Dr Paul Allen

Ken Williams is the author of   The Journey Out: How I Followed Jesus Away from Gay   and co-founder of Changed Movement, a small army of people who have left the LGBT subculture. Ken was exposed to gay porn as a child. He was also always the smallest boy, so he had an easier time hanging out with girls, who were nicer to him than the boys. This contributed to his gay identity. As he got older, Ken became suicidal. “The consternation and distress internally over having strong desires for something that I didn’t want was very troubling.” “I started seeing a Christian psychotherapist for five years weekly, and he kept me alive. I cannot emphasize enough the importance of having therapy.” If his distress happened now in California where he lives and therapy is illegal, “I might have ended my life,” Ken said. “It’s devastating the laws that are in place in some places now.” Having been 17 when he got therapy, he said, “Nobody needs help more than a minor.” To hear Ken’s answers to...

After a Christian charity worker who walked away from homosexuality following his conversion to Christ offered his powerful testimony on a radio show, law enforcement threatened him with possible jail time and a stiff fine for allegedly breaching his country’s law banning LGBT “conversion practices.” The Maltese government’s action against Matthew Grech, 33, is believed to be the first of its kind and is being viewed as a test case by free speech groups and Christian organizations that aim to protect the rights of former gays and lesbians to tell their stories and live freely without harassment from LGBT groups. Some of the latter assert that Christian teaching on marriage and debate surrounding LGBT lifestyles must be treated as criminal offences. Grech’s message is simple: A decade ago, he experienced a conversion to Christ, realized that sexual acts outside of male/female marriage are a “sin,” and freely chose to give up the homosexual life he had been living. If convicted, he faces...

The Story: A proposed city ordinance in Indiana highlights why bans on “conversion therapy” can be a threat to the gospel. The Background: The city council of West Lafayette, Indiana is considering an ordinance that would make it illegal for “unlicensed” counselors to counsel minors on human sexuality in a way that conflicts with LGBT+ orthodoxy. For example, if a teenager goes to a Christian counseling center about unwanted same-sex attraction or gender dysphoria, it would be breaking the law to give them answers based on biblical sexual ethics. The penalty for violating the ban on so-called “conversion therapy” is a fine of $1,000 per day.* The proposed ordinance defines “conversion therapy” as any practices or treatments that seek to “change an individual’s sexual orientation or gender identity, including efforts to change gender expressions or to eliminate or reduce sexual or romantic attractions or feelings toward individuals of the same gender.” The law makes an exception, though...

We’re asked common questions when people find out what we do. Are you a plumber? Get ready to remotely troubleshoot a leaky faucet. A doctor? Get ready for a rundown of mysterious aches and pains. For counselors, somewhere near the top of that list is the question, “What problems do you see most?” Depression, anxiety, anger, marital conflict all make the cut, but my top answer may surprise you. It’s pride. That pride should be the chart-topper actually shouldn’t come as a surprise to anyone — and least of all to Christians. Proverbs  6:16 –19 lists seven traits that God despises, and the very first — “haughty eyes” — is the proverbial way of talking about pride. Pride is a prison that perpetuates anger, hurt, and foolishness while keeping at bay the restorative effects of conviction, humility, and reconciliation (Proverbs 11:2; 29:23; Galatians 6:3; James 4:6; Revelation  3:17 –20). Later, in Proverbs  16:18 , God tells us, “Pride goes before destruction, and ...