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Still Time to Care: What We Can Learn from the Church’s Failed Attempt to Cure Homosexuality Hardcover – December 7, 2021
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Charting the path forward for our churches and ministries in providing care—not a cure— for our non-straight sisters and brothers who are living lives of costly obedience to Jesus.
At the start of the gay rights movement in 1969, evangelicalism's leading voices cast a vision for gay people who turn to Jesus. It was C.S. Lewis, Billy Graham, Francis Schaeffer and John Stott who were among the most respected leaders within theologically orthodox Protestantism. We see with them a positive pastoral approach toward gay people, an approach that viewed homosexuality as a fallen condition experienced by some Christians who needed care more than cure.
With the birth and rise of the ex-gay movement, the focus shifted from care to cure. As a result, there are an estimated 700,000 people alive today who underwent conversion therapy in the United States alone. Many of these patients were treated by faith-based, testimony-driven parachurch ministries centered on the ex-gay script. Despite the best of intentions, the movement ended with very troubling results. Yet the ex-gay movement died not because it had the wrong sex ethic. It died because it was founded on a practice that diminished the beauty of the gospel.
Yet even after the closure of the ex-gay umbrella organization Exodus International in 2013, the ex-gay script continues to walk about as the undead among us, pressuring people like me to say, "I used to be gay, but I'm not gay anymore. Now I'm just same-sex attracted."
For orthodox Christians, the way forward is to take a close look at our history. It is time again to focus with our Neo-Evangelical fathers on caring over attempting to cure.
With warmth and humor, as well as original research, Still Time to Care provides:
- Guidance for the gay person who hears the gospel and finds themselves smitten by the life-giving call of Jesus.
- Guidance for the church to repent of its homophobia and instead offer gospel-motivated love and compassion.
- Print length304 pages
- LanguageEnglish
- PublisherZondervan
- Publication dateDecember 7, 2021
- Dimensions6.3 x 1.1 x 9.35 inches
- ISBN-100310140935
- ISBN-13978-0310140931
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Praise for Still Time to Care
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Becket Cook, Author of A Change of Affection: A Gay Man’s Incredible Story of Redemption and host of The Becket Cook Show on YouTube"This fascinating book gives a thorough and enlightening account of how the evangelical church has historically mishandled and hurt gay and lesbian Christians. The damage done over the last forty years is eye-opening. Greg Johnson lays out a healthy path forward for the church regarding the LGBTQ community that is both biblical and pastoral. Every Christian (especially leaders in the church) needs to read this book in order to better understand this nuanced and complex issue." |
David Bennett, speaker and writer, author of A War of Loves: The Unexpected Story of a Gay Activist Discovering Jesus"Many critiques of the ex-gay world and its theology have been leveraged by those who take its radical opposite position. Greg Johnson is different. He is one who has fought to remain close to the Lord and obedience to His Word and yet to challenge ex-gay theology, dismantle its harm and face its complicated and flawed humanity. In this rare window into an experience that requires greater understanding, Greg points compassionately and critically to the greater hope of the Gospel and the deeper third way that Jesus provides for the LGBTQI+ community in a world addicted to ideological certainty and harmful, culture-war divides. A must read." |
Dr. Ralph Blair, Founder and President, Evangelicals Concerned Inc."After far too many damaging decades of the 'ex-gay' pushers’ bogus claims of 'cure,' Johnson sees there’s 'still time to care' – for those, like himself, who believe that gay and lesbian behavior is wrong...With a doctorate in historical theology, Johnson looks into the scandalous history of the 'ex-gay' movement and the relevant theological issues...Johnson’s insights should be taken as instruction, not only for gay Christians who’ve not settled these issues, but for the hierarchies that can be so insensitive." |
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Wesley Hill, author of Washed and Waiting and Spiritual Friendship"This book is a lament for an evangelical road not taken, as well as a clarion call from a prophetic insider who believes that evangelicalism can change. Anyone wanting to understand better the current evangelical debates around LGBTQ+ issues—from 'ex-gay' ministries, to 'Side B gay Christians,' to 'mixed-orientation marriages'—should read this book and consider the courageous witness of its author." |
Ed Shaw, Ministry Director, Pastor, Emmanuel City Centre, Bristol and author"I am in awe of all that Greg achieves so successfully in this incredible book - a critical history of the ex-gay movement, a culturally-sensitive defense of traditional ethics, a pastoral manifesto for a better future – all wrapped up in the gospel of grace and accompanied by his own story (and wry sense of humour). I loved every page and am looking forward to seeing the good it will do every church leader and member that reads it.” |
Mark A. Yarhouse, Psy.D., Dr. Arthur P. Rech & Mrs. Jean May Rech Professor of Psychology, Wheaton College"Greg Johnson offers a fascinating look into the rise of the ex-gay movement and the reasons for a diminished ex-gay narrative today. He takes the reader back in history to key voices evangelicals admired to move the reader forward into a vision of biblical faithfulness and nuanced pastoral care and communal support for those who are both gay and Christian.” |
From the Author
Editorial Reviews
Review
'Dr. Greg Johnson deserves our thanks for writing such a grace-filled book full of wisdom and insight. As a model pastor-theologian, Greg handles the sensitive and controversial topic of homosexuality with both pastoral candor and theological nuance. Drawing inspiration from such evangelical luminaries as C. S. Lewis, Billy Graham, Francis Schaeffer, and John Stott, Greg makes a compelling case for a 'paradigm of care' as opposed to a 'paradigm of cure.' The result is an excellent book with an inspiring gospel vision whatever your orientation--a vision marked not by hope in heterosexuality but hope in Christ. Highly recommended!' -- Todd Wilson, PhD, cofounder and president, The Center for Pastor Theologians
'Every so often a book comes along of such consequence that it has the potential to reshape the discourse of its subject matter. Still Time to Care is such a book, and I pray that it revolutionizes the evangelical conversation about gay people and the history of the pastoral care we have received in the North American church. Combining careful attention to historical detail with incisive analysis of cultural Christianity, Johnson tells the tragic story of how ex-gay theology invaded the worldview of evangelical Christians, laying the foundation for decades of systemic pastoral malpractice. Johnson exposes the theological rot at the core of ex-gay theology, while also identifying the ways it continues to shape evangelical discourse today about gay people and our experience. And as if that were not enough, Johnson draws on his decades-long experience as a faithful pastor to chart a positive path forward so that all of us can grow together to become more like Jesus. Still Time to Care is a necessary, challenging, and deeply hopeful contribution to the ongoing conversation about the church and gay people.' -- Nate Collins, PhD, president and founder, Revoice; author, All But Invisible
'Greg Johnson offers a fascinating look into the rise of the ex-gay movement and the reasons for a diminished ex-gay narrative today. He takes the reader back in history to key voices evangelicals admired to move the reader forward into a vision of biblical faithfulness and nuanced pastoral care and communal support for those who are both gay and Christian.' -- Mark A. Yarhouse, PsyD, Dr. Arthur P. Rech and Mrs. Jean May Rech Professor of Psychology, Wheaton College
'Greg offers a fast-paced, compelling historical account of the church's failure to engage LGBT+ people. In missiology, we know that it's so critical to learn history or else we'll repeat it. And sure enough, today the church risks returning to culture war over gender identity. While there is still time to care, there isn't much time! And this time, the next steps we take will impact our ability to extend Christ to an entire next generation.' -- Bill Henson, founder and creator, Posture Shift Ministries, Inc.
'I am in awe of all that Greg achieves so successfully in this incredible book: a critical history of the ex-gay movement, a culturally sensitive defense of traditional sexual ethics, a pastoral manifesto for a better future--all wrapped up in the gospel of grace and accompanied by his own story (and wry sense of humor). I loved every page and am looking forward to seeing the good it will do every church leader and member who reads it.' -- Ed Shaw, ministry director, www.livingout.org; pastor, Emmanuel City Centre, Bristol (UK); author, Purposeful Sexuality: A Short Christian Introduction
'In my city, you can always find a sign proclaiming 'Gay Rights Are Human Rights.' You need to look no further to fully understand the vitriol against the church. In Still Time to Care, you will be discouraged by the history but encouraged for the future. Greg Johnson provides answers and solutions. We have a chance to make things right, upholding God's view of sexuality in a way God wants us to do it.' -- Caleb Kaltenbach, bestselling author, Messy Grace and Messy Truth
'In the suffocating quagmire of the church's debates about same-sex sexuality, Greg Johnson's Still Time to Care is a breath of fresh air. While Johnson unflinchingly documents the failures of the ex-gay movement of the 1980s and '90s, he also defends a traditional sexual ethic and articulates a 'paradigm of care' to counter the 'paradigm of cure' that has harmed so many people. Drawing deeply from history, evangelical leaders, and Scripture, Johnson articulates a way forward for sexual minorities and those who love them. Winsome, intelligent, personal, and warm, this book is important and profoundly needed. I want everyone I know to read it.' -- Tish Harrison Warren, Anglican priest; author, Liturgy of the Ordinary and Prayer in the Night
'In this eye-opening historical account, Greg Johnson paints a charitable yet harrowing portrait of the ex-gay movement and its residual influence on Western evangelicalism. Better still, he reminds us of the world that existed before the ex-gay movement, a world in which following Jesus and pursuing orientation change were never treated as synonymous. Reading this book has deepened both my sorrow over the past and my unswerving hope for the future.' -- Gregory Coles, author, Single, Gay, Christian and No Longer Strangers
'Still Time to Care is a thoughtful and helpful clarion call to Christians. Throughout this book, Greg Johnson takes you on a journey through the church's controversial approach to the unrelenting gay movement. While mistakes were made and adversaries earned, Greg shows the way back to a path and practice that is both God-honoring and people-loving. Caring for others--it is always the Jesus way.' -- Kyle Idleman, bestselling author, Not a Fan and Don’t Give Up
'This book is a lament for an evangelical road not taken. When it came to the pastoral care of lesbian and gay people, rather than heed the wisdom of their own leading lights like John Stott and Francis Schaeffer, many evangelicals opted instead for sexual orientation change efforts and in the process left a legacy of pain and confusion that haunts the movement to this day. But this book is also a clarion call from a prophetic insider who believes that evangelicalism can change. Anyone wanting to understand better the current evangelical debates around sexuality--from 'ex-gay' ministries, to 'Side B gay Christians,' to 'mixed-orientation marriages'--should read this book and consider the costly and courageous witness of its author.' -- Wesley Hill, author, Washed and Waiting and Spiritual Friendship
'This fascinating book gives a thorough and enlightening account of how the evangelical church has historically mishandled and hurt gay and lesbian Christians. The damage done over the last forty years is eye opening. While defending the orthodox biblical sexual ethic, Greg Johnson lays out a healthy path forward for the church regarding the LGBTQ community that is both biblical and pastoral. Every Christian (especially leaders in the church) needs to read this book to better understand this nuanced and complex issue.' -- Becket Cook, author, A Change of Affection: A Gay Man’s Incredible Story of Redemption; host, The Becket Cook Show
'This is a much-needed book for our times. In a refreshing, deeply thoughtful, and engaging style, this celibate pastor shares his experience of living in the tides of secular and evangelical Christian thought, language, and behavior in relation to homosexuality over the last forty years. Here is a strong challenge to Christians to reflect deeply on how we have drifted away from a truly biblical approach. Johnson calls the church back to a more compassionate life of family/community to love and encourage those who are celibate for any reason. You will not regret taking the time to have your understanding and attitude transformed by grappling with the vital issues in this well-researched and excellent book.' -- Richard Winter, Professor Emeritus of Counseling, Covenant Theological Seminary
About the Author
Greg Johnson is Lead Pastor of historic Memorial Presbyterian Church (PCA) in St. Louis, where he has served on pastoral staff since 2003. He holds a Ph.D. in Historical Theology with a concentration in American religion from Saint Louis University and an M.Div. from Covenant Theological Seminary. He is the author of The World According to God: A Biblical View of Culture, Work, Science, Sex & Everything Else.
Product details
- Publisher : Zondervan (December 7, 2021)
- Language : English
- Hardcover : 304 pages
- ISBN-10 : 0310140935
- ISBN-13 : 978-0310140931
- Item Weight : 1.21 pounds
- Dimensions : 6.3 x 1.1 x 9.35 inches
- Best Sellers Rank: #131,698 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- Customer Reviews:
About the author
Greg Johnson is lead pastor of historic Memorial Presbyterian Church (PCA) in St. Louis, where he has served on the pastoral staff since 2003. He holds a PhD in historical theology with a concentration in American religion from Saint Louis University and an MDiv from Covenant Theological Seminary. Greg is the author of Still Time to Care: What We Can Learn from the Church's Failed Attempt to Cure Homosexuality (2021).
Greg's other works include From Morning Watch to Quiet Time: The Historical and Theological Development of Private Prayer in Anglo-American Protestant Instruction, 1870-1950 (diss, 2007) and The World according to God: A Biblical View of Culture, Work, Science, Sex and Everything Else (2002), also available in Portuguese. Greg's writings have appeared in Christianity Today, including his personal testimony, "I Used to Hide My Shame. Now I Take Shelter Under the Gospel: How a gay atheist teenager discovered Jesus and stopped living undercover" (2019).
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Still Time to Care is written in four parts. Part one is “The Paradigm of Care.” Here Greg demonstrates that the “ex-gay movement” has not been the church’s main posture toward the gay community. The ex-gay movement began 40 years ago and died in 2013. But, prior to the ex-gay movement, there were leading lights from across the broad range of the church who had a very different posture toward non-straight followers of Jesus. Greg quotes extensively from C.S. Lewis, Billy Graham, John Stott, and Francis Schaeffer, showing that each of them practiced and taught a Paradigm of Care. Nearly every Christian considers at least one of these four as a father in the faith. This Paradigm of Care manifested itself in compassion and patience and understanding toward Christians who experienced romantic attractions toward people of the same sex. These four were radically different from the ex-gay movement. They did not believe that a person's sexual orientation should be expected to change when someone committed to following Jesus. Greg shows that their posture and their practice was to be a deeply encouraging, “non-anxious presence” with non-straight people who were Christian, and with non-straight people who weren’t Christian. Their posture shows that the Paradigm of Care that Greg proposes in this book is not new. Greg's conclusions and pastoral approach are well-represented throughout the church. Still Time to Care is a call to return to the posture of a much healthier period of the church. This part of the book is powerful because many people don’t know that a significant portion of the church responded to non-straight people in this way.
Part two of the book describes the birth, history, and failure of the ex-gay movement. Greg describes the ex-gay movement as a Fall: it’s a fall from the prior Paradigm of Care (Part 1) into what Greg calls the “Paradigm of Cure.” Prior to this Fall, the best of the church prioritized caring for people who follow Jesus and experience non-straight attractions. But the ex-gay movement changed it’s focus and prioritized curing people from their non-straight attractions. Here, Greg brings convicting exposure and clarity to the traumatizing damage that people suffered under this Paradigm of Cure. He also clearly exposes the inexcusable hypocrisy that characterized the ex-gay movement’s leaders. While he is critical because of the awful things done by the ex-gay movement, he also does acknowledge that some people experienced some positive things within it. Some non-straight Christians experienced vulnerable, honest community for the first time within the ex-gay movement, even if their attractions didn’t change.
But the majority of the ex-gay movement produced harm and abuse. It was guilty of heaping burdens on people that even its leaders weren’t able to bear. It was built upon the foundation of people with testimonies of “orientation transformation” that were untested. Leaders had little or no theological training, and most did not yet have proven character. These leaders had hands laid on them too soon. Their testimonies were platformed in front of a desperately hopeful community of non-straight people (and their despairing family members). These testimonies proved to be too simplistic and inauthentic. Audiences were left believing that orientation transformation was promised in the gospel and therefore should be expected. These testimonies in effect became a new law that produced 1) false hope that non-straight people could and should be “healed” of their non-straight attractions, or 2) condemnation for those who hadn’t experienced orientation transformation, because they didn’t believe enough or obey enough. It was similar to the way that people have felt condemned by ministries that teach that physical healing is available to any Christian who has enough faith. Greg’s analysis and critique is a warning to the church: We should be wary against taking some peoples’ experience and universalizing them as the standard for everyone, especially when those experiences are untested.
Greg’s survey of the birth and death of the ex-gay movement also corrects another important misunderstanding in the church. Many Christians and non-Christians today believe that the church’s posture has always been ex-gay. Greg shows that this is not true. The view of the most prominent Protestant leaders was not ex-gay prior to the 1970’s. Greg’s paradigm of Care is not new. It’s a renewal of a time when the church’s response to non-straight believers was healthy.
In Part three of the book, Greg deals with the Bible’s teaching on sexuality. Greg’s analysis of the Bible is thorough and illuminating. He demonstrates that the Bible clearly teaches the traditional sexual ethic--sexual activity was designed by God for heterosexual marriage. He also demonstrates that taking the Bible seriously on sexuality also requires opposing the ministry perspectives and practices of the ex-gay church. You can humbly bow to the authority of Jesus expressed in the Bible while also rejecting ex-gay convictions. Greg explains what the Scriptures teach, and he applies it with love and care to people in the midst of ongoing struggle and confusion.
In Part four, Greg offers a path forward for individuals and the church. Here Greg describes how the church can remove the abusive thinking, practices, and culture of the ex-gay movement from the church. We can be free from the errors of the ex-gay movement, while still being faithful to biblical Christianity. The church can disciple people to maturity without making orientation change a requirement or an expectation.
This part ends with a chapter called “Celibacy and Hope.” Here Greg offers a path that will deeply minister to non-straight people and those who love them. This path includes a culture of acceptance and challenge that will help the church to minister to the non-straight community, and every other community that feels alienated by the church.
A debate has erupted within Greg’s (and my) denomination: the Presbyterian Church in America. This debate is over whether pastors (or any follower of Jesus) should call themselves “gay Christians.” Some people want to remove any pastor from his ministry if he is publicly known to not be straight—even if he is committed to Jesus’ sexual ethic and is celibate. Greg paves the way for churches to welcome both sides of this debate. He believes God's family (and God's leaders) should include people who want to use this phrase and people who don’t. Greg’s view creates a church where both are worthy of honor and both are necessary for the church to be fully healthy. I hope that the PCA repents, and does not ratify its recent decision. I hope it embraces a position that embraces everyone who is committed to the way of Jesus, no matter what they call themselves.
Still Time to Care is a book for everyone—straight and non-straight, Christian and non-Christian. It is for anyone who wants to be a blessing to non-straight people. It is for anyone trying not to be guilty of the damage of the ex-gay movement.
This book is compelling, but what is more compelling than Greg’s book is Greg’s life. His testimony is beautifully told through the book. His humanity and the way he bears God’s image comes through as a demonstration of an indestructible life in Jesus. Greg has been committed to an extraordinarily costly obedience. He has taken up his cross to follow Jesus in a way that is heroic—especially in our day and age. Many people have rightly divided God’s word on the subject of sexuality, but in Greg’s life God’s word has become flesh. Anyone who knows him beholds the glory of Jesus shining through him. Our non-straight brothers and sisters who are committed to Jesus and His sexual ethic are super-heroes of the faith. They carry an incredible burden that is misunderstood by much of the church. They are ridiculed by the world for their commitment to celibacy. They deserve to be honored and followed. Many are qualified to lead and shepherd the church. There is still time to care for this community, and Greg’s book shows us how.
His thoughtful analysis of the terminology wars and the challenge of even defining what we mean by “identity”
His extensive and fair-minded history of the ex-gay movement – and how its ghost still walks among us via the terminology wars
His compelling case for Lewis, Schaeffer, Graham and Stott as exemplars of a better, pre-ex-gay paradigm (care, not cure)
His persuasive (and personally costly) counter-arguments to the most popular affirming arguments
His simple reminder that strong/exclusive same-sex attraction includes the absence of sexual attraction for the opposite sex, which by itself is morally neutral and yet is an additional source of suffering in a culture that (rightly) encourages heterosexual attraction.
His clear and passionate grasp of the Gospel throughout, which is made all the more beautiful by his personal testimony. One excerpt, from his chapter addressing affirming arguments: “I am convinced that for me to engage in a loving, nonabusive, mutual, long-term sexual relationship with another man—for me to grab hold of his hand—I would have to let go of Jesus’ hand. There is not a man on the planet who’s worth that.”
In all of this, I am aware that many, including some of my fellow pastors, see the author as a wolf in sheep’s clothing who will eventually lead us down a slippery slope into heresy. The more I hear from him, the more I see only a fellow sheep and a humble undershepherd of other sinful and sinned-against sheep. I admire his courage in the face of so much meanness and misunderstanding. Above all, I admire his intense and faithful love for the Good Shepherd, apart from which his writing and ministry would not make sense.