By Brittany N. Howerton
Meet Kim Cowen. Raised in north Alabama, Cowen has led a life filled with alcohol and drug addictions and has been arrested on three occasions. Cowen has struggled with homosexuality for 43 years.
As she humbly shared her story with pastors and ministry leaders from Tuskegee Lee Baptist Association on Jan. 13, Cowen explained that upon her third arrest for drug trafficking, she cried out in desperation, “Lord, if you’ll help me with this mess I’ve made of my life, I’ll do whatever you want me to do.”
When Cowen was released four days later, she knew her life was different. “I knew I had met Jesus Christ that day,” she said.
Following Cowen’s release, she met Rick Hagans, a member of First Baptist Church, Opelika, and founding president of Harvest Evangelism, a nearly 30-year-old ministry dedicated to reaching the hurting with Christ’s love.
Cowen immediately enrolled in Harvest Evangelism’s women’s rehabilitation program, and at the end of that year, she knew Christ had changed her and there was nothing He could not do.
“It took something that huge in my life to make me believe He could set me free from homosexuality. Every day, my prayer was ‘Take this homosexuality away from me,’” Cowen said.
“And if the Son sets you free, you shall be free indeed,” she said, quoting John 8:36.
That was six years ago.
Cowen now leads Hi-way Ministries, a Monday night support group in Opelika for men and women struggling with homosexuality.
“The goal is not for them to be set free from homosexuality but to be free to receive all God has for them, to be holy in Christ,” she said. “It’s a safe place for them to come — to keep them from going through struggles alone.”
Joe and Marion Allen, members of First, Opelika, know those struggles well.
Eight years ago, the Allens’ 26-year-old son was killed during his attempted retreat from a homosexual lifestyle.
Now they are on a mission to share their story with others and help support those going through the same struggles.
So the Allens host a family support group the second Thursday night of each month at First, Opelika, for parents, friends and other relatives of those struggling with homosexuality.
Hagans said it is the responsibility of the Church to show Christ’s love to these individuals.
“We have been silent and we have been self-serving,” he said. “And the truth of the matter is there could be 100 Kim Cowens, but instead of their name being written on the Lamb’s Book of Life, it is written on some tombstone because the Church did not put their money and time and pulpit where it belongs.”
For more information about the support groups, call Cowen at 334-787-0071 or the Allens at 334-704-4422.
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