His life looked perfect. He was in a serious relationship and worked as a campus ministry leader at the University of Georgia. But a secret battle raged within him.
When he was a teenager, Jim realized he was attracted to other men. Over the years, he prayed that the Lord would remove this attraction, but Jim made no efforts to uproot the sin himself. His sin left festering for years, Jim finally couldn’t stand his double life any longer.
Instead of proposing to his girlfriend, he broke up with her, quit school, and moved to Atlanta for a fresh start. He connected with a church and promised himself that he would confess his sin struggle to this new community.
But during one Bible study, a leader asked the group to pray for their gay hairdresser.
“The enemy twisted this simple prayer request in my mind to mean ‘unsafe,’” said Jim. “I couldn’t bear the thought of anyone putting me in that category.”
Crushed, Jim turned to the gay community and quickly found affirmation and acceptance. “They understood my sin, and that felt better at the time than those who understood my faith,” said Jim.
Jim began to succumb to the lies within the homosexual community, believing that his homosexuality was something to be celebrated, not ignored. For the next 30 years, he indulged in a homosexual lifestyle.
But the faith of his past kept resurfacing. During a move, Jim found his old Bible while rummaging through his belongings. The discovery sparked a moment of joy, quickly smothered by a dark realization that he was too far gone for God. He set the book aside and vowed not to open a Bible again.
At this time, Jim was in a long-term relationship and more miserable than ever before. He sought help and reluctantly agreed to meet with a pastor, who began not by confronting Jim with Scripture but by loving him like Christ does. His humility shocked Jim.
One night, Jim worked up the courage to open a Bible and face his sin. The scales fell from his eyes as he read the truth of Scripture for the first time in decades. Falling on his knees, he prayed, “God, mold me into the man you want me to be.”
And mold he did.
After surrendering his life to God, Jim eventually went on to become an associate pastor with 360 Church, starting a ministry to help those struggling with same-sex attraction. Now, he leads EveryEthne’s Heart, Mind, and Soul seminar, helping Christians to reach the North American LGBTQ culture.
