David Kyle FosterWe recently noticed that David Kyle Foster’s Mastering Life Ministries no longer appears on the Exodus affiliate page for Tennessee.  When asked, Exodus President Alan Chambers confirmed to XGW that Foster chose not to renew his membership for 2008, and “left the Exodus Network late last year.”  Interestingly, Myra Noyes is no longer listed as an Exodus regional representative,either.  She was responsible for the Florida region and has been associated with Foster’s ministry for some time (she is still listed on the Mastering Life Ministries website).  Whatever led to the split between Foster and Exodus, Noyes’ concurrent departure may indicate a deep-seated difference of opinion.

Mastering Life Ministries has long been part of Exodus, and Chambers worked with Foster on the latter’s Pure Passion television program a couple of years ago.  From his writings and participation in that show, Foster appears to be a rather rigid, controlling person.  As illustrated in this earlier XGW post, he speaks with the finality of a prophet, and finds it easy to disregard that which is not found in his reading of the Bible, including the findings of science.  As in the clip below, he does use generic references to science when he needs to add legitimacy to his own, sometimes bizarre statements.  Here, for instance, he debates the kinds of sex a husband and wife may have without sinning.

In what must be the current winner of the “how far can I exaggerate the number of ex-gays in the world contest,” Foster claims there are “millions” of them. Responding to a letter from someone “who struggles with homosexual inclinations,” he writes:

As God heals those things that made you seek other men for sexual pleasure, your natural heterosexuality (which has been there all along, suppressed) will naturally begin to emerge, and like millions of other ex-gays, you will likely marry and have children and praise God for the rest of your life for the incredible miracle that He has done in you.

In the Pure Passion program mentioned above, Foster makes a statement which illustrates the depth of his dogma, claiming that “homosexuals do not exist.” Millions of ex-gays but no homosexuals — how curious.

 

Another major, longtime Exodus ministry, Where Grace Abounds, left the network in April of this year.  A line from their website could be a hint as to why they left.

We also see the sin of self-righteousness as equally heinous in the eyes of God and those who condemn others as equally in need of redemption as any of the people they accuse.

Why don’t we find deeply honest statements like that on the Exodus website? And one wonders how long Wendy Gritter and New Direction can hope to maintain their membership.

While Randy Thomas claimed during an interview in Asheville, NC last week that Exodus has a membership of over 200 ministries, the listing on their website does not reflect this.  We will keep track and follow up as necessary.

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