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Christianity Today: Ex-gay coalition shifts from reparative therapy to discipleship after losing prominent partners. When California became the first state to ban reparative therapy for minors this fall, the public scrutiny of the treatment drew attention to Exodus International , the nation's largest ex-gay ministry . But Exodus had already stopped promoting the practice, saying it was largely ineffective. Exodus's shift on reparative therapy has been only one of several therapeutic and theological controversies that divided the ministry this year. Top leaders and dozens of affiliate ministries have defected from the 37-year-old umbrella ministry as it has attempted to reshape its mission and public image. Board member John Warren, a 53-year-old Florida banker who publicly defended Exodus president Alan Chambers in the face of this summer's criticism, reversed course and parted ways with the Orlando, Florida, ministry in September. Warren said he became uncomfortable w

Thirty years ago, Alan Chambers was a Christ-loving 10-year-old with a terrible secret. He knew he was attracted to other boys. He also knew that the Bible called homosexuality an "abomination." After nearly a decade of hiding his feelings (and his love of shopping and decorating) from family and pastors, he discovered a ministry called Exodus International . Today, Chambers is the president of Exodus and the author of the book  Leaving Homosexuality . He oversees more than 260 ministries, spearheads large annual conferences, and is married to a woman. Christians who consider themselves "ex-gays" have become a  source of ridicule  in popular culture. Although the evangelical leader  Ted Haggard  isn't affiliated with Exodus, it didn't help the cause when he was outed by a male prostitute he'd been frequenting for years -- and then deemed by his pastors, after just three weeks of therapy, to be  "completely heterosexual."  For many, though,

Image via Wikipedia Exodus International believes…  that the decision to stop acting on one’s same-sex attractions and pursuing a life centered on Christ is not about one particular method, but ultimately about a relationship with Jesus Christ and a resolution to live in congruence with biblical teaching on sexuality. We believe homosexuality to be a multi-causal issue and that any individual can experience freedom over impulses through the support of caring individuals and the transformative power of Jesus Christ. Exodus International provides resources, spiritual discipleship and support to those seeking this alternative. Exodus is a worldwide network of people who have chosen to put their faith in Christ, deny the power of sin and temptation and pursue a life and identity beyond any past or present struggle with same-sex attraction.  We are the largest coalition of Christians and organizations dealing with this topic in the world today. What is reparative therapy or ‘conversi