As many of you might know, X-Out-Load, like The IFTCC, is a Core Issues Trust (CIT) project. Basically, it is funded and sustained by CET, which is a Christian ministry that supports those leaving LGBT identities, behaviours and life choices and campaigns for their freedom to access help. 

Three years ago, Barclays simply closed both CIT’s and IFTCC’s bank accounts under pressure from LGBT activists. It’s common knowledge that Barclays is a great supporter of LGBT and its Pride campaigns, suggesting they stand for freedom and tolerance for all. 

Ironically, after closing the bank account of an ex-LGBT ministry and being asked what the reason for that was, they refused to give any explanation and only claimed they had the right to do so.  Also, at the time, more than 70.000 people signed a petition on Citizen Go, opposing this shut-down and asked Barclays to restore our bank account. 

We took them to court and three years later, with the help of the Christian Legal Centre, and on 30th May we won. We won because we accepted Barclays’ offer of a settlement of over 20K pounds paid to CIT, which is more than CIT had asked.

Why did they pay more?

In other words, Barclays said, “We’re going to silence you, because we simply don’t like you and want all our customers forced to be forcibly subject to LGBT indoctrination. Since you stand in the way, we will close your accounts”. And then, when called out for their discrimination and illegality, they tried to cover their backs by saying, in other words, “Ok, we’re going to pay you several thousands of pounds, since for you, as a Christian ministry it must be enough. We’re drowning in money anyway, and hopefully you’re going to shut up and everyone will just forget about it.” 

Well, the reality is that people didn’t ‘just forget about it’ and started to speak up about Barclays’ favouritism and promotion of the woke agenda. 

Moreover, people like us, who have left LGBT because that’s what we wanted, are not going to be silent about it, because you cannot bury the truth, and, believe it or not, God is standing for the righteous.

On the 29^th of June we gathered in front of Barclays headquarters in Canary Wharf, London, and gave witness to what Jesus has done in our lives and how corrupt banks like Barclays try to shut us down.

Banks are simply banks. They should do their job in providing banking services to their customers. Banks must not have any say in the political arena.

We call Barclays out for discriminating against people who are not part of LGBT. They should be ashamed for using their financial power to silence the voices of those they don’t agree with.

The Lord God will judge them and their money with them, for deliberately choosing to stand against righteousness and trying to take away the freedom of seeking help of those in need of it.

Pray that the Lord will use this event and all the follow ups to open more doors to expose the hypocrisy and dark agenda behind Barclays and those like it. 

Pray that the Lord Himself will deal with Barclays and strech out His hand against such a corrupt and perverse institution. 

Pray for those who need help to navigate through their sexual and gender confusion and emotional wounds that their right to seek and receive help will not be hindered. 

Pray for X-Out-Loud and CIT as we continue to speak up and be a voice for those voiceless and isolated in their struggles.

This is incredibly scandalous as sharing one’s story must be a fundamental freedom. It’s really disturbing that many are led by governments that hinder the very people it should be protecting in court. 

It’s not surprising to see that time and time again there is favouritism towards a single viewpoint, as another isn’t even considered. This endangers and alarms the entire community of men and women who have left LGBT identities and practices. It seeks to bring intimidation and fear every time we share our life experiences. It seeks to rob us of our confidence, of feeling safe to be who we want to be, as they would put it in their own terms. It seeks to compromise our faith in Jesus Christ and make us hold back. But we won’t. 

Matthew said, “I am committed to keep sharing my testimony because I don’t want other men and women to go through what I went through in my upbringing and adolescence. I don’t want them to be victims of unwanted sexual feelings. I don’t want them to be robbed of the biblical side of the story surrounding sex, sexuality and marriage. I don’t want the masses to believe the ‘born gay, cannot change’ ideology, allowing that to go unchallenged.”

This is not just an attack on Matthew’s testimony, this is an assault on Christianity and the work of God. This is an attempt to reduce Christian faith and the gospel to simply a ‘religion’ or an ‘interest’ club. It’s basically saying that Jesus Christ cannot transform lives anymore, that God is an abstract concept and every born-again believer, a religious fanatic. 

And it’s not just happening in Malta. More and more countries are opting for such hostile legislation under the pressure of greater powers. It is the perfect time to challenge every believer from everywhere to stand firmly against the current flow of this perverse culture. 

Jesus never called us to comply to worldly trends, but rather to be transformed by the renewing of our minds (Romans 12:2). Also, He said that the only way we would conquer the devil is by the blood of Jesus, and our testimonies, living sacrificially even until death (Revelation 12:11). That means we cannot be silent; we’re called to be vocal. A testimony speaks by itself in specific situations, in one-to-one relationships. But in a society that shuts down every voice that is raised against the truth, we cannot afford to be silent and intimidated. If we love living in comfort and predictability more than we love Jesus, there is no way we can conquer the enemy.

This is an open invitation to prayer. 

Let’s intercede together for Matthew – that God would strengthen and encourage him to continue to stand firm in His faith and serve God passionately, as he does indeed. Pray that the Lord will grant wisdom and discernment to the entire team that is working on his defence. Pray for wisdom and strategy for the rest of the team at X-Out-Loud and Core Issues Trust on how to continue to lead and keep the banner of righteousness and truth raised.

Pray for the nation where God has placed you strategically. You are representing The Kingdom; you are there with a very well-defined purpose. Fulfil your goal and stand in the gap for your nation. 

Pray for more voices of men and women who are leaving and have left gay and trans identities to come forth and begin to speak up, loudly and boldly, about what God can do. Pray they will be encouraged and supported by their local churches. Pray that we will be able to get in touch with as many of them as possible, so that we could do greater things together as a movement.

Pray for the work we do on our social media, and for the messages we spread. That they would touch many souls and God would open the eyes of the blind. Pray for protection, so that as God allows, we would still have platforms to speak up on the internet. 

Please pray. Please share this article!

Matthew’s case will be heard on the 3rd of February.

Rom 8:31 “If God is for us, who can stand against us?”

If God prompts you to give to our ministry, you can do so here. Thank you!