The Reorient Express

Some churches are still trying to "cure" homosexuals. And some people are still lining up to trade in their sex life for eternal life.

A A A Comments By Craig Malisow Thursday, Oct 14 2004

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The exorcism didn't work. He moved to Houston and was disappointed until he discovered Newman and Exodus Ministries. He joined a support group and initially was impressed with Newman.

"I looked up to Michael," he says. "We all did, for the most part, because he was one that was held up to have finally done this, he had beat it…We looked up to him almost like a big brother."

Exodus's new ad campaign features "success" stories.

Daniel Kramer

Williams's small congregation ends services with a prayer circle.

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But he soon felt more out of whack trying to "repair" his sexuality than living with it. He felt more alienated from God than ever.

"It's like, God won't accept you fully unless you get through this…it doesn't get any higher motivation than that," he says. "That was the hard part for me; that's why it took me 12 years, and why it takes some people longer or never, is that, for me to have said it's okay for me to be gay, I had to also say everything I believed about God is not right and I have to reinvent my spirituality."

Newman's ministry, which worked to help Upchurch give up his gayness, wound up making him give up God.

"It's a huge sacrifice," he says. "You're giving up so much of your life. I can't imagine how Michael, if he ever even did come to the place where he realized that he was still gay…I can't even imagine how he would come out and say that, because his whole life has been built around this image now…It's like the walls would fall down."

Upchurch shares his life today, as he has for the past nine years, with the same man. And three dogs.

Christopher, happy with his hard-won heterosexuality, waits for Mrs. Right.

Todd Williams and Dwayne Johnson preach the gospel every Sunday.

Newman and Exodus Ministries spread the word of sexual wholeness throughout the world.

God could not be reached for comment.