“Keeping the Conversation Open with Your Child” equips Christian parents to respond biblically and with compassion when a child shares life choices that conflict with their faith. Offering practical and spiritual guidance—asking forgiveness for reactive words, praying for humility, processing grief, guarding against idolatry, and leaning on God’s Word—it encourages maintaining respectful dialogue while trusting the Holy Spirit’s work. Through patience, emotional honesty, community support, and reliance on God’s promises, parents can preserve connection, witness faithfully, and grow spiritually in challenging seasons.
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Inquiring of the Lord
In this milestone message marking First Stone Ministries' fiftieth year, Executive Director Laura Leigh Stanlake reflects on God's sustained faithfulness and calls the ministry to seek His direction with intentionality and humility. Drawing on the cautionary examples of Israel's covenant with the Gibeonites and Rehoboam's ill-fated counsel, she emphasizes the importance of prayer, wise counsel, and patient discernment over quick decisions. As First Stone looks ahead, the ministry's desire remains simple — to depend on the Lord and follow where He leads.
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What is Changing, and Why
Marking 50 years of ministry, First Stone Ministries announces a thoughtful evolution in how it communicates and ministers. While remaining firmly grounded in biblical conviction and the belief that healing is found in Jesus Christ alone, the ministry is adopting warmer, more accessible language, refreshing its website, and shifting internally toward Scripture-based identity formation rather than self-assessment. The goal is clear — to meet people where they are, welcome their whole story, and walk with them patiently toward freedom and wholeness in Christ.
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Holding Love and Truth When It’s Challenging
In this thoughtful article from First Stone Ministries, the author — a parent personally navigating a child's gender identity questions — examines how cultural pressure has redefined empathy as agreement rather than understanding. Drawing on Romans 1, 1 Corinthians 13, and the cautionary example of Aaron, the piece calls believers to hold love and truth together without yielding to coercive demands. True empathy, the author concludes, does not affirm what is contrary to God's will — it points people to Jesus.
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2026 Spring Newsletter
The Spring 2026 issue of First Stone Ministries' newsletter marks the organization's 50th anniversary with a theme of prayerful, Spirit-led change. Laura Leigh Stanlake reflects on the danger of moving without inquiring of the Lord, while Jim Farrington addresses the cultural redefinition of empathy and the pressure families face to affirm LGBTQ+ identities. The newsletter also announces a refreshed website, updated ministry language, and a renewed internal focus on Scripture-based identity formation — all grounded in the unchanging truth of Jesus Christ.
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Breaking Free from the Fear of Man
“Breaking Free from the Fear of Man” defines the fear of man as an approval addiction that shapes decisions, emotions, and even obedience to God. Using Proverbs 29:25 and biblical examples like Saul and Aaron, the article shows how people-pleasing derails leaders and everyday believers alike. Stanlake traces roots in childhood messages, social pressure, personality, and pain, then outlines steps toward freedom: preferring God, knowing identity in Christ, recognizing triggers, inviting accountability, and growing in community that fears the Lord together.
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The Problem with Unforgiveness
“The Problem with Unforgiveness” warns that refusing to forgive carries severe spiritual consequences, as Jesus teaches in Matthew 6:14–15. Unforgiveness blocks prayer, fosters spiritual dryness, opens doors to the enemy, and reflects a graceless heart. Drawing from Acts 8:22–23 and June Hunt’s Forgiveness, the article details harmful traits—bitterness, pride, judgment, vengefulness—that poison relationships with God and others. By contrast, forgiveness reflects God’s nature, breaks captivity to sin, and restores freedom, intimacy, and spiritual vitality in the believer’s life.
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The Great Pronoun Debate: Should I Use Someone’s Preferred Pronouns?
Laura Smalts argues that using preferred pronouns contrary to biological sex conflicts with God’s intentional design of male and female in creation. She highlights purposes for sex distinctions—fruitfulness, complementary gifting, and whole‑body sexual differentiation—alongside research on the brain’s rapid recognition of sex. Smalts contends affirming cross‑sex identity harms truth and obscures God’s glory reflected differently in men and women. Practically, she advises kindness, restraint with pronouns, using given names cautiously, asking questions like Jesus, and prioritizing respectful, gospel‑centered conversations.
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Testimonies on YouTube
Curated testimonies on our YouTube channel. We hope you are blessed by these.
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Porn & Sex are Women's Issues Too!
Host Garry Ingraham talks with guest Laura Leigh Stanlake.
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The 5 Streams: Differing Responses to LGBTQ
“The 5 Streams: Differing Responses to LGBTQ” by Linda Seiler, PhD, analyzes five major Christian perspectives—Condemnation, Affirmation, Accommodation, Mortification, and Transformation—on same-sex attraction and gender identity. Each stream is explained with its theological premise, understanding of sexual orientation’s origin, and practical pastoral care. The guide clarifies why views diverge, highlights representative ministries and authors, and contrasts outcomes for individuals seeking change. This resource empowers churches and readers to discern biblical truth and offer informed, compassionate support for those wrestling with LGBTQ questions.
Keep ReadingJul 27
2007
A Letter From Parents
“A Letter from Parents,” published by First Stone Ministries, presents the candid testimony of parents navigating their child’s homosexuality. The article recounts their emotional struggles—shock, grief, and confusion—while emphasizing their commitment to unconditional love and faithful prayer. Drawing strength from Scripture and biblical community, the parents ultimately discover hope, healing, and renewed trust in God’s promises. Their story serves as encouragement for other families, highlighting the possibility of restoration and transformation for loved ones through faith and compassionate Christian support.
Jan 21
2005
Help, My Roommate's Gay
“Help, My Roommate’s Gay” addresses the challenges Christian individuals may face when discovering a roommate’s homosexuality. The article discusses initial emotional reactions—such as shock, confusion, or fear—and provides practical, scripturally-based counsel on responding with both conviction and compassion. First Stone Ministries emphasizes the importance of prayer, open communication, and setting healthy boundaries, while upholding biblical views on sexuality. The piece encourages believers to maintain Christlike love, avoid judgment, and seek God’s wisdom, all while expressing authentic faith in daily living.
Jan 14
1999
Incest - The Family Secret
Written by an anonymous survivor of nine years of incest, this article shared by First Stone Ministries addresses the shame, false guilt, and long-term damage that childhood sexual abuse causes — and the path to genuine healing through Jesus Christ. The author shares her own journey from rebellion and bitterness to forgiveness and freedom, while offering practical guidance on the nature of incest, the importance of forgiveness, warning signs of abuse, and how parents can protect and equip their children.
Oct 29
1998
A Mother's Testimony
In this heartfelt testimony shared by First Stone Ministries, a mother reflects on two of the most painful experiences of her life — the death of her daughter in a car accident and her son's disclosure that he is gay. Comparing the two griefs, she concludes there are indeed things harder than death. Through years of prayer, self-examination, and surrender, she found peace by releasing her son to God, resting in His care, and trusting Him to bring her prodigal home.
This testimony shared through First Stone Ministries recounts a man's healing from six years of sexual abuse by a high school coach that began when he was just twelve. Carrying shame, self-hatred, and fear for over three decades, he found healing through First Stone's counseling process — including writing a raw, confrontational letter to his abuser. Through honesty before God and his wife, and the healing power of Jesus Christ, he discovered that genuine restoration was possible after all.