He Was Gay, Then Everything Changed | The Christopher Yuan Story

Christopher Yuan (0:00)

I started selling drugs, opened up my door, and on my doorstep, 12 federal drug enforcement agents, Atlanta police. I was high the whole time. Alex, it's a miracle I still have a brain. I took my dad's Bible, and I threw it in the trash can. So she wrote something on a piece of paper, and she slowly slid it across the desk to me, and on that piece of paper, it read HIV positive. I've destroyed my life, and I'm looking up at the cold metal bunk above me, and it read, if you're bored, read Jeremiah 29, 11 For I know the plans that I have for you, declares the Lord, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. If God could have a plan for Judah in rebellion, in exile, he might even still have a plan for me.

Alex Clark (1:09)

What if you were attracted to the same sex your entire life, became completely convinced that you were born that way, openly embraced being gay, and then one day decided that your sexuality didn't get to tell you who you were anymore? And no, this is not the story you think it is. My guest today, Dr. Christopher Yuan, did not pray the gay away. He did not become a Christian and suddenly become straight. In fact, he says the opposite of homosexuality isn't heterosexuality at all. But to understand how he got there and what that even means, you have to understand where he started. Christopher was months away from becoming a dentist while secretly living a completely different life, partying, using drugs, and eventually becoming an interstate drug dealer. He was even selling drugs to one of his professors. He was expelled from dental school, moved to Atlanta, and continued dealing until federal agents showed up at his door. What happens next is Hollywood movie worthy. This is an incredible story of hope and how no matter how bad things get, no matter how many terrible mistakes you make, God's grace is infinite. And we are so undeserving, but that's why God is so good.

Watch this interview on the real Alex Clark YouTube channel or Culture Apothecary on Spotify. And please pause, leave a five-star review, letting us know what you think having some of these longer story type of episodes are. I'd love to hear your opinion. Please welcome author of Holy Sexuality, Dr. Christopher Yuan to Culture Apothecary.

You were three months away from becoming a dentist. You were selling drugs to your professor. You were living as a gay man. You hated Christianity. In fact, you threw away your dad's Bible, and then federal agents show up at your door.

Take us back to this moment in your life where it all comes to a head.

Christopher Yuan (2:52)

It all kind of began when I was really, I was just a young kid, and I'm not a Christian. So I wasn't a Christian at that time. My parents were Christian.

My parents are Chinese. They came here, and we didn't own a Bible. We didn't own a church.

But I wrestled with my sexuality from a young age, and I kept it hidden. You know, this is way back, not like now, when it was popular. And I came out to my mom and dad, and amazingly, God used that crisis to bring my mother to faith. I went in a total opposite direction. I'm originally from Chicago, and I moved from Chicago to Louisville. I was pursuing my doctorate in dentistry there.

Alex Clark (3:34)

Okay, cool. So I'm from southern Indiana Louisville area. Okay. So I'm very familiar. You're familiar? Yeah, I have a 502 area code for my phone number.

Christopher Yuan (3:42)

Yes, yes. So I learned how to pronounce it correctly. It's Louisville. It's like all one, you know.

Alex Clark (3:48)

One garble-y-do.

Christopher Yuan (3:49)

One garble syllable. So I was in Louisville. I went to University of Louisville School of Dentistry, and I came out there, and I was like, man, this is who I am. Finally, I'm free. You know, it's all the things that you hear. This is who I am. Told my mom and dad. My mom gave me an ultimatum, out of your typical tiger mom. She was going to control the situation.

You need to either choose the family or choose that. Well, this is not my choice. This is who I am. So I left home, devastated my mom, and she was actually going to end her life.

Family was everything, especially in the Asian culture. And God amazingly used that crisis to bring my mother to faith. I mean, my testimony might sign radical. But my mother's is just as radical.