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Former AOG leader - founder of Youth Alive NSW - now out

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magsdee
Disabled
Joined in 2006
June 11, 2007, 17:26

Make mine a double lol



magsdee
Disabled
Joined in 2006
June 21, 2007, 14:17

Im at the part of your book Anthony where someone is about to out you regarding a confession you made ages ago andddddddd the part about Brian Houston stepping his own Father down for somethong he did many many years ago (btw I guessed it was Frank when you wrote abot NZ and someone leaving)…….that just amazes me……The man probably never did anything like that again and God used him amazingly really and yet Brian has the audacity to do that……who does he think he is…….Jesus doesnt even throw our past crimes in our face, Peter was placed in quite a posi in the churches early days and Paul and yet never had their past thrown in their face so they would be kicked out of leadership…..Im very appalled…..andddd someone was about to do it to you too when you are just about to break some amazing ground into much needed youth ministry. shock



Anthony Venn-Brown
 
Joined in 2005
June 21, 2007, 16:44

Confronting me was the right thing to do…..the problem was I think that i also knew about thier imperfections. I was genuinely remorseful that the incident happened……..but survival mode kicked in……and I lied.



magsdee
Disabled
Joined in 2006
June 22, 2007, 10:45

Yeh I agree that confronting you was right if an incident is fresh sure, but to drag something someone did 30yrs ago up come on, I cant sit with that.(re.Frank)


Its amazing that when they know someone knows “too much” how they can discredit them in a way that no one will believe a word they say but these people forget there is a much higher power they will answer to regarding what they are keeping in their shed(closet).(not being awful or discrediting anyone, just stating something honest)


Im at the point in the book where Pat Mesiti takes over Youth Alive, (my first YA was in 1992 and I loved it. wink )

Annoying how they can steal you as being founder Anthony, actually Im annoyed and kindve smirking thinking that obviously they dont want anyone knowing that a Gay man started such an awesome ground breaking ministry……..Same as in perth in one of the big pente churches there, its known to some that the Father started it, and is now in a very happy gay r/ship (but still quite hushed) and the son runs the church and he is actually quite gay friendly but things are going on behind the scene there too and once I wrote him a letter about it and it was not very welcomed surprise, surprise and how some transexuals had been turned away when they profess to be welcoming of any Gays etc….he didnt want to believe that it had happened…….oh well!!!!!!



Anthony Venn-Brown
 
Joined in 2005
June 22, 2007, 12:24

its good you are reading the new edition………there is a lot more info in that. When I was writing the first one I tried to contact everyone I mentioned to let them know what i was saying and why I was saying it……just to do the right thing……but I still held back.


With the new edition I tried to contact Pat again but he refused to meet with me……..so I thought……well at least i’ve tried to do the right thing this time the whole background story goes in to give the reader more context…….and I knew I couln’t be sued for telling the truth.



magsdee
Disabled
Joined in 2006
June 22, 2007, 16:54

Im so glad you did tell the truth……..we need more of that, not to discredit people but to have them in the perspective and view we need to, that we all make mistakes and that the seeming “idol” that is made out of some preachers and organisations is put in its right place, there are no “pure” people or churches anywhere.

I guess as the scipture says, “all have fallen short of the glory of God” and all means well, all…….and it goes on……one day maybe people will stop throwing stones and come clean about how things really are and it gets put in a way that doesnt turn people off God but puts them in a place of understanding.(i hope im making sense 8) )



Anthony Venn-Brown
 
Joined in 2005
June 22, 2007, 17:27

our humanity is there for all too see. I only put in the details if it was relevant or added depth to the story……I thought that stuff about Pat was relevant in that he had a sexual addiction and yet was restored……..me…..a different treatment it seems.


I really believe that if I had been told as a young christian that i was ok being gay then I’m sure the addiction would not have developed and I could have gone on living a moral life as a gay christian as I do today.


that is why we have to let young people know so they dont spend wasted years hating themselves and trying to change…..getting married and screwing up other peoples lives as well.



magsdee
Disabled
Joined in 2006
June 22, 2007, 22:12

Im sorry that not only yourself but others (we may not know about) have had the same treatment, very sad.

It would be great to reach people as you say before they committ to a marriage for the sake of a cover-up or for trying to “fix” their orientation.

I always wanted to have kids but know I wouldve been wishing my husband was a woman, he would never have had me fully and knowing my nature wouldve stayed with him regardless. Very unfair to him. I hurt a guy with that before just dating and once having been unformally engaged. I loved him but was not in love with him and we never had sex either. I just couldnt go there.



Sandy
 
Joined in 2007
June 26, 2007, 17:13

that is why we have to let young people know so they dont spend wasted years hating themselves and trying to change…..getting married and screwing up other peoples lives as well


I am against promoting pro-gay theology to anyone young or old. But you certainly have a very good point. It is a tricky slope isn’t it? To counsel a young person not to hate themselves for their sexuality and to suggest that they don’t have to lie or cover up their orientation, get married or anything. It seems the third option of not embracing homosexuality as God-given and natural and living a life of celibacy and singleness is not often taken and rarely applauded. I can certainly unserstand why! The other two options promise us what we want, to live as a homosexual with pride and to have God, or conversly to conquer the demons within overcome sexual ‘disability’ and live as an ‘ex gay’. It seems that both options tend to wrap up our wants in a cute little package deal, both are certainly seductive. But is eaither God’s diving plan. I have found that most of the time I think God’s plan totally sucks, case in point was my own father comming out! It seemed bad enough that he had given me these struggles but my dad too?!! Was God kidding?!!


I have just recently understood a small aspect of God’s plan in this regard. Let me tell you, having a family member come out is a completly different experience to doing it yourself! I have more compassion for Christian friends and family of gay people who are what we would dub as ‘ignorant’, ‘prejudiced’ or ‘fearful’. Beleive me, I who should have known better, had all these reactions! Anthony suggested somewhere that our understanding of things is limmited by our lack of experiences (as in he couldnt really understand pregnancy as he has never been pregnant) I a, greatful that my understanding has been hightened by my experince and it has enabled me to live a more compassionate and understanding Christian life. It is true, God works in mysterious ways!



magsdee
Disabled
Joined in 2006
June 26, 2007, 17:31

Yes God does work in mysterious ways Sandy and we should never discredit experience.


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