ON April 2015 - Outpost Ministries

OUTPOST
NEWS
LOVING GOD · DECLARING FREEDOM
The Undeniable Power of God
By Brad Baar, Used by Permission
My family consisted of a mom, a dad, and two sisters.
My father had set his heart and focus on providing for his
family. He provided everything from a nice house to food
on the table to, of course, fun toys for his children! Both
Dad and I were clueless about the need for emo onal
connec on with each other. With Dad’s me spent traveling for work, I remember dis nctly when he’d return
home. For two days, I would barely recognize him. How
could I engage with him emo onally? My desire to connect with him, to be the apple of his eye, to make him
proud of his li3le boy was stunted, leading to doubt and
confusion.
esty, not judgment. She simply said to me, “Brad, nothing
that comes from God will leave you confused or unsa sfied.” I couldn’t fully grasp what she meant in that moment, nor did I care to try. With my secret out, I was excited to get started on living my life as an openly gay young
man.
Five years down the road, I had managed to acquire
many sinful experiences, all in pursuit of happiness and
love. I was ul mately looking for someone who would provide for, care for, and support me. In the end, my unhealthy rela onships just exposed my emp ness and desperate need for fulfillment. The good feelings I came across
would evaporate as quickly as they
first appeared.
The eight years that followed
had me wrestling and searching
She simply said to me, “Brad, nothfor connec on with males. Only
ing that comes from God will leave
now can I see just how illA game of tug-of-war began in
you confused or unsa sfied.”
equipped I felt in rela ng to men.
my heart at the age of 20. God purWhile I turned up empty-handed
posely ignited a slow-burning passion
in this area of my life, I had no problem connec ng with
within me to have a family: a child and a beau ful wife. My
women. It’s all I could do growing up in a house full of
gay partner could not offer this nor argue against it—men
them.
are meant to create! For the next two years, confusion set
in and buried me. To speak out any of my new yearnings
I believe this all contributed to my later torments in
would directly contradict my “iden ty.” Drugs, promiscuity
school. I was an easy target for ridicule as my peers
and isola on became the methods I used to interact with
teased me for my girlish behaviors, feminine sounding
the world. I had a3ained everything I had ever wanted, yet
voice, and girly walk. At the tender age of ten, I could do
here I was unsa sfied with a desperate need for more.
nothing but fall for and, yes, even embrace these taun ng
lies as truths of my iden ty! As I did, I arrived at a new
At the point when my life was the darkest, I found the
place of prescribed clarity: I must be gay!
light of salva on shining very brightly! The hope of Christ,
however, had me pinned; mercy had come but with it, a
At the age of 14, I came out as gay to my mother. We
choice. I could leave my lifestyle, move in with my parents
had been si>ng together at night when I turned to her
and search for the abundant life God had promised my
and unleashed my secret. Her words to me that evening
heart. Or, I could remain in the ruins I had created with my
sowed seeds that would later lead to changing my life for- very own hands. A7er what felt like a full 24 hours of
ever. Her response to my secret was one offered in honweeping, I surrendered to Jesus, and reached out to re-
Outpost, Inc. was formed in 1976 to meet the needs of men and women seeking freedom from unwanted same-sex attractions. We offer
teaching, encouragement and support to individuals and families impacted by homosexuality in the Twin Cities area of Minneapolis-St.
Paul and address the Church in the Upper Midwest on related topics. Outpost also offers help to those dealing with sexual and relational
brokenness related to the opposite sex. Partnering with God the Father, we welcome the broken-hearted and hurting. For more information visit us at www.OutpostMinistries.org or contact us: Outpost, Inc., PO Box 22429, Robbinsdale, MN 55422; Voice: (763) 592-4700;
Fax: (763) 592-4701; E-mail: [email protected].
ceive the hand of the Lord on April 20th, 2008.
The door of my parents’ house greeted my weary soul with a calming
hush. My family rushed in and surrounded me with the uncondi onal support
of their presence. God’s peace met me and welcomed me. I would need it for
strength to commit myself to the unknown journey ahead. I realized quickly
that God never intended me to fight alone, so I made the heavy-handed phone
call to Outpost Ministries.
I spent three years as a par cipant at Outpost finding healing through:
•
Real people who understand this issue. I couldn’t do life without community, especially without transparency, vulnerability, and others carrying the
burdens of my heart (Gala ans 6:2).
•
Men standing strong with me, linking arms with me through the Holy Spirit, giving me support and encouragement through the Word of God.
•
•
Healthy masculine rela onships. We are wounded in rela onship and we
are healed in rela onship! The more I communicated with men and
opened up, the more I felt my own masculinity being called forth. God
placed a very specific group of men around me as Chris an brothers. This
was beyond powerful for me because I needed to know I was enjoyed and
appreciated by other men.
Outpost News is published 11 months a year by
Outpost, Inc. and is sent free upon request. An
annual donation of $30 is appreciated to cover
printing and postage costs.
PO Box 22429, Robbinsdale, MN 55422
Voice: (763) 592-4700
Fax: (763) 592-4701
www.OutpostMinistries.org
[email protected]
Candace Oyloe, Editor
All Scripture references from the
New King James Version (NKJV)
unless otherwise noted.
Board of Directors:
Chair: Ross Olson
Vice-chair: Brita Ylitalo
Secretary (ex-officio): Nate Oyloe
Members-at-Large:
Carol Eikum, Lisa Eisenbacher,
Jason Knoll, Joy Knoll, Alex Pennell, Tom Sutton
Business Hours:
Mon-Thurs 8 AM to 4:30 PM, Fri by appt.
Justice House of Prayer Hours:
Mon, Wed, Thurs 8 AM-12 PM
Tues 8 AM-10 PM
©2015 Outpost, Inc. All rights reserved.
Nothing may be copied without prior
permission from Outpost Ministries.
Learning to rejoice in my weaknesses.
“And He has said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for power is
perfected in weakness.’ Most gladly, therefore, I will rather boast
about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may dwell in me.
Therefore I am well content with weaknesses, with insults, with distresses, with persecu ons, with difficul es, for Christ’s sake; for when I
am weak, then I am strong.” (2 Corinthians 12:9-10).
places, into a heart lovesick for Him, being
filled with every blessing and revela on!
As I started to give God thanks through my trails, tempta ons, and afflicons, I gained the strength and power of the Lord.
I have been serving on staff at Outpost
for over three years now. I started Elijah
Company, our support and prayer program
for parents, friends and family with loved
ones struggling with SSA, and I currently
serve full- me as our Chief Opera ons
Officer.
•
Listening to the voice of the Lord to obey His Word. Slowly but surely, He
peeled back layers of my heart exposing pain and discomfort. My heart
ached but God gave me perfect mercy and grace. God healed my heart as I
heard His voice. He exposed me to my pain, allowing me to feel it. He didn’t leave me in the pain for long but used it to propel me forward with a
stronger, fuller heart. It’s God’s desire to repair and restore the years the
locusts have eaten.
Today, seven years a7er God turned
my disobedience to the wisdom of the
righteous (Luke 1:17), He has blessed me
with an unbelievable wife for whom I
would joyfully give up my life. He has given
me a double por on for taking up my
cross to follow Him.
•
Not focusing on the healing of unwanted same-sex a3rac ons (SSA) but instead on the holiness of Jesus. The goal of healing from SSA is holiness,
nothing else. If one has any other goal, it will lead to a disappoin ng and
even destruc ve end. But the good news is that as we are transformed into the righteousness and holiness of Jesus (Ephesians 4:24), we are healed
from SSA—over me.
My friends, the transforma onal power of God is undeniable! He has
transformed my broken heart, searching for love and hope in all the wrong
Brad Baar, Outpost’s
Chief Operations Officer,
loves his new role as a
husband.
Praises & Prayer
Praise God for a well-a3ended Pure Joy!
Celebra on. The tes mony of Jesus went
forth with power!
Praise God for His con nued leadership
of the Outpost board, leadership and
staff.
Praise God for the healing and restorave work He con nues to do in the lives
of our par cipants.
Events
Financial Picture
3/23 Ariel spoke at Union Gospel Mission, Thanks be to God for His inexpressible
gi%! —2 Corinthians 9:15
St. Paul, MN
3/27 Pure Joy! Celebra on, Northbrook
Alliance Church
4/7 JHOP Solemn Assembly, 8 AM-10 PM,
Northbrook Alliance Church, Brooklyn
Center, MN
At the beginning of the month, we celebrated the resurrec on of Christ, the most important event in history! Jesus, our
wonderful gi7 from God, has rescued us
from the dreadful penalty from our sin and
released us from its awful grip.
4/11 Nate H. spoke to the Women’s Missionary Federa on, Williston, ND
The grace of God in this inexpressible gi7
has overflowed and resulted in a wealth of
Pray for the married men who are par c4/12 Nate H. spoke at the Associa on Free generosity from our donors. We are grateipa ng in our programming, that God will
ful for each one of you and thank you again
Lutheran Church in Williston, ND
bring healing to their marriages and to
for your partnership with this ministry. You
4/17-18 Onething Regional, Redeeming
their wives.
are the only reason that we are able to acLove Church, Maplewood, MN
complish what God has called us to do!
Pray that the married couples dealing
with homosexuality in their marriage in
isola on will have the courage to contact
us for support.
Pray for encouragement for staff as they
con nue to raise support and seek financial partners in this ministry.
4/19 Dale speaks at Elmwood Evangelical
Free Church, St. Anthony, MN
March financial results are not available at
the me of this wri ng, but halfway into
4/25 Ariel speaks at the District Blitz Youth our fiscal year, our expenses had
exceeded our revenues by a li3le over
Conference, Rochester, MN
$6,000. Would you please prayerfully con5/1-3 Nate O. speaks at First Bap st
sider a mid-year gi7 that would
Church, Minot, ND
bring us back to a place where we are
mee ng our expenses?
Pray for increased organiza on, commu- 6/29-7/4 Nate H. speaks at the Free Lunica on and unity as a ministry and as a
theran Youth Conven on, Estes Park, Colstaff.
orado
Pray for protec on of staff, their families
and the office.
Thank you!
Dave Osborn
Chief Financial Officer
www.restoredhopenetwork.org
Inside . . .
Brad’s Testimony:
The Undeniable Power of God
PO BOX 22429 · ROBBINSDALE, MN 55422-0429
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