Conversion? Transformation!

I Have Great Hope!

Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy, he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of
Jesus Christ from the dead.
I Peter 1:3

Our Mission                                                                                                               Prodigal Ministries is a Christian discipleship ministry supporting men and women with same-sex attraction (SSA) or gay-identified who are pursuing sexual purity and relational wholeness in accordance with His design and intent.

Our Motto
With Jesus anything is possible.

We believe the entire TRANSFORMATION of an individual, including their sexuality, is possible.

Great Hope!                                                                                                                          We have been in the front row seats the last thirty-two years to see God transform lives that have affected families for generations.

The recovery dynamics for persons with SSA are not unlike other issues common to all of us.

There are the aspects of a person’s self that we see transformed and significantly affect an individual’s sexual desires, sexual identity, and sexual behaviors.

We see that human sexuality is comprised of several aspects; ingredients if you will that can transform a person’s entire being into a new creation.

Aspects of a person’s self that can be transformed by our Living God…

  • Relational Transformation
    Relationships can be transformed. How people relate to the following can change:
  • A person’s relationship with men.
  • A person’s relationship with women.
  • Reconciliation with an individual to himself/herself.
  • Peace with one’s body.
  • Peace with one’s birth-gendered-self.
  • Reconciliation of the individual to their own gender group.
  • Reconciliation with God, parents, siblings, peers.
  • Reconciliation with one’s past.
  • Disidentify with opposite gender group.
  • Personal relational boundaries.

Emotional Transformation
Unresolved ‘pockets’ of un-expressed emotions such as anger, hurt, pain and grief within an individual empowers unwanted feelings and behaviors. These unresolved ‘negative’ feelings can direct feelings that in turn direct behaviors.
Persons, when given proper guidance, time and space can release the full range of emotions appropriately, thus dis-empower compulsive behaviors.

Identify legitimate emotional needs and meet them appropriately so as to resolves the compulsion to obtain legitimate emotional needs through unproductive and, or destructive behaviors.

The dissolving of ambivalent thoughts and the resulting feelings towards the same sex are central to the transformation of relationships with the same sex.

Our desires can change. What we once loved we can have an aversion to and what we once had an aversion to we can love.

Spiritual Transformation
Dynamic encounters with the Spirit of the Living God transform persons from the inside out.

Spiritual disciplines like spiritual warfare, sacraments, worship, confession, repent, forgiveness, healing prayer, Bible study and sacrificial obedience help mold a person into the likeness of Jesus.
We are transformed by being with Him. Our values, morals, loves and hates can be transformed into being His image bearers. As we act towards others as He directed us to be in relationship with one another we are changed.

Additionally, as we repent of sins, like envy for one example we no longer covet our neighbor goods. The self-contentment and acceptance we experience through The Father’s affirmation of our unique design changes us.

We cannot underestimate the indwelling of the Spirit and His impact on transforming us – our desires.

We pray for healing and we can be healed.

Cognitive Transformation
Renewing/Transforming our thinking is a directive of God, “Be transformed by the renewing of your mind’ and “Take captive every thought unto the obedience of Christ.”  Bringing our thoughts (often lies) unto Jesus for transformation regarding the following makes us new creations.  We bring our thoughts regarding heterosexuality, masculinity, femininity, sex, self-worth and much more to Him for changing.

Behavioral Transformation
God’s Word gives us many behavioral instructions. He often times tells us to take actions against things or for things.
• Put off impurity
• Stay away from evil
• Reject idols
• Keep my Commandments
• Pray always
• Give thanks continually
• Love as He loves
• Worship God
• …

Additionally, as our thinking transforms, our feelings transform which then leads to changes in our behavior. The reverse of this can lead to transformation too – making behavioral changes can give way to new thinking and emotions.  Chang brings change.

Transformation of the Effects of One’s Past
All of us are affected by our past and though we cannot change the past we can change its effect on us.

Transformation of One’s Future
Our goals can change! We may be on one trajectory, a set plan for a type of relationship, vocation or etc but we can re-decide our plan for the future.

We can ask ourselves, “Are the decisions I am making now going to get me to where I want to be?

With everything in your power go after what you want.
You are free to change!

Transformation of Identity
Embracing The Creator’s design and intent for human relationships and sexual expression as our own is central! We are designed and intended for heterosexual relating.

Renouncing the false construct of a ‘gay identity’ and the embracing of the heterosexual identity is in order here.
We see ourselves as Christ sees us! We identify ourselves as Christ identifies us.

How others have named us we can name as a lie and exchange it for the truth.

Medical/Physical Transformation
Changes in sleeping, eating and exercise can result in numerous transformations. Our bodies, emotions, thinking and spirit’s are connected within us and are affected by physical changes.
Receiving treatment for medical conditions such as depression, anxiety and etc can also transform us.

Hope!                                                                                                                                    We have many aspects of ourselves that are within our power to be transformed! And, we have the Spirit of the Living God to empower that transformation! God is for our means of transformation! These transformations of aspects of our personhood can and do affect our sexuality.

I have great hope! We have the Great Hope living with us and within us!

With all of the above said regarding transformation possibilities keep in mind…
We have to live our lives in the reality that sin has contaminated EVERYTHING.
• Our heart still has and will have sinful desires.
• Our flesh will want the unholy.
• The culture/world will contaminate our minds with falsities.
• The devil seeks to destroy us. He will forever buffet us and tempt us towards old patterns.
• Even as new creations in Christ we will struggle with the old nature. Galatians 5:17

Words from a client:                                                                                                           “I thought transformation was just about this one area of my life – sex/sexuality. It’s not! It’s about surrendering my entire being to Jesus. All my thinking, all my relationships, all of my past, all of my future, all of my desires, everything!
He is transforming me!”

                                         HE is the God who gives life to the dead and calls things                                         that are not as though they were.
Romans 4:17

Additional Reading Resource:

Identity. Desire. Behavior.