What do you think?
Rate this book
The Journey Out: How I Followed Jesus Away from Gay
I didn’t think there was a way out. Many churches and individuals now affirm the gay Christian life and cheer-on LGBTQ Pride. But what if the LGBTQ life isn’t the party—for our neighbors, loved ones, or ourselves—that the world says it is? What if these valuable people are in pain? Pain that sex and Gay Pride won’t heal? After a life of hopelessness and a suicidal season over his confused sexual identity and unwanted same-sex desires, Ken discovered that Jesus offered real inner healing and intimate relationship. Since then, Ken has worked tirelessly to help others experience the same hope and transformation he found. In The Journey Out , Ken Williams will...
If you are longing to be deeply known and unconditionally loved, Jesus wants to fulfill those desires, regardless of your area of struggle. You will meet Him in the pages of The Journey Out and discover a new life filled with true hope and enduring joy!
If you are longing to be deeply known and unconditionally loved, Jesus wants to fulfill those desires, regardless of your area of struggle. You will meet Him in the pages of The Journey Out and discover a new life filled with true hope and enduring joy!
- GenresSexuality
240 pages, Paperback
Published March 8, 2021
15 people are currently reading
46 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
October 26, 2021
I should preface that this book was not necessarily written for someone like me, as I have not personally struggled with same sex attraction. With that in mind, there were a few reasons I decided to read it:
1. The author, Ken Williams, is someone I personally know and respect, and I share his desire to be fully led by God.
2. I am interested in knowing more about Ken's story and the stories of others like him that are included in this book.
3. I know and love people who are (or have been) part of the LGBTQ+ community, and I believe that many Christians have done a poor job showing God's genuine love to this group of people. I was pleased to hear about the reason for this book's existence, and I was curious to see how certain issues would be addressed.
There is a lot I really like about this book. I wholeheartedly support the overall message, which is: all humans are created in God's image, and He loves each of us deeply. He wants only what is best for us, and through vulnerability, community, Christian accountability, and genuine care for one another through Christ's love, we can overcome even the most impossible-seeming obstacles to following Him.
During the FAQ toward the end of the book, Ken responds to a person asking how they should approach/confront a gay person in their church. Ken responds by asking the person to consider their relationship with the gay person. Are they close enough to have a conversation about something so deeply personal? He also asks whether the motivation to approach this person is out of genuine love and concern, or if the person asking the question is simply preoccupied with the other person's behavior. (Ken says it better than I do here, but this is my paraphrase.)
The collection of testimonies is also powerful and moving. As I said, there is a lot to like about this book. But there are also parts of this book that I have a certain amount of hesitation fully endorsing…
Ken works / has worked for Bethel Church - a multi-million-dollar charismatic megachurch in Redding, California. Ken also studied at the Bethel School of Supernatural Ministry. He touches on this in the book, and He discusses some physical healing he experienced as part of his testimony. The reason I mention this not to discount Ken's experience at all, but to point out that I know multiple people who have been deeply hurt as the result of some of the teachings that have come from Bethel. Specifically, the idea that God can and will heal anyone/everyone who fully places their faith in Him to do so…
I 100% believe that God is fully capable of healing people in miraculous and supernatural ways, but I also think it is important to recognize that He will sometimes choose not to do so, for reasons I may never understand this side of Heaven, no matter how much faith that person has in Him. I have known some truly amazing Christians whose faith was awe-inspiring, and they still passed away from cancer. God does not owe me an explanation; His will is perfect, and I know that He knows more than I know. I simply believe it is not biblical to say that God will *always* offer complete physical healing to anyone who has enough faith.
[For more information about Bethel's teachings, feel free to read this 2018 article from The Gospel Coalition (9 Things You Should Know About the Bethel Church Movement):
https://www.thegospelcoalition.org/ar... ]
To get back to the point, though… This book exists to tell the true stories of people who were once gay, but have been changed by God. Ken is one of them, and his testimony does not pull punches. The things he shares may offend some people, and his stories are not for immature audiences. There are some who would like to argue these stories of life-change do not / should not exist, and there was even some legislation written to argue that such experiences should not / do not occur; Ken's aim was to prove the opposite. I applaud his heart and his hard work in fighting to have these voices heard. His bravery and extreme vulnerability in telling his story is something I applaud.
Thank you for sharing this, Ken.
Final note: I opted for the audiobook version of The Journey Out, which I sadly cannot recommend. The narrator, David Boudreau, *frequently* mispronounces words and stumbles his way through others. Parts of the text that were written in an utterly raw and emotionally vulnerable way were delivered a in stiff, emotionless manner by the narrator. Hindsight being 20/20, I should have purchased the Kindle version, but I had a spare Audible credit, and using it allowed me to listen through this book while I worked out at the gym. (Seemed like a good idea at the time.) Personally, I believe the audiobook would have been much more impactful if it had been read by Ken, himself. Regardless, out of respect for Ken and the message he is trying to share about caring for people, I have not let the poor narration of the audiobook affect my overall rating.
1. The author, Ken Williams, is someone I personally know and respect, and I share his desire to be fully led by God.
2. I am interested in knowing more about Ken's story and the stories of others like him that are included in this book.
3. I know and love people who are (or have been) part of the LGBTQ+ community, and I believe that many Christians have done a poor job showing God's genuine love to this group of people. I was pleased to hear about the reason for this book's existence, and I was curious to see how certain issues would be addressed.
There is a lot I really like about this book. I wholeheartedly support the overall message, which is: all humans are created in God's image, and He loves each of us deeply. He wants only what is best for us, and through vulnerability, community, Christian accountability, and genuine care for one another through Christ's love, we can overcome even the most impossible-seeming obstacles to following Him.
During the FAQ toward the end of the book, Ken responds to a person asking how they should approach/confront a gay person in their church. Ken responds by asking the person to consider their relationship with the gay person. Are they close enough to have a conversation about something so deeply personal? He also asks whether the motivation to approach this person is out of genuine love and concern, or if the person asking the question is simply preoccupied with the other person's behavior. (Ken says it better than I do here, but this is my paraphrase.)
The collection of testimonies is also powerful and moving. As I said, there is a lot to like about this book. But there are also parts of this book that I have a certain amount of hesitation fully endorsing…
Ken works / has worked for Bethel Church - a multi-million-dollar charismatic megachurch in Redding, California. Ken also studied at the Bethel School of Supernatural Ministry. He touches on this in the book, and He discusses some physical healing he experienced as part of his testimony. The reason I mention this not to discount Ken's experience at all, but to point out that I know multiple people who have been deeply hurt as the result of some of the teachings that have come from Bethel. Specifically, the idea that God can and will heal anyone/everyone who fully places their faith in Him to do so…
I 100% believe that God is fully capable of healing people in miraculous and supernatural ways, but I also think it is important to recognize that He will sometimes choose not to do so, for reasons I may never understand this side of Heaven, no matter how much faith that person has in Him. I have known some truly amazing Christians whose faith was awe-inspiring, and they still passed away from cancer. God does not owe me an explanation; His will is perfect, and I know that He knows more than I know. I simply believe it is not biblical to say that God will *always* offer complete physical healing to anyone who has enough faith.
[For more information about Bethel's teachings, feel free to read this 2018 article from The Gospel Coalition (9 Things You Should Know About the Bethel Church Movement):
https://www.thegospelcoalition.org/ar... ]
To get back to the point, though… This book exists to tell the true stories of people who were once gay, but have been changed by God. Ken is one of them, and his testimony does not pull punches. The things he shares may offend some people, and his stories are not for immature audiences. There are some who would like to argue these stories of life-change do not / should not exist, and there was even some legislation written to argue that such experiences should not / do not occur; Ken's aim was to prove the opposite. I applaud his heart and his hard work in fighting to have these voices heard. His bravery and extreme vulnerability in telling his story is something I applaud.
Thank you for sharing this, Ken.
Final note: I opted for the audiobook version of The Journey Out, which I sadly cannot recommend. The narrator, David Boudreau, *frequently* mispronounces words and stumbles his way through others. Parts of the text that were written in an utterly raw and emotionally vulnerable way were delivered a in stiff, emotionless manner by the narrator. Hindsight being 20/20, I should have purchased the Kindle version, but I had a spare Audible credit, and using it allowed me to listen through this book while I worked out at the gym. (Seemed like a good idea at the time.) Personally, I believe the audiobook would have been much more impactful if it had been read by Ken, himself. Regardless, out of respect for Ken and the message he is trying to share about caring for people, I have not let the poor narration of the audiobook affect my overall rating.
August 13, 2024
A good book overall. Several encouraging stories and good ideas overall. The author is very compassionate and honest and I was challenged in several areas. I’d recommend it.
On the other hand, the writing is not super high quality and there are some questionable sources - especially one regarding a study that claims children of LGBT parents do not do as well as heterosexual parents. I’m fine if he makes that claim, but the I couldn’t find the reference anywhere and that’s a serious, important claim to stand on for the conversation. 🤷🏻♂️
On the other hand, the writing is not super high quality and there are some questionable sources - especially one regarding a study that claims children of LGBT parents do not do as well as heterosexual parents. I’m fine if he makes that claim, but the I couldn’t find the reference anywhere and that’s a serious, important claim to stand on for the conversation. 🤷🏻♂️
Read
June 22, 2021Really fascinating to read this perspective. I have always been fascinated by the spirituality of Bethel, which, it seems to me, emphasizes fhe already dimension of the already-not-yet kingdom of God. This perspective would be described by others as ex-gay, although I am not sure whether they would agree with that label. I am trying to listen to understand the perspectives here as much as possible, including understanding how they view other LGBTQ perspectives, and how other LGBTQ perspectives see them. I am also curious to what extent this movement sees itself inn continuity with other previous movements.
December 8, 2021
Powerful and hope-filled, Williams openly shares his own story while drawing all people—Christian or not, with or without same-sex attraction—to the timeless truth that a free, full, filling life are available to any of us. Williams neither minimizes the potential for a one-time encounter with Jesus to save, heal, and deliver, nor negates the value and reality of the process that is growth and transformation.
June 17, 2021
I would give this book ten stars if I could. The author is willing to directly acknowledge issues of sexuality that I have often wished the church would address. His story, and the others he included, are engaging and interesting. His advice is practical. The book is saturated with resources. There is something in this book for everyone and I strongly recommend it!
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews