six11ministries

BRIEF BIO:

Shawn Harrison, the founder of six11 ministries, has been involved in youth ministry for over 10 years in various styles of church communities in Pennsylvania and Indiana. Shawn is a junior at Taylor University Fort Wayne, Indiana, where he is a pastoral / youth ministries major. Currently he is a youth leader at his church in Berne, Indiana, along with his wife, Emily.

Shawn and Emily have been married since May of 2001, and have one daughter, Gloria (6), and one son, Aidan (4). Currently they have no pets, but his wife keeps promising that one day they will get a dog. Shawn is impatiently looking forward to that day.

A little about Shawn’s testimony:

My life’s verse is 2 Corinthians 12:9-10, where JESUS says, “MY grace is sufficient for you, for MY power is made perfect in weakness” … For when I am weak, then I am strong.

It is no wonder that my name means “GOD is gracious“; for it is simply grace that defines my life’s story.

Coming from a multi divorce family, I always ‘knew’ I was attracted to the same-sex. After some sexual encounters at a young age, I came out of the closet in 8th grade. It was also at this point that I became an atheist. While in school, I made it a point that everyone know and accept my sexuality, especially; though harsh persecution followed me from school to home. The persecution mainly came from Christians, who only spurred on my hate for GOD and Christianity even more.

In 1996, I found JESUS and gave my life over to HIM; though the sexual struggles of homosexuality still plagued my mind and heart. Even though I had given my heart to JESUS, from 1996 till 2000 I still lived in the ‘closet’ as a gay Christian - striving to live both sides of the fence. After a long battle with GOD, faith, and my sexuality, I recommitted my life to CHRIST at the end of the summer of 2000.

By GOD’S grace, I met Emily and we were married later that year. There’s way more to the story than this, but this gives a taste of what miraculous things GOD has done in my life.

In giving my testimony, I am very open and honest in talking about the past, my struggles, and dealing with being gay and a Christian. For contact info, please see the Mission and Contact Info page.