Conference Speakers

The plenary sessions each morning, afternoon and evening are presented in an atmosphere of worship, and inspiring sacred and gospel music.

The Reverend Dr. Thomas Yung-Hsin Wang

Thomas Wang was born in 1925 in Beijing, China. He became a Christian at the age of 11 and went on to study at the Catholic University of Beijing, St. John’s University in Shanghai, the Presbyterian Seminary in Taiwan and the Central Bible Seminary in Springfield, Missouri. Dr.Wang’s evangelistic and missions ministry led to him being called the Billy Graham to the Chinese people. In 1985, he was invited to be the Vice-chairman of the Lausanne Committee for World Evangelization and later served as its International Director and also as the Director of the Second Lausanne Congress in Manila in 1989. In 1989, Dr.Wang founded the Great Commission Theological Seminary. He was the first Chinese evangelist invited to conduct evangelistic crusades in the former USSR after the collapse of Communism in 1989. Dr. Thomas Wang, renowned around the world, will be the opening speaker.

Sy Rogers

Sy was a homosexual, prostitute and transsexual before coming to Jesus Christ. His life was filled with rejection and frustration. He struggled with same-sex attraction as child and embraced homosexuality while a university student. He later turned to the dangerous street scene as a prostitute. In an attempt to find God he became involved in the occult and the ‘gay’ church. Disillusioned with the gay life, Sy attempted find love and happiness by becoming a woman through a sex-change. Then God intervened and transformed his life, bringing healing and real change to Sy.

Sy will share his story and deal with questions such as:

• How bad is the problem of sexual brokenness and damage in our church?
• Why do Christians have such problems?
• Why haven’t we addressed them better?
• What can I do to manage my own vulnerabilities better?

“Christians are often ashamed to admit what everyone knows: Christianity does not make us immune to our sexual passions. Everything doesn't get  'fixed' just because we come into relationship with God. Christians are often surprised and disillusioned because they still have sexual struggles. We haven't had realistic expectations, or an informed understanding of 'why' we struggle--much less, 'what' to do about it.  But there ARE solutions--which I've had to discover and apply, not only to serve others better...but for my own spiritual survival".  —Sy Rogers—

Reverend Darryl L. Foster

Reverend Foster was born into an African American family in Texas. Growing up without a father figure to love him, sexually molested as a boy, rejected by his peers, he felt pulled toward homosexuality which he embraced in college. After years of involvement in all its devaluing forms he felt unloved and worthless. But God’s love reached him and he found true and lasting change through God's healing power and grace. Darryl became a pastor, husband and father. He founded the Restoration Sanctuary International Church in Atlanta, Georgia, as well as WITNESS!, an outreach ministry to men and women of color trapped in unwanted homosexuality. He is the author of the book, Touching a Dead Man: One Man’s Explosive Story of Deliverance from Homosexuality. He currently serves as the Executive Director of Powerful Change Ministry Group International.

"The argument of the gay community has been that our sexual orientation is unchangeable. Therefore what we do is just a part of our existence, just like a person's skin color or our gender. The comparison of sexual orientation to skin color is simply apples and oranges: I like something that Alveda King once said, 'I've never met an ex-black person, but I've met plenty ex-homosexuals.' I'm just as black as the day I was born, but I'm no longer homosexual." —Darryl Foster—

Carla Pinheiro

Carla is the Director of Moses, an Exodus member ministry in Brazil, and Chairperson of the Exodus Brazil Board. Carla says, “I fell in love with a girl friend at 17 years of age. I thought that life was good. I drank a lot. But I eventually lost everything my father gave me. Then I learned that God loved me. When I accepted Jesus into my heart I felt peace and tremendous joy. Today I feel washed, sanctified and justified because of what Jesus Christ did on the cross." Carla left her life of homosexuality and became actively involved in her church. Later she founded and continues to direct a ministry to homosexuals.

Pastor Benjamin Devadason

Pastor Benjamin Devadason, born in Sri Lanka, has spent 30 years in a ministry that touches Buddhists, Hindus, and Muslims. He specializes in training people to be able to reach out, cross-culturally, to people from countries such as India and Sri Lanka.

Jenny Li

Jenny Li was born in Taiwan and is the director of New Creation, an Exodus member ministry in Taiwan. Jenny will share her story of growing up as a lesbian and coming to know Jesus while still involved as a lesbian. It was 2 years after her decision to accept Jesus that she realized God was calling her to leave homosexuality and help other homosexuals. Jenny followed her calling, understanding that homosexuality was an obediance issue, left homosexuaity and founded the ministry New Creation. Now, after 8 years of ministry in Taiwan, Jenny is burdened to begin working in China, a country with over 30 million homosexuals.

Pat Lawrence

Pat Lawrence was drawn into homosexuality as a teen after struggling with her sense of self and with a series of events in her life. When a friend took her to a gay bar, her first words were, “Now I know where I belong.” It felt like home. She was 17 years old. However, she discovered gay relationships could not copy the loving relationship she'd seen in her parents. She used alcohol and drugs to numb the pain and disappointment. After years of disappointment with lesbian relationships, a friend encouraged her to talk to God about her messed-up life. God responded telling Pat "All I’ve ever wanted was you. I love you for who you are.” To this Pat responded "If You want me, You can have me.” She didn't change overnight but God did draw her out of homosexuality, working deep and lasting change. Then He called her to minister to others who were affected by homosexuality. She was a founder of New Direction for Life Ministries, served on the Exodus International, North America board and is now the executive director of Exodus Global Alliance.