The Marin Foundation is a Federal, 501(c)(3) Non-Profit foundation. All donations, whether monetary or gift-in-kind, are considered tax-deductible to the full extent of the law. As of 2007, our funding currently comes from churches (35%), individuals (30%), foundation classes and programs (20%), and speaking engagements (15%). We are also in the process of applying for Federal and State funding which would be able to financially stabilize The Marin Foundation’s on-going efforts.

The Marin Foundation Headquarters are located in Chicago, IL:

The Marin Foundation
5241 N. Ashland Ave 1st Floor
Chicago, IL 60640

Before anything else, The Marin Foundation will always be about love. It is very important to understand though, that The Marin Foundation’s definition of love is different than many others’ definitions. The Marin Foundation is committed to a real love; one that is not just a nice, catchy, conditional word that should be said by all Christians. Love rather, is a tangible expression of an unconditional behavior(s).

The broader Christian community has unfortunately lost control of the word love within the eyes of the GLBT community; because ‘love’ has been relegated to a conditional love. I will love you if I see you do…, or act like…, or change…

To explain further; someone can say the words “I love you” until that person is blue in the face, and it will not matter one bit unless there are measurable, unconditional behaviors attached with those words. The Marin Foundation’s friends (gay and straight), partners, families and co-workers will always know that we unconditional love them regardless if they hear “I love you” ever again. They know this because of our measurable and unconditional behaviors that reinforce the feeling that no matter who they are, what they do or what they say, we will never give up on them. It is important for everyone to understand the gravity of the situation regarding a person and their sexual orientation in how that relates to their (potential) faith.

Research shows that the average age of someone who begins to realize they have a same-sex attraction is 13 years old, and the average age of someone who ‘comes out’ and declares their sexual orientation is 15 years old! Think back to who you thought you were when you were 13 to 15 years old, and then add onto that a scary secret that you feel you cannot tell anyone. What if the secret gets out? What will my church think? What will my friends think? What will happen to me? These are real questions, and things that prevent any willingness to try to figure out these feelings. Therefore, beginning at this overwhelming moment in someone’s life, words just cannot do the job. It is rather the measurable, tangible, and unconditional behaviors that speak for themselves; louder than any words could be repeatedly shout-out.

What does a measurable, tangible and unconditional behavior look like? It is a non-judgmental safe place that proves to be a trustworthy environment in relationship with someone else. It is a walk, a hug, a dinner, an ear, a fun trip; all unassociated with the condemnation and ostracization that the GLBT person “knows” is coming from the faith community.

Years ago Billy Graham attended an election rally for President Clinton after the President’s sex scandal. As a Christian magazine relates the story, someone from the media was curious and asked Billy Graham, why are you here supporting President Clinton after everything he did?  His answer was because "it is the Holy Spirit's job to convict, God's job to judge, and it’s my job to love." What a powerful and truthful statement. The Marin Foundation is not here to convict anyone (that’s not our job), not here to judge anyone (that’s not our job either), but we are here to love in a way that is tangible, measurable and unconditional.

The Marin Foundation believes that the Bible is the inerrant word of God, God breathed by the Holy Spirit through human authorship (2 Ti 3:16). Our organization does not attempt to rewrite scripture so as to either affirm, or declare judgment on the GLBT community. The Marin Foundation, however, is dedicated to living out the Great Commission (Mt 28:16-20) by using the Bible as a tool not for separation, but rather as a productive tool full of principled and timeless lessons from God. It is our conviction that these principled and timeless lessons will assist the GLBT community in fully knowing and discovering what it means to have a one-on-one relationship with God as well as shift the Christian community’s mind-frame regarding homosexuality.

The fundamental basis of The Marin Foundation stems from the basic doctrinal belief in Christian scripture and theology. Yet an obvious dichotomy exists, then, between The Marin Foundation’s two targeted populations; the GLBT and religious communities. This overarching dichotomy is highlighted throughout the six Bible passages that speak directly to homosexuality, three in the Old Testament (Gen 19, Lev 18:22 and Lev 20:13); and three in the New Testament (Ro 1:26-27, 1 Co 6:9-11 and 1 Ti 1:9-10).

Within the context of The Marin Foundation’s research, we have identified a unique hermeneutical approach to the aforementioned scriptures that deal with the long accepted Christian theology of spiritual, not necessarily physical, redemption – an underlying principle within all of Scripture. This principled approach has provided a new technique in productively building bridges within the GLBT community, one that The Marin Foundation has implemented in churches, GLBT and Christian organizations, universities and seminaries, and HIV/AIDS clinics all across the country.

Whenever The Marin Foundation is asked to speak at a Christian event, the first question that is always asked is, “How many people have you changed?” Not with standing, when we are asked to speak at a GLBT event, the first question that is always asked is, “Do you think that being gay is a sin?” Neither question ever fails to be asked right away!

Do you ever wonder why, when it comes to the topic of sexuality, only close ended questions are asked? Are people born gay? Do you think GLBT persons can change their sexual orientation? Do you think being gay is a sin? Do you think the GLBT community is going to hell? Can someone be a Christian and be gay? These are the same questions that come from both communities, and the common theme is the fact that all of these questions can only be answered with a yes or a no. Why! Why, when it comes to the topic of sexuality that someone can only ask, and therefore receive, a yes or no answer.

The answer is because once a close ended question is asked and a subsequent yes or no answer is given, the person asking the question (from either community) can then quickly and precisely respond with a programmed rebuttal and response system which always ensues a dirty look, disagreement, future argument and/or each person writing off the other. It is so easy to lump people into nicely fit categories regarding this hot, debatable issue. Both the GLBT and religious communities have been force-fed robotic answers and a loathing towards each other, triggered by these polarizing questions.

It is for these reasons that The Marin Foundation will never give anyone the answer they want to hear. There is no “yes” or “no” in The Marin Foundation’s vocabulary, and a specific part of our training and classes and programs deal directly with these issues and responses. Bridge building is all about dialogue and understanding, not polarization and debates. Opinions cause dissention, bridge building brings life.

Please feel free to contact us directly for more information on these responses.

Since The Marin Foundation’s official inception July 2005, Andrew Marin has been humbled by the opportunity to travel around the country and speak to a wide range of audiences regarding The Marin Foundation’s unique bridge building work.

Andrew has spoken at small churches of 10 people to mega churches of 7,000 and above. He has been a keynote speaker at national conferences as well as a workshop presenter. Andrew has been seen on TV, heard over national radio air-waves as well as been in multiple national media publications. Andrew has also been a guest lecturer at a number of universities and graduate seminaries throughout the country.