulous scholarly account of biblical and post-biblical traditions about same-sex relationships, and shows the weakness of many modern discussions."

Drexel Gomez, Andrew Goddard and Peter Walker: True Union in the Body? This is a relatively short booklet, designed as "a contribution to the discussion within the Anglican Communion concerning the public blessing of same-sex unions", commissioned by Drexel Gomez, Archbishop of the West Indies. It is a good brief survey of the context of contemporary culture, the scriptural witness, pastoral responses and political issues in the Church.