Anthony Venn-Brown

[1] He is also the Co-founder and previous Convenor of Freedom 2b which is a network for GLBTIQ (Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgender, Intersex and Queer) people from Evangelical backgrounds.

Anthony Venn-Brown eventually made contact with evangelical Anglicans in the Sydney Diocese in his quest to be "normal" and acceptable to his family and friends and was converted in 1969.

Believing that 'more faith and more power' was needed to overcome his 'problem', Anthony began to explore his Christianity in the Charismatic renewal, which had just commenced in Sydney, and also traditional Pentecostal contexts.

In 1971, after feeling a strong call to ministry, Anthony attended Faith Bible College, a pastoral and missionary training centre in New Zealand.

After confessing to the leadership of the college that he still struggled with homosexuality, he underwent several weeks of exorcisms through the ministry of Pastor Neville Johnson at Queen Street Assemblies of God in Auckland.

However, on returning to Australia, Anthony was still troubled by his sexuality, and believing that he could never serve God until this part of his life was overcome, he signed himself into a 'live-in' ex-gay program for six months at Moombara and Bundeena Christian Fellowship (a rehabilitation centre that claimed success for drug addicts, prostitutes and homosexuals).

Anthony then moved to Orange, New South Wales in 1972 and began youth work for the local Assemblies of God Church and was married in 1974.

Venn-Brown pioneered several Assemblies of God churches in regional NSW including Port Macquarie, Gunnedah, Wauchope and Laurieton before moving to Sydney with his family in the early 1980s and founding "Every Believer Evangelism."

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.

A friendship developed and Anthony relayed the many stories of tragedy and loss experienced by gay and lesbian people who had been rejected by the church.

[7] He has recently founded Ambassadors and Bridge Builders International, his focus continues to be the deconstruction of the 'ex-gay' myth, educating in the areas of faith sexuality conflict, working with gay and lesbian people in heterosexual marriages and creating respectful, informed dialogues between the LGBT community and the Church.

Anthony Venn-Brown and psychologist Paul Martin were quoted as stating that ex-gay programs caused "deep psychological damage" and had even led to suicides.

[10][11] In 2012, Anthony was awarded a lifetime membership of the Sydney Gay and Lesbian Business Association (SGLBA)[12] for his work with the LGBT community including the creation of the Ambassadors and Bridge Builders International organisation (ABBI) and the founding of Freedom2b.