Ministry to homosexuals expands outreach to Christian parents

Ministry to homosexuals expands outreach to Christian parents

An online support group has been established for anyone indirectly or directly involved with homosexuality.

Christian activist and recording artist Stephen Bennett is a former homosexual who now heads up Stephen Bennett Ministries. He has recently unveiled TheParentsGroup.com, a worldwide support community for parents, family members, friends, and loved ones of homosexuals.

Bennett understands that Christian parents are devastated when their children choose homosexuality.

"Parents are heartbroken," he says, "to find that either 'Johnny' or 'Susie' -- who has been brought to church, who has been in youth group, who has been in choir, who has gone on mission trips -- all of a sudden one day at age 16, 17, 18 announces, 'Mom, Dad, I'm gay.'"

And the reaction of parents, he shares, can sometimes be just as devastating. "It seems that they take their Christianity and throw it all out the door," says Bennett, "because they know in their hearts, according to the Book of Romans, that homosexuality is wrong -- and [they] just cannot believe [the choice their child has made]."

And parents, he explains, often go through various emotions in dealing with the news -- "guilt, grieving, questioning 'Why, God? How did this happen? What did I do? What didn't I do?'"

Bennett, who struggled with homosexuality until he was 28 years old, now considers himself a missionary to the homosexual community. He says the online group will fill a big void with family members of those struggling with same-sex attraction. "Many people are finding a lot of comfort and solace ... and answers to their questions [at the website]," he says, "praying that one day their prodigal son or daughter will come home and return to the faith."

Bennett, his wife, and two Children live in Connecticut.