The Advisory Council exists to honor those who served on the forming board for Restored Hope Network in 2012 and are no longer on the Board of Directors. Advisory Council members are not spokespersons for Restored Hope Network unless designated as such by the acting Board of Directors.
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Andrew Comiskey
Andrew Comiskey (M.Div.) has worked extensively with the healing of the sexually and relationally broken. Having come to the church broken, he loves nothing more than serving broken ones who cry out for mercy in the church.
He founded Desert Stream Ministries in 1980 while serving on staff at the Vineyard West Los Angeles. Desert Stream relocated from Southern California to Kansas City, Missouri in 2005. Andrew’s ministry remains fresh as a result of his own commitment to overcome homosexuality and his experience as a husband to Annette and father of four (now) adult children. He is author of Pursuing Sexual Wholeness (Creation House), Strength in Weakness (IVP), Naked Surrender: Coming Home to Our True Sexuality (IVP) and the Living Waters healing program.
Andrew seeks to equip the global church to become whole and holy, a bride ready to receive Jesus. He loves worshipping Jesus at St. Thomas More Parish. He marvels at the power of Christ Crucified to blaze a trail on which broken lives can become whole. He is at times troubled by Jesus’ call to pick up our own crosses and walk His way in order to be healed.
Annette Comiskey
Annette has been working with Andrew since the beginning of Desert Stream Ministries in 1980. They were married in 1981 in Hermosa Beach, CA. They are the parents of four adult children: Gregory, Nick, Katie and Sam.
Annette has worked extensively with wives who have been affected by sexual and relational brokenness in their marriages. They live in Kansas City, Missouri.
She is most in her “element” spending time with her kids (including two amazing daughter-in-laws, Christina and Meghan) being with their dog Joni, and watching sports! She also loves worshipping at nearby Christ Church Anglican where her son Nick is a pastor.
After 30 years of ministry, Annette still marvels at the amazing people who labor alongside of Andrew and her--many for more than 2 decades. Whether giving their time or financial support (many do both!), these wonderful folks give much grace to us in the challenge of ministry.
Annette is increasingly troubled by the decay of the moral culture in our churches. Issues and behaviors (pre-marital co-habitation, divorce, children out of wedlock, 'gay marriage') that were troubling 20 years ago are now embraced thoughtlessly. But she also believes in the power of the Lord to bring repentance unto renewal to those who call upon His name!
Dr. David Kyle Foster
David is a former male prostitute, homosexual struggler and sex & drug addict who was for seven years a professional film & television actor in Hollywood. After a year of following a guru, David was radically saved in 1980 while on a trip to Israel in search of Jesus. He is the author of Sexual Healing: A Biblical Guide to Finding Freedom from Sexual Sin & Brokenness, and Transformed Into His Image: Hidden Steps on the Journey to Christlikeness, as well as numerous booklets.
He is a graduate of Trinity Evangelical Divinity School (M-Div) and Trinity Episcopal School for Ministry (D-Min) and has served as adjunct professor at Asbury Theological Seminary, The Bible Institute of Hawaii, Trinity Episcopal School for Ministry, Logos Christian College & Graduate School and the Wagner Leadership Institute.
David’s articles have appeared in numerous Christian journals and magazines (-e.g., Touchstone, Charisma, New Man, etc.) and he has appeared on countless television and radio programs, (-e.g., Dr. Phil, 700 Club, Coral Ridge Hour, Janet Parshall Show, etc.), witnessing to God’s healing of sin and brokenness.
David has for over 25 years been the founder and director of Mastering Life Ministries. For the last seven years he has been the producer of “Pure Passion” TV (www.PurePassion.us), a three-time, award-winning, half-hour weekly program that is seen in most of the world on 8 TV networks, in 8 languages and numerous Internet and smart device venues. David is also the creator of the "Pure Passion Award" which is given yearly to a ministry that operates on the cutting-edge of outreach to sexually bound and broken people.
For many years a Priest & Canon in the Charismatic Episcopal Church, he is now ordained with Calvary Chapel at Grace Chapel-Franklin, TN and makes his home in the Nashville, TN area.
Dr. Robert Gagnon
Robert A. J. Gagnon is a Professor of Theology for Houston Baptist University's School of Christian Thought. Previously, Robert has been Associate Professor of New Testament at Pittsburgh Theological Seminary (1994 - 2017) after a one-year position as Visiting Professor of Religion at Middlebury College in Vermont.
He has a B.A. degree from Dartmouth College (highest honors in history), an M.T.S. from Harvard Divinity School, and a Ph.D. from Princeton Theological Seminary (magna cum laude). His main fields of interest are Pauline theology and sexual issues in the Bible. He is a member both of the Society of Biblical Literature and of the Studiorum Novi Testamenti Societas [Society of New Testament Studies].
He is the author of The Bible and Homosexual Practice: Texts and Hermeneutics (Abingdon Press); co-author (with Dan O. Via) of Homosexuality and the Bible: Two Views (Fortress Press); and, as a service to the church, provides a large amount of free material on the web dealing with Scripture and homosexuality. In addition, he has published scholarly articles on biblical studies in Journal of Biblical Literature, New Testament Studies, Catholic Biblical Quarterly, Novum Testamentum, Zeitschrift für die Alttestamentliche Wissenschaft, Horizons in Biblical Theology, and The Christian Century. He is also author of article-length encyclopedia entries in Dictionary for Theological Interpretation of the Bible (Baker/SPCK), New Dictionary of Christian Apologetics (IVP), Oxford Handbook of Evangelical Theology (Oxford University Press), and Encyclopedia of Christian Civilization (Wiley-Blackwell). In addition, he has been quoted in, or has written for, the New York Times, National Public Radio, CNN, U.S. News and World Report, Christianity Today, Christian Century, and other news outlets and popular magazines.
Robert is an ordained elder at a Presbyterian Church (USA) in Pittsburgh.
Michael Newman
Michael R. Newman, a licensed and ordained Southern Baptist minister, has been the director of Christian Coalition for Reconciliation since co-founding it in 1985.
During membership with Exodus 1987-2012, Michael served ten years as the first Regional Representative for Texas.
Founding member of Restored Hope Network, he is also on the board of Exodus Global Alliance USA.
He has been very involved in mentoring, discipleship groups, testimonies, speaking engagements, and seminars regionally, nationally, and internationally. Conversant in Spanish and French, he has ministered in England, France, Italy, Spain, Canada, Mexico, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Argentina, Chile, and Venezuela.
Frank Worthen, in glory
Frank Worthen had been involved in the founding of numerous ministries most of which continue to exist today. Before starting ministry in 1973, Frank was a businessman and a practicing homosexual in the San Francisco area for more than 20 years. After Frank rededicated his life to Christ and left the homosexual lifestyle, he began with an informal counseling outreach. A few years later Frank helped found Exodus International, a world-wide coalition of "ex-gay" ministries.
His first book, Steps out of Homosexuality was published in 1984; this has been followed by several books offering help and education in this specific ministry, the most recently being, Destiny Bridge in 2010 – an autobiography of Frank’s life. Much of his later years had been filled with speaking and teaching for Christian groups throughout the country and overseas. Frank has also been the director of three of these ministries.
An Assistant pastor of the Church of the Open Door in San Rafael, California, Frank was married to Anita Thomas in 1984. Anita has worked tirelessly alongside of Frank for all these years.
In 2012, Frank came out of retirement to help found the Restored Hope Network. Frank passed into glory in 2017.
Stephen Black
Stephen Black has worked in pastoral-care ministry as an ordained minister in the local church and with International Ministerial Fellowship for over 25 years. He works full-time as Executive Director with First Stone Ministries (FSM) in Oklahoma City. Stephen is an author, speaker and teacher. He enjoys sharing in the local Church. He serves the Body of Christ at FSM in one-on-one pastoral care discipleship, weekly support group sessions, speaking, and helps to provide freedom conferences and seminars. He has been interviewed numerous times on local and national radio and on television giving hope through the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
His new book--Freedom Realized--is to be released soon. Stephen has served on several Christian ministry boards. He has also worked in the local church as an associate pastor and has also worked as a volunteer prison chaplain. He is one of the founders of the Restored Hope Network. He also serves on the board of directors for Parents and Friends of Ex-gays and Gays.
Stephen has been married to his wife Robin since May of 1986. They have three adult children and three grandchildren who are all life-long residents of the Oklahoma City area.
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