How does a homosexual person change?
We believe freedom from homosexuality is increasingly experienced as men and women mature through ongoing submission to the lordship of Christ and His Church. This transformation enables him or her to shed the old, sinful identity and in its place learn new ways of relating to self and others. Working through underlying relational and abuse problems is a significant component in this process. Making use of individual and pastoral counseling, support groups and personal Bible study. Many find a same-sex discipleship group to be beneficial.
What's your "success rate"?
If what you are asking is whether there is realistic hope for change for men and women who do not want their sexual orientation to be homosexual. Then the answer is yes!
In 1 Corinthians 6:9–11, Paul gives a list of all kinds of sinners that will not inherit the kingdom of God, including those that practice homosexuality. But he goes on to say, "and that is what some of you were. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God." Notice the part that has been highlighted. Some Corinthian Christians had formerly been homosexuals, but now were counted among the saints. Now, that's good news indeed!
No one is saying that change is easy. It requires strong motivation, hard work, and perseverance. But we find hundreds of former homosexuals who have found a large degree of change--attaining abstinence from homosexual behaviours, lessening of homosexual temptations, strengthening their sense of masculine or feminine identity, correcting distorted styles of relating with members of the same and opposite gender. Some former homosexuals marry and some don't, but marriage is not the measuring stick; spiritual growth and obedience are.
On the statistical side, careful reviews of research studies on sexual orientation change suggest that real change is indeed possible. For more information on this, see the article section on change.
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