Anthony Venn-Brown – Ch7 Sunrise interview

In a previous life, Anthony Venn-Brown was a leader in the Assemblies of God (now the Australian Christian Churches, ACC) and a high-profile, popular preacher in Australia’s mega-churches.

Anthony was one of the first in the world to undergo ex-gay, reparative/conversion “therapy” in a religious context. This experience, with many others along his journey to personal reconciliation, he recounts in his bestselling autobiography, A Life of Unlearning: A Preacher’s Struggle with His Homosexuality, Church, and Faith.

A Life of Unlearning has received widespread acclaim from both faith and LGBTQ leaders, not just in Australia, but globally.

Today, Anthony is a prominent leader within the LGBTQ+ community and serves as the founder and CEO of Ambassadors & Bridge Builders International (ABBI).

His tireless advocacy has earned him recognition as one of the 25 Most Influential Gay & Lesbian Australians (2007 & 2009). He was also a finalist for the 2011 ACON Community Hero Award and the recipient of the 2015 ACON Health and Wellbeing Award.

In 2020, he received the Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM) in recognition of his significant contributions to the LGBTIQ community and his life-saving work with LGBTQ individuals from faith backgrounds.

About the Author: Anthony Venn-Brown OAM

Anthony Venn-Brown OAM is one of Australia’s foremost commentators on faith and sexuality. A former Pentecostal leader who preached to thousands weekly in mega-churches like Hillsong, As a young man, Anthony was one of the first in the world to undergo religious conversion "therapy", a practice he has since spent decades successfully fighting to dismantle. He is the author of the bestselling autobiography and Australian gay classic, A Life of Unlearning, founder of Ambassadors & Bridge Builders International (ABBI). He was twice voted one of 'The 25 Most Influential Gay and Lesbian Australians’ (2007 and 2009) and in 2020, Anthony was awarded the Order of Australia Medal (OAM) for his service to the LGBTIQ community.