Today, there are those wanting Christianity, but not without sexual expression. In short, they want it all, a common malady of our time. Today, even knowing the Scriptural condemnations of homosexual practice in both the Old and New Testaments as being clear and final, there are those on a continued quest to find some way to get around them. Any sexual behavior outside of heterosexual marriage, whether heterosexual or homosexual is sin, and is forbidden by the Word of God. It does not matter, in the end, whether we can explain why God has spoken in the way He has; the essential issue is what He has spoken.

C.S. Lewis once wrote, “No amount of falls will really undo us if we keep picking ourselves up each time. We will, of course, be very muddy and tattered children by the time we reach home, but the bathrooms are ready, the towels put out and the clean clothes are waiting. The only fatal thing is to lose one’s temper and give up. It is when we notice the dirt, that God is present in us. It is the very sign of His presence.”

During my twenty years of ministry, I have often noticed that it is often the individual’s disposition that renders them powerless to do what they know they should do. With so many completely consumed by focusing upon and addressing their “sin,” how is it the huge aspect of “our will,” which is quite profound, is often not considered and even dismissed? If “I can’t or I won’t” is present, I submit the critical issue is not one of sin but of the will.

God tells us clearly in His Word that we all must abide (live continually) in His Word enabling us to become His disciples (learners who do not resist His teachings) and then we will know the truth and it is the truth that will set us free. Far too many today are banking on ‘love’ to set them free. This is a huge lie that has enslaved many. When you look at the root causes of heterosexual sexual addiction and homosexual practice, it is obvious they are rooted in the lie that someone of the same or opposite sex will be everything anyone could possibly need.

In order to obey God, our thinking must change to align with His. Admittedly, this can be much easier said than done because over time, we have been introduced, if not bombarded with lies – many of which we have chosen to embrace and believe. Lies left unattended or addressed have the potential to develop into strongholds in our lives and also have the potential to become the foundation from which we form our self-worth and identity which directly impacts our walk with Christ greatly.

Romans 6:17-18 tells us, “But thanks be to God that though you used to be slaves to sin, you whole-heartedly obeyed the form of teaching to which you have been entrusted. You have been set free from sin and have become slaves to righteousness.”

So it is proven here by the Word of God that all Christians can be set free from being slaves to sin. That said, I believe it is critically important we all realize that being a slave to sin is more than just sinning. Every man and woman who lives on this earth sins, but those who are slaves to sin make the choice (exercising our free-will) to follow the evil desires and walk after the flesh and not the Spirit. Therefore, to hear and know that there is freedom from being a slave to sin,
homosexually or heterosexually, is truly good news. This is the grace of God.

Our personal choice, responsibility and action is to exchange the lies we have embraced for the truth – and, live by the truth. Then we will be set free by the power of living by the truth and not the lies. So break the power of statements of discouragement and hopelessness such as “I’ll never be free,” by exercising your will and choose to say the truth, “God is setting me free by the power of His truth as I learn to live by it.”

John 8:31-32 clearly states, “If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. Then you will know the truth and the truth will set you free.”

Wake up every morning and thank God for whom you truly are in Him. Exercise your free-will and put off the old man and put on the new. God has pledged to deliver those who agree with His judgment of homosexual practice and heterosexual sexual brokenness. By pursuing God’s truth and aligning our will with His, the man or woman in bondage will be washed, sanctified and justified (1 Corinthians 6:11) and set free (John 8:32, 36).

Ultimately, it is only when we pursue Truth that we are able to know true love and share it with others (1 Peter 1:22). There is no security or freedom in homosexual practice or heterosexual sexual sin, only dependency, bondage, neediness, perversity, addiction and death. Today, set your will in His and declare, “…yet not my will, but yours be done.” (Luke 22:42)

From All of Us at His Way Out Ministries…

To each of you who continually bless us by your encouragement, ministry participation, monthly financial support, offerings, and prayers…we remain truly grateful. His Way Out Ministries is proclaiming to, educating and impacting the world with the biblical truth that freedom from homosexuality is possible when Jesus Christ if Lord of your life.

Pastor Phillip Lee
Executive Director
His Way Out Ministries

© copyright His Way Out Ministries

For Immediate Press Release – June 27, 2013
Response to Exodus International Closure and U.S. Supreme Court Rulings on Same-Sex Marriage

The His Way Out Ministries Executive Board/Officers and Advisory Council grieves the recent closure of Exodus International and decisions of the U.S. Supreme Court with regard to same-sex marriage. Once a powerful Christian ministry, Exodus International represented a considerable network of referral ministries dedicated to working with Christians who struggled with unwanted same-sex attractions. His Way Out Ministries joined Exodus in 1995 and became a referral ministry. However, several months ago, His Way Out Ministries withdrew membership from Exodus due to their adoption of new philosophies and interpretations of Scripture.

His Way Out Ministries continues to stand upon The Authority of Scripture and we remain committed to the biblical witness believing Scripture clearly defines homosexual practice, in any form and to any degree, incompatible with Christian teaching and conduct.

It must be recognized the push for the legalization of same-sex marriage remains a key component of achieving the legitimacy and social acceptance of homosexual practice. Western culture, and America in particular, is now faced with a challenge the significance of which is nearly impossible to exaggerate.

The truths must be spoken about homosexuality and same-sex marriage, and they must be spoken in love. That is, with compassion, understanding, and also with the full knowledge that truth is not always a soothing balm.

His Way Out Ministries is bound by love to speak the truth about homosexuality and same-sex marriage; this alone holds out the hope for true sexual liberation and personal wholeness – to the individual, family, and nation.

The only morally adequate response to homosexuality and same-sex marriage is that which combines compassion with understanding and the recognition that American society, in an amoral pursuit of pleasure at any price, and in any form, threatens to undermine all of America’s values and institutions.

Pastor Phillip Lee
Executive Director
His Way Out Ministries

His Way Out Ministries remains:

• Concerned regarding the issue of homosexuality and will continue to seek to minister to those within The Church and the community at large, with the Truth of Scripture, the power of testimony and the dialog of issues.
• Dedicated to raising awareness, educating, and encouraging The Church to minister to those with unwanted same-gender attraction. We believe restoration and wholeness is available through a personal relationship with Jesus Christ and the healing power of the Holy Spirit.
• Committed to lovingly communicate that God’s mercy and grace is available and sufficient for transformation. Restoration and wholeness, through competent ministry and a caring Christian community, is possible.
• Committed to effectively and compassionately communicating God’s heart concerning homosexual practice, in any form and to any degree, while disputing the unchangeable nature of sexual orientation.

The position of His Way Out Ministries rests on the Authority of Scripture. Therefore, we do not condone the practice of homosexuality and consider such practice incompatible with Christian teaching and conduct.

Founded in August 1994, His Way Out Ministries remains a network of individuals, families, ministries and churches dedicated to offering hope to those impacted by sexual and relational brokenness. We repudiate any non-loving, prejudicial attitudes that deny Christ’s unconditional love for all persons and declare such to be sin. Our intent is to extend a compassionate Christian ministry for such persons.

For more information, please contact Pastor Phillip Lee, Executive Director of His Way Out Ministries.

All His Way Out Ministries Services are centered on the biblical foundations of compassion, integrity, and dependence on God.

Because of my travels to churches and conferences, I come in contact with numerous Christians from all denominations. I am continually alarmed by the number of Christians that have been sexually active in ways that place them at great risk of contacting the HIV virus, which causes AIDS. Frankly, sometimes I come away from certain conversations wondering, “What’s the difference between the Church and the world?” when it comes to sexual involvement.

We have all heard the statement, “God hates sin but loves the sinner.” It has been my experience – both professionally and personally – that this is a true statement. Scripturally speaking, it is an undeniable fact that God hates sin. He hates every act of sin that has ever been committed. In fact, He intensely hates it because He understands that it ruins lives, destroys families and corrupts society. Ultimately, God cannot tolerate it because it does so much damage to people’s lives.

Experts agree that the answer to stopping the AIDS epidemic globally is not treatment, but prevention. They also agree that the best hope for prevention lies in changing human behavior. Never has the need and the opportunity been greater for the Christian community to take the lead in responding to this continuing crisis with conviction and compassion.

The global crisis of HIV/AIDS cries out for a united Christian response – a response that demonstrates the compassion of Jesus Christ while it declares the life-changing principles of God’s Word.

I remain convinced that God birthed , organized, equipped and continues to build His Church for the purpose of being the answer to many of life’s problems. We, The Church, are to be a lifeline for those struggling with sexual and relational brokenness, and most certainly health issues.

Therefore, with so much at stake, I wish to assure you that His Way Out Ministries will remain dedicated to continually resist popular trends toward licentiousness – the minimization of evil. Be assured that His Way Out Ministries does hate sin but loves sinners.

The program, Religious Hard Talk – Television Jamaica, is a hard-hitting, controversial and thought provoking series by renowned journalist Ian Boyne. In a no holds barred interview, Mr. Boyne focused considerably on the impact of homosexuality on my family. The entire interview is available on our Vimeo Channel and is also accessible from our Media page.

How well I remember having to tell my own family of my issue of same-gender attraction. While my confession occurred many, many years ago, I vividly recall having to pick my mother up from the kitchen floor. Literally! The ironic truth is that while I felt an immediate sense of relief that “the problem” was now out, my parents, friends, and family members were instantly projected into a state of fear, bewilderment and consumed with a myriad of questions.

Pastor Phillip Lee and Ian Boyne on Religious Hard Talk

Picking up the pieces of life after declaring one is homosexual is a difficult task. Take just a moment and remember the occasion when you first learned about your loved one’s homosexuality. No doubt, many emotions surfaced, with some of them tumbling over each other in rapid succession. Shock, anger, disbelief, guilt, depression, denial, sadness, and maybe, just maybe a sense of relief occurred because the truth was finally out. Responses vary with the personalities of the individuals involved.

For many, many years now, I have met with numerous people that have the same questions you have right now. Without a doubt, parents always search for what, if anything did they do wrong. Immediately, there is a driven purpose to discover what they might say or do to “change” their son or daughter. Wives have come my way wondering if the man they thought they knew was really just some stranger they had never known. And, I have had far too many tearful sessions with parents devastated by the tragic reality of learning of their child contracting AIDS.

Having waded through years of healing, discipleship, study and countless times of surrender, for me the entire topic of homosexuality is far more than professional – it’s personal. When homosexuality hit my family many years ago, it brought indescribable pain and misunderstanding with it; largely, if not entirely, because no one had any understanding about the behavior. Frankly, the only comment anyone could make who knew was – “It’s wrong!” Today, just like way back then, “that’s not good enough.”

While anger may be the first emotion to surface, “grief” will follow closely on its heels.

For the man/woman struggling with same-gender attraction: Grief is a given. Each man or woman will grieve not measuring up, rejection of society, peer pressure, being shunned by family and friends, and…disappointing God.

For the parent: Grief will occur in their hopes and dreams becoming shattered, leaving them wondering “What did I do wrong that caused this?” Grief will occur by the parent wondering what will the future bring if my child continues on the path of homosexuality.

For the spouse: There will be an instant and debilitating battle in the mind and heart of “How do I combat this?” As a result, mourning and grieving will do their utmost to make themselves at home.

For the friend: Grief will accompany a truckload of frustrations resulting in “I’m going to get all the information available and lay it on him/her!”

How is it that many do not consider and even possibly dismiss that God Himself grieves over anyone having to combat same-gender attraction because this is a behavior, not unlike many others, that was never His plan or intention?

Allow time for the grieving process. Spend time with the Lord, allowing Him to speak to the hurt that you are experiencing. It is not disgraceful or shameful to feel great pain, a sense of loss or to weep over it. Frankly, when we receive advice telling us not to grieve, it robs us of a very normal and needful response to any trauma in life. Some, however, in an attempt to deal with the traumas of their lives, make inner vows never to cry again. This, I believe, is not healthy because it possibly places us in a state of being incapable of feeling anything – including the love and compassion of the Lord. Giving ourselves permission to grieve enables us to give our grief over to the Lord who “carried our sorrows” (Isaiah 53:4) in His death on the Cross.

Yes, homosexuality is one of the various and numerous behaviors God commands every man and woman to refrain from practicing. So, do not ever compromise your beliefs about homosexuality. Relationships can be preserved without compromise. Indeed, appropriate boundaries will need to be established and some negotiating with regard to mutual respect and patience. It is possible to be both honest and loving while remaining firm in our convictions.

Whether you have come face-to-face with your own issue of same-gender attraction or face-to-face with a loved one’s homosexuality, I guarantee you will become more aware than ever of your inability to face life’s challenges apart from the grace of God. Yes, when homosexuality surfaces in a marriage, family, friendship, or church, in some respects life may never be quite the same again.

I came to understand that God’s promises of mercy are to all that trust in Christ and I was challenged to accept them by simple faith. The more I developed my intimate relationship with Jesus, the more my fears subsided, and, in their place, peace and confidence grew.

It is very, very important to remember that God does bring good out of trouble. Otherwise sorrow will swallow us up. Homosexuality took my self-respect and gave me guilt, took my honor and gave me shame, took my honesty and gave me a double life, took gentleness and made me a deceiving, angry man. However, out of all that stuff, came a close walk with God, freedom, strength and vulnerability to help others, and maybe, just maybe, the beginning of wisdom. It’s been quite a journey and all worth while.

Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead. I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus. (Philippians 3:13-14).

Pastor Phillip Lee
Executive Director
His Way Out Ministries

© copyright His Way Out Ministries