Anthony Venn-Brown

Anthony Venn-Brown (born 13 March 1951) is a former evangelist and minister in the Australian Assemblies of God and the Co-founder and Convenor of Freedom 2 B [e] cite web |url=http://www.freedom2b.org |title=Freedom 2 B(e) |accessdate=2007-07-18] which is a network for GLBTIQ (Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgender, Intersex and Queer) people from Pentecostal, Charismatic and Evangelical backgrounds.

Early ministry

Venn Brown pioneered several Assemblies of God churches in regional NSW before moving to Sydney with his family in the early 1980s and founding "Every Believer Evangelism." Venn-Brown became a popular preacher at all the major churches of the Assemblies of God in Australia including Hillsong Church's predecessor Christian Life Centre and also preached overseas. In 1990 he became the first Pentecostal to be appointed to the Lausanne Committee for World Evangelism in Australia.

Youth Alive

Venn Brown was the original founder of Youth Alive in NSW. In 1985 the NSW Assemblies of God approached him to work with youth groups and start some large scale events. The first Youth Alive event was a concert held in the beachside suburb of Manly, New South Wales on 23 February 1985. Some more conservative members of the Assemblies of God opposed the event because of the use of Christian rock music and walked out. However, Youth Alive became a very successful youth organisation and eventually grew to events of over 20 000 people. Venn Brown eventually handed over the ministry to his assistant Pat Mesiti as he wanted to concentrate on developing "Every Believer Evangelism". [Venn-Brown, A. (2007) "A Life of unlearning: a journey to find the truth".]

Coming out

Venn-Brown resigned as a minister in 1991 after coming out as a gay man. In 2004 he published his autobiography, "A Life of Unlearning - Coming out of the church,One Man's Struggle."cite web |url=http://www.anthonyvennbrown.com/book.html |title=Anthony Venn-Brown: Book] The book detailed his struggle to reconcile his homosexuality with his Christian beliefs. It won the Sydney Gay and Lesbian Business Association Literary award in 2004. The revised edition, "A Life of Unlearning - a Journey to Find the Truth" was published in 2007.

Preferring to be known as a gay ambassador instead of gay activist, Venn-Brown is now a representative and advocate of gay and lesbian people. He seeks to create an informed, intelligent yet respectful dialogue about the issues of same sex orientation within the Christian and particularly Pentecostal community.

Anthony doesn't feel he will return to preaching, saying ˜30 years down the track someone who is gay or lesbian will be allowed to minister. I hope I'm there to see it, but I feel I've had my ministry. When I came back to God I felt like I had the essence of what it was all about. What I have now is real. I have learned to live non-judgementally, to live with integrity and I didn't have that as a preacher."

Anthony Venn-Brown was voted as one of the 25 most influential gay and lesbian Australians in 2007 and was one of the keynote speakers at the recent "Evangelical Network Conference" in Arizona

Anthony currently attends Hillsong at Waterloo.

Freedom 2 B(e)

Venn-Brown is a Co-founder and Convenor of Freedom 2 B [e] . The stated mission of Freedom 2 B [e] is to create a global network of GLBTIQ people from Pentecostal and Charismatic backgrounds that helps them resolve issues of faith and sexuality and creates understanding and acceptance.

Freedom 2b(e) meets monthly in Sydney and also conducts meetings in other states of Australia including Melbourne . It has an online forum where participants can discuss issues relating to their faith and sexuality .

In 2007 Freedom 2 B(e) gay Pentecostal and Charismatic Christians and their supporters marched in the Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras for the first time and they recently marched in the 2008 Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras .

The current patrons of Freedom 2 B(e) are the Hon. Michael Kirby AC, CMG (a justice of the High Court of Australia and Reverend Dorothy McCrae McMahon.

References

External links

* [http://www.anthonyvennbrown.com/ Venn-Brown's web page]
* [http://alifeofunlearning.blogspot.com/"Anthony's blogspot"]
* cite web |title=Pentecostal and proud |author=Kim Shaw |date=2007-02-26
url=http://www.villagevoice.com.au/article/20070225/NWS03/702250334/-1/nws/Pentecostal+and+proud |accessdate=2007-07-18
* cite web |title=anthony-venn-brown-mr-charismatic-gay-australia |author=Zoe Carter |date=2007-02-15
url=http://www.outinperth.com/index.php/reviews/literature/anthony-venn-brown-mr-charismatic-gay-australia |access date=2007-11-19
*
* ABC Radio National "The Religion Report" [http://www.abc.net.au/rn/talks/8.30/relrpt/stories/s1407864.htm Homosexuality and the church] 2005-06-29