Forums

Living Waters Australia and New Zealand

  Page: 1
 
 

Anthony Venn-Brown
 
Joined in 2005
May 13, 2011, 19:09

I am wondering who here has been involved in Living Waters either in Australia or New Zealand ?


the living waters website currently says


Living Waters Australia is developing a nationally known network of groups for the healing of people’s damaged emotions, relationships, and sexuality.


Living Waters is biblically based, of evangelical persuasion and seeks to minister God’s mercy to Christians who struggle in these areas, offering understanding, care, and a safe place for processing and restoration. We resource churches to establish groups which address the key areas of emotions, relationships and sexuality, and direct individuals towards these local groups.


We believe that the power of Jesus’ death on the Cross, His resurrection life, healing, mercy and grace is sufficient to bring healing to or deliverance from the sexual and relational brokenness of our lives. We seek to be a ministry through which Jesus, the Good Shepherd can restore our souls.



forestgrey
Chapter Leader
Joined in 2008
May 14, 2011, 14:35

Anthony – never had any association with them – other than knowing a couple of bods who have done the programme and have (so they reckon) been “healed/changed” by the programme. But I happened to come across their site recently and thought the language used had changed somewhat from last time I looked a few years back. Have they ‘softened’ their approach? Or are they just being more subtle in what they claim?



Love will Triumph
 
Joined in 2011
May 15, 2011, 10:56

Anthony – not in Australia or New Zealand but in South Africa. In 1993 I went to the US and attended Living Waters leadership training by the founder, Andy Comiskey. Thereafter continued to run a number of Living Waters programs at a mega church in Johannesburg. As we all know, these programs cannot change sexual orientation. It didn’t work for me and it didn’t work for any of the many who passed through the programs that I and others conducted. They are well intentioned but misguided and unfortunately therefore result in people experiencing a mixture of benefit and damage, but I think mostly the latter. Having run Living Waters from 1991 even prior to training in the US, I ceased involvement in 1996 as my conscience would no longer permit it. in 1997 we moved to Australia and I was aware of Living Waters groups operating in Adelaide and Melbourne at the time but have been out of touch with anything to do with the “ex-gay” movement for a long time now.


PS. I only signed up to freedom2be last week, but will do a personal introductory posting as soon as I can. However, we have had a bit of email contact up to now and I have been getting your newsletter recently.

Mark

Ann Maree
 
Joined in 2008
May 15, 2011, 17:49

Hi Love will Triumph


Welcome to the site! I look forward to hearing more from you, including some of your story when you are ready. 🙂


Blessings,


Ann Maree

Anthony Venn-Brown
 
Joined in 2005
May 15, 2011, 20:57

Hi Love will Triumph……so good to hear from you hear.


I have a presentation I do on ex-gay ministries in Australia http://www.freedom2b.org/sites/default/files/A%20Glimpse%20into%20Australia%27s%20Ex-gay%20World.pdf


we look forward to hearing more from you.

Anthony Venn-Brown
 
Joined in 2005
May 15, 2011, 21:14

Anthony – never had any association with them – other than knowing a couple of bods who have done the programme and have (so they reckon) been “healed/changed” by the programme. But I happened to come across their site recently and thought the language used had changed somewhat from last time I looked a few years back. Have they ‘softened’ their approach? Or are they just being more subtle in what they claim?


hey forestgrey……I think there has been a mellowing not only of the Living Waters language but also Liberty Ministries and Exodus International at times. Several things have contributed to that as I spoke about in my presentation on Australia’s ex-gay ministries http://www.freedom2b.org/sites/default/files/A%20Glimpse%20into%20Australia%27s%20Ex-gay%20World.pdf


On websites of course people need to be very careful how they word things. To claim one can go from gay to straight would be an outrageous statement to make in a public setting like the internet. Also the decades of failures and leaders still living with occasional same sex thoughts or temptations ….makes them a little less bold.


When the ex-gay movement commenced in the 70’s every one preached the same message. Being gay is a sin/evil/perverted/sickness and God can do miracles by making you as He intended……straight.


Even the language now has changed somewhat……you notice now they mostly speak about ‘unwanted same sex attraction’
  Page: 1
 
WP Forum Server by ForumPress | LucidCrew
Version: 99.9; Page loaded in: 0.029 seconds.