Former leader who renounced gay ministry arrested in sting operation

The man who once led a ministry for people with unwanted same-sex attraction, and then later renounced it, was charged with soliciting a minor. Police arrested Alan Chambers, 54, the former president of Exodus International, in a sting operation in Orange County, Fla., earlier this week. An officer posed as a 14-year-old boy, and Chambers attempted to meet up with the impersonator, the local sheriff’s office said Tuesday. Police said Chambers sexually texted the undercover cops for months and sent lewd messages, according to an arrest affidavit cited by WFTV.

Officers charged Chambers with solicitation of a minor, transmission of harmful material to minors, and unlawful use of a two-way communication device. Chambers was released from the Orange County Jail on $15,000 bond on Wednesday, according to local news outlet WOFL-TV.

Why did Chambers leave ministry work? As president of Exodus International, he received national attention for promoting so-called reparative therapy, which was aimed at helping people eliminate unwanted same-sex attraction. The organization shut down in 2013, and Chambers renounced his actions, saying the ministry had caused great harm. He also openly talked about being attracted to both sexes. He wrote three books, two while involved at Exodus and one after he changed his views. Chambers currently works as a leader at a clothing company, according to LinkedIn.

Dig deeper: Read my report on the son of a televangelist who was sentenced for sexually assaulting a minor.