not sure what happened there…..it came up in a search the other day….but not can’t access……but now I’ve found another old article http://www.thepinkdirectory.com.au/pinkbroad/issue/27/news.htm#exgaydvd
I found the article just now in cache
http://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:g-LOnCS9jPkJ:intaservesecurity.com/thepinkdirectory/tpbissue6.asp+pink+directory+venn+brown+pentecostal&cd=1&hl=en&ct=clnk&gl=au&client=firefox-a
First global group for gay Pentecostals
When Anthony Venn-Brown (pictured) was invited to speak at a June 2005 Brisbane Pride Forum with the title “The impact of Christian Fundamentalism on the GLBTI community”, the organisers were expecting about 40 people to turn up. Instead about 140 arrived, and in Venn-Brown’s words: “It was amazing!”
Venn-Brown, once a popular leader within the Assemblies of God and a regular preacher in the Hillsong churches, knows and understands more than most about the conflict that exists between homosexuality and a Christian faith. His autobiography A Life of Unlearning: Coming Out of the Church – One Man’s Struggle inspires readers around the world to discover – and then live – the truth in their lives.
“Once my story was released it was like I’d pulled the cork on the bottle,” Venn-Brown said. “Suddenly I was inundated with emails telling tragic stories of suicides, failed marriages, psychological damage and gay youth being rejected by their Christian parents. I know how difficult the journey to reconciliation can be. For 22 years I tried desperately to change my sexual orientation through psychiatric treatment, exorcisms and ex-gay programs. I was also married for 16 years and have two daughters, but eventually I had to admit that nothing had changed. I was still gay. Having come to a place of resolution myself, I can use my experience to help others. Over the last 12 months I know of at least four people who were seriously contemplating suicide but today, through reading my autobiography, are free of the torment. It’s okay to provide an ambulance at the foot of the cliff but I’d like to build a safety fence at the top as well.”
The foundations of Venn-Brown’s “safety fence” were laid on 30 September when, in the company of 11 people in Brisbane, he launched Freedom 2 B(e) – a support network for gay men and lesbians who want to resolve issues of faith and sexual orientation. Then on 7 October, fifteen people joined him in a lounge-room in Surry Hills for the Sydney launch. While it might not seem an auspicious start to a global network, Venn-Brown is optimistic growth will happen relatively quickly. “Already it seems there are many more interested in joining up. The network is giving these people a voice and taking them out of isolation.”
Pentecostal Churches (such as Assemblies of God, Hillsong and Christian City Church) attract their fair share of cynicism amongst believers and non-believers alike – partly due to claims of right-wing Christian fundamentalism which are levelled at any style of worship that dares to make its departure from the almost pre-ordained structure of the mainstream, organised religious denominations, too radical.
As Venn-Brown explains: “ … while the belief structure remains firmly placed within the Christian faith, Pentecostal Churches believe in the supernatural gift of the spirit, such as speaking in tongues, hands-on healing, prophecies … and the worship style is very vibrant. The largest churches in Los Angeles the largest churches are Pentecostal Churches. In Seoul, Dr Yongi Cho’s Yoido Full Gospel Church has over 1 million members and 50,000 of them at one time attend any or all of the seven services over a weekend. In South Korea, the conversion to Christianity has grown faster than the natural birthrate.
Charismatic Churches have embraced a similar worship style (as that of the Pentecostal Churches) but within the established organised religious denominations such as Baptist and Uniting … they embrace the vibrant worship style but within mainstream denominations.”
Freedom 2 B(e) will be providing support, information and a safe place for people still in or who have left Pentecostal/Charismatic churches through our website and at regular meetings,” Venn-Brown said.
For more information visit http://www.freedom2b.org
Anthony Venn-Brown’s autobiography, A Life of Unlearning, with a Foreword by Hon. Michael Kirby, is published by New Holland. For more information visit http://www.anthonyvennbrown.com
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