I didn't think porn was a problem in our churchYou never know what hurt might be paying you a visit Joining men together in their fight for purity has a direct impact on the health of our churchPurity is a huge issue in the Church today
I didn't think porn was a problem in our church
I had a hard time believing that half the men in the church would really be accessing porn, so early 2004 I asked the church where we attended at the time if they would be willing to take a survey. They agreed, and in the survey we asked the men "when was the last time you looked at pornography?" The church was made up mostly of young families, and the idea that many of the husbands and fathers I sat next to every Sunday were dabbling in porn... I couldn't comprehend it. Surely, I thought, the numbers would be lower. It can't be half, not in my church.
Of those who responded, here's what came back:
- 25% had viewed porn within the past month
- 44% within the past 6 months
- 61% within the past year
Pornography is corrupting the church and destroying our nation; without action the problem will only get worse.
Anonymous Pastor
You never know what hurt might be paying you a visitWhen I come into my office in the morning, I like to spend a few minutes preparing myself for the day. That usually means spending a few of those quiet, early moments in study and prayer - before I begin checking Emails. Then I look over my schedule to get my mind equipped for the day’s appointments,
But no matter how well I feel I’m ready for the day, more often than not, something will come up that I could never prepare myself for. That happened about three years ago when a middle-aged man from our congregation stopped by for a visit. During our conversation, I could tell he was distressed and needing to share something with me. He began to describe his challenge with pornography.
My commitment to this man was that I would help him find resources to help him deal with his addiction. But as he left the office, I wasn’t sure where to begin to look for those resources. My journey eventually took me to Pure Life Alliance where we were able to find a For Men Only group for my friend.
That’s how a partnership was formed between Bethlehem Lutheran Church and Pure Life Alliance. We have been blessed to work with PLA on a variety of levels at Bethlehem. We’ve had Blake Williams (Executive Director of PLA) speak at a men’s retreat. We’ve hosted a Saturday workshop for west-side churches to learn more about PLA. Bethlehem has a Hidden Hurt group that meets on Monday evenings in our building. I also invited Blake to be a presenter at one of the monthly professional meetings for metro-area Directors of Christian Education that I attend.
Our partnership is one that I value greatly. PLA is a ministry that is critical for churches to have at their access, because no matter how well you prepare yourself, you never know what hurt might be paying you a visit on any given day.
Bob Fossum, Family Minister
Bethlehem Lutheran Church
Aloha, OR
Joining men together in their fight for purity has a direct impact on the health of our churchStarting an FMO group at Sonrise Church was a natural fit because we have existing recovery and support groups. Our staff is very supportive of FMO because we believe it is vital to all men to be in an accountability group. We have a “come as you are” atmosphere at Sonrise. Our pastors are great examples of transparency, so people feel comfortable to have real and open relationships.
Since bringing FMO to Sonrise a year ago, the number of men in our group has doubled and is continuing to grow. We now have a morning and evening group. Joining men together in their fight for purity has a direct impact on the health of our church. Now that we have FMO, it is a lifeline for men working on improving their purity. Thanks to FMO, we have seen many men grow in their relationship with God and make great strides in their healing and recovery.
Brent MacLeod
Men's Leader
Sonrise Church, Hillsboro
Purity is a huge issue in the Church todayWe live in a different day and age than I grew up in. When I grew up, if I wanted to look at pornography, I had to walk down to the local 7/11, go in and try to either take a peek at a magazine or have enough guts to buy one. And there was an embarrassment and shame factor there. Today, anyone at any time of the day can look at what we considered “soft porn” in the seventies, on normal television and normal access on the internet. Now, if a person wants to take that further, they have the internet and television available, by themselves, 24-7. You add that (anonymous access to pornography anytime), and exponentially the problem increased overnight.
And the Church has done a poor job of responding to it. It still treats it as a dirty little secret that’s whispered behind closed doors. And purity is something that if the Church doesn’t respond soon, Christ followers will never gain the upper hand in this battle.
Jim McGuire
Executive Pastor
Village Baptist Church
Beaverton, OR