After Being 'Delivert' From Homosexuality, Andrew Caldwell Says He Now Has a Girlfriend
Some four years after famously proclaiming himself "delivert" from homosexuality at a church service, internet sensation Andrew Caldwell insists that he has been set free from his same-sex desires and now has a girlfriend.
"Now I get hard for women. I don't get hard for men. Ain't nothing wrong with a flirtation but I'm still delivered," he declared in a recent interview with BET.
In 2014 at the 107th Holy Convocation of the Church of God in Christ in St. Louis, Missouri, Caldwell famously testified: "I'm not gay no more. I am delivert! I don't like mens no more. I said I like women. Women, women, women, women!"
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He further noted: "I would not date a man! I would not carry a purse! I would not put on make-up!"
In his interview with BET, Caldwell explained how God interrupted the sinful lifestyle he was practicing while still a part of church culture.
"I always been in church my whole life but as grown, I was new to it. I was only going to church just to shout and to see who I was gonna sleep with — what pastor. But at that church, they want that (homosexuality) delivered out of me. They snatched that out of me," he said.
"The morning that I woke up God told me go to the store. I went and got me a bowtie, jacket and all that. I just felt peace that day, like so much peace," he said.
It wasn't until he went back to the night service, however, that he unknowingly told the world what that peace was to him.
"I went for prayer. I got the mic. He (preacher) said, what do you want God to do? And I said, 'I'm not gay no more. I am delivert. I don't like mens no more.'...I went home and said Lord, use me cause I want to be used. I started receiving lots of messages on my Facebook page. I'm like 'oh, ok, some of the church people following me that's nice. Then when I woke up people was knocking at my door to interview me," he said.
Caldwell said he was shocked when he was told a video of his testimony had gone viral.
"I said the church had me live and they didn't tell me? I thought that screens in the church was only [for] people in the church and people watching it on the Internet. At the time it looked like I made a mock[ery] of God. I was not ready for this. I was not ready to be thrown in the spotlight. I wanted to kill myself," he explained.
The young internet star said he also suffered significant harassment, including from Christians who believe he hasn't been fully delivered.
"There were church people 'Oh we think you came out but I still see that spirit. Come to church on Sunday, we want to get that more spirit out of you. And I heard a tiny voice say 'don't do it.' And I started doing like this," he said, looking across both shoulders.
Indeed, in a controversial sermon in late 2016, iconic gospel singer Kim Burrell referenced Caldwell among high-profile Christian figures she argues are parading a "perverted homosexual spirit" which is being used to embarrass the Church.
"This Mr. 'I am delivered' and all these different spirits went all the way to Jimmy Kimmel," Burrell said.
"The minute somebody comes up with a deaf and dumb spirit, a mute spirit, one that can't even talk that has a perverted spirit saying that 'I am delivered,' he goes all the way to Jimmy Kimmel. You think the enemy is not trying to make a mockery of the church?" she asked.
Caldwell, who says he has fought through the negativity that almost drove him to suicide several times, said money is one of the positive sides of all the attention he has received from the video.
"My life has changed better and worse. The money? Yes. I received money from Facebook. My first big check was like $10,000 and I was like yeah!" he said.
Caldwell says he also flies at a discounted price with Delta Airlines and says he is coming out with a book and clothing line soon.
As for his girlfriend, he warns his critics to not be "surprised' if they hear wedding bells about him.
"Yes I have a girlfriend. Don't be surprised when we have our wedding. Don't be surprised when we have little Caldwells walking around. And stop saying to my girlfriend on Facebook in Shade Room...'blink five times if you need help,'" he said.
