About a month ago, the Lord connected me to a couple of believers here in Shreveport , Louisiana who also share the desire to see people who struggle with homosexuality get the Christian support, Scriptural understanding and life-transforming grace they need. For quite a while these men had been in the planning stages of launching Overcomers of Northwest Louisiana, a Christian support group for those struggling with same sex attraction….and I just so happened to get connected with them (in a rather odd way; it was surely of God) the week before the first meeting. While I could clearly see God’s hand in all of this, I had some hesitations about this “group”….was this just going to be another reparative therapy thing? Was it going to be Christ centered? Many questions ran through my mind…. but now after attending the first 2 weekly support group meetings, all of that uneasiness been put to rest.
Overcomers of Northwest Louisiana is facilitated by a godly man (contact info will be below) who does not struggle with homosexuality. This in itself was miraculous to me… that someone who doesn’t struggle with SSA would be moved enough by the Spirit to start a group like this. The past 2 meetings have been so encouraging for me personally… for one, just to be reminded that I am not the only one who deals with this weakness. The conversation is gospel centered and Christ exalting.
Obviously, many people who deal with this aren’t as “open” as I am with it…. which is why confidentiality and integrity is a priority of Overcomers. They also strive to make sure that this won’t be a temptation enabling environment. The time and place of the weekly meeting is not advertised or given until one goes through the intake process and talks to Keith, the facilitator. Pastors are welcome to sit in on the meetings, but are also held to the same level of confidentiality as everyone else.
For more information, contact Keith McMaster at info@trinitycounselingllc.com or call Trinity Counseling at 318-230-0599.
BRAVO!!! Matt, thank you for sharing this info with us.
You’re about as far from the truth as a man can be.
@Rich Why do you say that this being “as far from the truth as a man can be”.
Hi Matt. You openly mention : “aren’t as “open” as I am with it….” Most men probably struggle with the admiration of same sex bodies as long as they live. Certainly, not only me is glancing sideways in the gym changing rooms and at urinals. Furthermore, all people desire friendships. Will it not be most supportive in your struggle, should you actively engage in closer relationships with females ? I cannot believe that you may find yourself completely unable to endure the company of an attractive woman to a restaurant, with some kissing and togetherness afterwards. Such friendships may develop into a more predominant heterosexual orientation.
I have been saved for about 8yrs and speaking from my own experience, I don’t have much in common with women as far as wanting to hang out and shop at the mall, etc. I have a straight male friend and I would rather hang out with him, because there is no expectations. We work on cars or fix others things and I have more in common with him. Yes I am gay. No I don’t sleep with other men, God delivered me from that temptation and now I find it disgusting the things I used to do. I’m was not made straight and my struggle to here has been long and difficult at times but thanks be to God who with every temptation leaves us a way out. I can and have dinned with women but I have no desire for more than their friendship. As for glancing, etc, God expects us to exhibt some self-control. Compair it to when you were in school and keep your eyes on your own paper…lol
Oh Willie,
That comment was some completely and utterly misguided and uneducated. This is not the 1950s. Even most ex-gay ministries are now taking the stance that orientation does not change.
I wish you well Matt! I love all of your blogs!
As a Senior Pastor of a thriving church, I couldn’t be more proud of you Matt. Don’t be discouraged by comments that tear down instead of build up. Just pray for the individual and move on.
Pastor I was telling Matt that the ugly comments just show that he is in the will of God. Why else would the devil try to hard and consistently to fog the issue.
what an awesome resource for you all….. especially the “entrance” process — that is soo good. What a safe place. Obviously God designed this for this group in this place… and for you specifically as well – right time right place. praising Him with you for such a blessing!
At James: I fail to understand your premise. Matt is struggling with (his) same sex attraction. Against the background of his Christian beliefs I have gathered that he desires to completely break from his current sexual orientation. What support and advice are you providing him with ? Do you then believe that his struggle is incurable and that he will need to live with that ? Does the solution for his dilemma probably then lie in castrastion in order to get rid of testosterone? Do you accept that he may vomit on any attractive woman that he may engage in a conversation with ?
Finally, I do not at all agree with you that sexual orientation cannot change. An abundance of literature and testimonies are available regarding sexual orientation changes that have been achieved, maybe not 180 degrees, but often significant for relief in guilt and burning desires.
Willie I prayed and prayed for God to change me. Please God take these feelings away and change me. One night while I prayed for this the Lord spoke to me and said, “Bryan I tell you what I told Paul. My grace is sufficient for thee. My strenght is made perfect in weakness.” The devil was allowed to give me this “thorn in my side” to keep me humble lest I think to highly of myself. God’s wisdom is so much higher than any human’s and to question God is foolish. We (True Christians) live by faith and the scripture teaches us that we are not and can not reach perfection in these bodies of flesh.
Of course, I’m telling you, him and anyone who is reading this that sexuality is incurable. Its in our brain… its in our DNA. Even the head of Exodus International had admitted that “curing” it or change is not possible.
http://www.advocate.com/arts-entertainment/television/2012/08/21/breaking-news-exodus-leaders-shocking-revelation-tonight
I am a gay man. After 26 years of trying to pray it away, I finally accepted the fact that my sexuality was not going to change. I was fearfully and wonderfully made by God. At that moment, the chains fell off. The guilt left. I stopped living my life by literally (and not historically contextually) reading a handful of Biblical passage. I like the old expression….. if it isn’t broke…. Why TRY to fix it. Just the ideas that came to your mind (castration?) are silly and so 1950s. If more people who read this blog would spend as much time reading about what science says about sexuality as they seem to read into the Bible’s interpretation of sexuality. We probably wouldn’t be having this conversation. This blog probably wouldn’t exist.
James,
If it is not issue with you then why does it bother that Matt has chosen by the Grace of God to walk away from his old life including the gay lifestyle? There are two ways to approach the issue of determining what is moral. The scriptures which lasted the test of time which have proven themselves to bring hope and deliverance to millions or lets look what is happening to our society using your moral logic. I hate using using this example but it shows that our morals need to be based on something else than I was born with it or lets not be judgmental.
You keep arguing is we should not be judgmental and instead just be accepting of other sexual choices? What about the following?
Just a few days Nick Cassavetes in a interview with “The Wrap” said about his most recent movie “Yellow” which is about incest stated that his whole movie is about judgment, and lack of it, and doing what you want.
“Who gives a (removed) if people judge you?” he continued. “I’m not saying this is an absolute but in a way, if you’re not having kids – who gives a (removed)? Love who you want. Isn’t that what we say? Gay marriage – love who you want? If it’s your brother or sister it’s super-weird, but if you look at it, you’re not hurting anybody except every single person who freaks out because you’re in love with one another.”
These is an extreme example but it only confirms the reality that trusting our subjective reasoning can make us will eventually lead us to deception. We need God’s grace because the worst thing that can happened to any of us is being given over to our inborn carnal desires. Christ came in love to rescue all of us from sin in us which is extremely deceptive and satan who is an angel of light who wants to keep us in the dark about the true nature of sin. My only boast is Christ and I know that without him that I am not any better than anyone else. Christ died for us while we were sinners because he loves us because of his love and wants us from sin’s deadly grip on us. I depend on Grace found in Christ alone and the power of the Holy Spirit to walk daily in victory despite sin’s pull on me.
Christ loves you and we can trust his promise that his death and resurrection paid the price and made us free.
References:
http://www.thewrap.com/movies/column-post/toronto-film-fest-nick-cassevetes-incest-who-gives-damn-love-who-you-want-55581
Freedomcampus,
First off…… “gay” is not a lifestyle. I am gay. My lifestyle includes working full-time for a large corporation, travel, friends, volleyball, fitness, etc.
You know what. I agree with every word that man said that you posted. The key word is LOVE. He isn’t talking about sex. So many Christians can’t seem to be able to see the difference between the two. I see nothing morally wrong between two people loving one another. Period.
I think it is great that Matt has left his destructive “lifestyle”. The destructive part was not the “gay” part. The destructive part was the promiscuity, over-indulging in Alcohol, etc. Being gay does not automatically include the baggage of promiscuity, drug abuse and sexually transmitted diseases.
Hi Matt,
I have just read your latest write-up. As a fellow christian I agree with your views 100%.
Kindly do not believe the teachings of those who who are trying to imprint on you that the same-sex desires have been created in your genes and are uncurable. A multitude of evidence and testimonies to the contrary exist.
I accept that you have prayed about this issue many many times and are still doing so. Do not stop. We believe in an Almighty God. Absolutely nothing is impossible for God to turn around. He has the power to do whatever He believes is in your interest and that would ultimately serve you best.
Kindly read what the Bible teaches in Luke 18:
Luk 18:1 And he (Jesus) told them a parable to the effect that they ought always to pray and not lose heart.
Luk 18:2 He said, “In a certain city there was a judge who neither feared God nor respected man.
Luk 18:3 And there was a widow in that city who kept coming to him and saying, ‘Give me justice against my adversary.’
Luk 18:4 For a while he refused, but afterward he said to himself, ‘Though I neither fear God nor respect man,
Luk 18:5 yet because this widow keeps bothering me, I will give her justice, so that she will not beat me down by her continual coming.’
Luk 18:6 And the Lord said, “Hear what the unrighteous judge says.
Luk 18:7 And will not God give justice to his elect, who cry to him day and night? Will he delay long over them?
Trust God and place this issue in the hands of God.
I cannot accept that it is completely impossible for you to one day meet a good lady and to fall in love with her. Have you passionately requested God to bring such woman into your life? Why will God deny you such blessing?
P.S. I am thinking about your work in New Orleans. It may not be a healthy lifestyle to be in the presence of men most of the time (although converted to christianity). Would it not be beneficial to avoid the company of sexually attractive men, when you are not busy with spreading the Gospel and assisting men who are struggling to get out of homosexuality ? There are probably thousands of homosexual men in New Orleans that you can deal with. You may possibly find it easier to work amongst those with the least sex appeal. Sexual lust may then not that easily creep into your veins when you look at their bodies, as well as into their eyes.
And why would the opposite sex despise your company?
Well I think that if Matt genuinely wants a girlfriend/wife one day then he shouldn’t be badmouthed or ripped to shreds for it. People are always telling each other what you can/can’t do, should/shouldn’t do. But I believe that’s for God to decide. I also think that a guy should not be pressured into getting a girlfriend if he has no interest. Unless I’m mistaken, in Christianity, a sexual relationship with a female is a choice not a requirement.
Michael:
Who has been badmouthing Matt and ripping him to shreds ?
Who is pressuring Matt into getting a girlfriend ?
When did Matt indicate that he has no interest in a girlfriend ?
When and by whom was it said that a sexual relationship with a female is a christian requirement.
Willie, I really don’t know whether he’s interested in girls or not. And I guess I was just thinking of all the jerks in the world who’d give him (or any guy like him) a hard time for getting a gf. I guess it was the “worldly” viewpoint/attitude I was criticizing here. I mean, society likes to portray single people as lonely, miserable and even inferior to married people. Don’t have a girlfriend and you’re a loser, not a real man etc. That kind of pressure. Whatever Matt’s choices are in this matter, I was just defending him from all of that stuff. That’s all.
So…is there a chance that others may have the courage to join a safe confidential group of en who want to overcome this particular sin his life? It’s not the only issue or even the root of he issue, but it’s AN issue.
I think there is so much political in all of this that churches have either been overly liberal (grace without truth), overly conservative (heavy on truth without grace) or overly avoiding (ignoring both truth and grace and pretending the issue doesn’t exist).
It’s not easy to face the junk of our lives and say “thy will be done.” How many people will die to their selfish desires for the good of others and the glory of God? I don’t mean saved BY woks, but saved FOR good works and glory of God.
I pray men in north Louisiana…married and single, who are or have struggled with ssa wil take advantage of this group.
Any brave men wiling?
You know what annoys me? Cowards. I suppose I am a coward too by not posting my picture, name and e-mail but I have too much to lose by identifying myself; however, Matt knows who I am.
I am a married man who has strugged with same sex attraction issues for years. Most of my life they were “under control” in that I did not act out; however, when I became introduced to the internet, lost my mind in the pursuit of sexual pleasures. All of the taboos were anonymous and I could delve into them.
Years later I started to act out. Let’s be more specific: I committed adultery and fornication with men in rejection of my vows of matrimony. After period of time, I was “caught.” Fortunately, my wife and some church friends have stayed with me during the years since that time.
I was such a coward to violate my vows, but I have been working toward death to self and life with Christ. Not working FOR life IN Christ, but life WITH Christ. This takes death to self and it takes MEN, not boys, to die to self. There are many people who prefer to live like they want, and that includes promiscuity, selfishness, weight, greed, pride and the list goes on and on an on.
If we really want to live for Christ, we need to die to self. So WHERE are the men who want to live for Christ and die to self by giving up their dual-lives? Who will say, “Here I am.” Take all of me. Take my desires, my passion, my sexuality, my sin, my ambition, my fears, my doubts, my strengths, weaknesses. Take everything I am. Take everything I hope to be. It is ALL yours for your good pleasure; not my pleasure. NOT for my pleasure.
When that day comes…and it comes OFTEN for those of us who are willing to fully follow Jesus…then we are no longer boys, but men. We are warriors, no longer cowards.
Will someone say, I am willing to take the effort to join this group of brave men who want to walk in holiness, righteousness and purity?
Well said, Marcus! We never know how many there are “out there” in our shoes, no matter what the offense! Being silent keeps us all from leaning on one another which is a ploy of satan. God wants us to confess our sins to one another. Well done, Marcus!
There is now a men’s movement that spreading called Men’s encounter weekend that is challenging men in a weekend retreat to deal with the issues that Marcus mentioned in his post. There are 14 teachings on the aspects of a man’s life, times of worship and times of reflection between you and the Lord. Be prepared for God to change you from the inside out.I have seen the impact of it on my brother. I don’t know where all they are being held but afterwards they continue to meet every few weeks in small groups for accountability, teaching, and prayer.
They are happening in different parts of the country and are called Mens Encounter Weekends. This is an example of one. http://www.countrysidechristian.com/specials/mensEncounter.html
I only hope those encounter groups are Christ- based. I have heard of some that cause me to shudder because they are all “touchy feely” and I would think that would NOT be a good idea. My point is that there ARE groups, such as this one in northwest Louisiana and I KNOW that there are married and single Christian men, who want to overcome this unwanted same sex attraction, but they are afraid to make this first step. Not many men are open about their transformation like Matt because of the “political issues” or because the church has not done a good job of offering truth AND grace.
There IS a group in north Louisiana, so WHERE are the men? SO far, we have had a few men show up, but I know that in a church of over 5000 people that there are bound to be men, married and single, who want to overcome. WHY are they not at least asking about this group?
I believe there are men right NOW reading this post from north Louisiana, who WANT to be in group of men who understand their struggle, but they are afraid! It’s confidential and safe group of CHRISTIAN men who want to overcome! There could not be a safer and more understanding place so why not take a stand and DO something positive to die to self?
Even when you dont just like the game, it might be worth it to obtain some Knicks or Lakers tickets simply to bag-watch. authentic louis vuitton bags http://authenticlouisvuittonoutletbags.webs.com%2
Additionally, you won’t ever wish to copy EVERYTHING a particular model does. louis vuitton outlet http://www.pickyourbagsonline.com%2