John Paulk on the cover of Newsweek magazine with his wife Anne

John and his wife both overcame same-sex attraction and told their story to the world in Newsweek and authored the book Love Won Out.

His slip 

Years later, John walked into a gay bar in Washington, D.C. and stayed for 40 minutes to have a drink. Gay activists took advantage of John's admitted lapse of judgment and used it as "proof" that people don't overcome same-sex attraction.

Because of this slip, John was put on probation as a member of the North American board of Exodus International (the Christian ministries group). John told the board that he had "no sinful intentions" in entering the bar. John works for Focus on the Family working with same-sex attraction issues. “It was a significant lapse in judgment,” says Julie Niels, spokeswoman for Focus on the Family, “but not a lapse in heterosexuality. We know that for sure. And one person’s serious lack of judgment does not negate the fact that thousands of people have struggled out of homosexuality....We all make mistakes. People are very understanding, and they have been very supportive of John. But a lot of homosexual activists are trying to turn it into an example of someone returning to homosexuality, and it’s not. It’s been misportrayed in the media....the reality is that John has 1,000% left homosexuality.”

This incident can help us all remember that this is a process. Even though John slipped and made a mistake, it does not negate all the progress he has made in his life. He has improved his life immensely from where he was many years ago.