No child has ever been born into the world by its own will or plan. Its conception, gestation, and birth are completely out of its consciousness and control. It is merely the passive recipient of the will and action of it parents. Just as certainly, no person wills, much less creates, a new spiritual nature within himself.
John MacArthur

Lessons From London

Lessons From London Lessons From London

An Interview with Chris Medcalf

Don’t go at [ministry] alone. You need spiritual and emotional byinvolving yourself in a Biblical-based fellowship.

LIA: Why don’t you begin by introducing yourself to our readers?

CM: I grew up on a farm just south of Cambridge, England. Myparents were Christians, but it wasn’t until my early teens that Ibecame aware of God’s reality. It was another four years before I hadfellowship with other believers. I knew some things weren’t right inmy life, one of them being my involvement in homosexuality. But Ididn’t understand God’s forgiveness or the power of the Holy Spiritto change ones behavior.

LIA: Was your involvement in homosexuality quite extensive? CM:No, it soon stopped. But then the struggle became internalized forquite a number of years. I became involved in a Christian union atcollege and then later as a staff worker for the British equivalentin InterVarsity.

LIA: How did you first get involved in homosexual ministry? CM: Inthe college where I was working, one of the women in the Christianunion publicly declared herself lesbian through the school newspaper.The other Christians didn’t know how to respond, so I contactedMartin Hallett of “True Freedom Trust” in Liverpool for help indealing with it. He mentioned a conference he was having thefollowing week. I went to it and for the first time, I heard Peopleopenly discussing their homosexual struggles.

At the end of the conference I confessed to Martin my real reasonfor being there. He encouraged me to join the support group he wasleading near my home in Manchester. That was the beginning ofopenness, admitting to others for the first time that I had ahomosexual problem. It forced me to deal with a fear I had of meetingother people who had the same struggles. Within one month of theconference, I met three people in the course of my work who werehomosexual. The fear I had was gone, and I was able to share the goodnews of Christ with them.

LIA: How did that lead to full-time ministry to homosexuals?

CM: That same year the second Exodus Europe conference was held inBritain and I went along at Martin’s invitation. I was in my finalyear of work as a staff worker with InterVarsity, and I wanted achance to think and pray about my future. During the week, a smallgroup of people interested in seeing a ministry begin in London mettogether. I joined them, and during the sharing time, it suddenly hitme: “This is it! This is what God wants me to do.” I was a bit takenaback, and left the conference feeling it was all a big mistake. Itold my Pastor in Manchester about what had happened and alsoconfessed my own past involvement in homosexuality. He wastremendously supportive and encouraged me very much to go ahead withit. A board which had formed to launch the ministry interviewed meand that was also positive. To be better prepared, I accepted aninvitation from Frank Worthen to come to Love In Action and train forthree months. That was December of 1983. It was helpful to observe aministry which had functioned in this area of outreach for so manyyears.

LIA: What happened when you returned to London?

CM: I went with Frank to the third Exodus Europe conference, whichwas in Switzerland that year (1984). I also got to visit severalother European ministries. In August, we got office space offered tous rent free and that’s when things really began to take off. We wereable to have a phone installed and start advertising regularly.

LIA: How did you build up your clientele?

CM: I was already in touch with a few people from my Student Uniondays, and we took over the sporadic meeting Martin Hallet had beenholding in the London area. As we advertised, inquiries kept comingin. I was surprised at the number of people who responded to such aseemingly insignificant classified ad.

LIA: What were your biggest frustrations?

CM: Money was always a problem in the early days. We wouldsometimes go two or three months without a salary. Near the end ofour first year, I found myself getting swamped. I was working almostevery day late into the evening, neglecting fellowship with my churchand house group. I wasn’t even eating properly and went through aperiod of illness. I realized how much I needed a balance betweenwork and times for rest and relaxation.

LIA: Sometimes we think that God can’t get along without us!

CM: Yes, I had to gain a better view of God’s sovereignty. Thework didn’t depend on me – it was God’s work. I had to learn to leavethings in His hands. We had some volunteer help for awhile, whichhelped us catch up. Now I’m alone in the office much of the time. ButI want to stress that it hasn’t been a “lone ranger” type ofoperation. I don’t think God blesses that approach to ministry. Therehas always been a committee of people representing various churcheswho have been behind us. They haven’t been directly involved in thework, but have been overseeing it, offering guidance and support.Then there’s the support of my home church fellowship. Theserelationships have been very important to me, making it less likelythat I would seek to fulfill my emotional needs through counselees,which I think could otherwise have been a danger.

LIA: What other discouragements have you had to work through?

CM: The first time you get someone who decides to go back to thegay lifestyle can be a difficult time. It’s hard not to take itpersonally: “Where did I go wrong? What could I have donedifferently?” It can deeply affect you, if it’s someone you’ve cometo love and really care about. But each of us has to make his owndecisions, we can’t do that for other people. What helps me is alarger view of God’s grace. He is faithful; He’s not going to give upon that person.

The two-year mark was a difficult time for us. We had some changesin our committee and a financial crisis. That was a testing time,when we could easily have given up, but I think we’ve come throughthat now. We’re at the stage of expanding to have others in thestaff, but we need some increase in our regular financial support tobe able to expand the work. We’re hoping some of this will comethrough churches in the London area who will begin to see this needas an area of responsibility. They’re not doing anything to help thehomosexuals, and they could perhaps support us financially and inprayer. We want to train churches to be more effective in helpinghomosexuals.

LIA: What’s the biggest change you’ve seen in your own lifethrough the ministry?

CM: How I’ve related to myself. Although when I first went toMartin’s meetings, I hadn’t been involved in a homosexualrelationship for years, I tended to deal with the temptation byblocking it out. I kept a distance from other men, both emotionallyand physically. I’ve learned to be more open, and that’s somethingthat has been important for me. Significant changes have begun in myrelationship to my parents. My father has taken to hugging me when wemeet, which is something he initiated. It’s a small step, but God isworking.

LIA: Any final words of advice to others in ministry?

CM: Don’t do it alone. You need spiritual and emotional support byinvolvement in a Biblical church fellowship. You need accountabilityto others, whether it’s based within your own church or in aninterdenominational group. Be part of a committed church fellowship,and be accountable in terms of ministry.

Copyright © by Bob Davies. Distributed by Love inAction, PO Box 753307, Memphis, TN 38175-3307; 901/542-0250

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