Starting the Pornography Conversation

Two weeks ago two others from our church and I attended the Set Free Global Summit in Greensboro, North Carolina. The event, hosted by Josh McDowell and Covenant Eyes, was billed as "the most comprehensive conference for Christian leaders about Internet pornography." We were among 800 lay persons, pastors, youth pastors, and counselors who spent three days listening to experts from a variety of disciplines talk about the impact pornography is having on our brains, our marriages, our children and our churches.

At the conference the Barna Group unveiled its new study, The Porn Phenomenon. David Kinneman, president of Barna Group, presented highlights from the project Monday evening:

• ​Nearly half of young people actively seek out porn monthly or more often
• Young adults consider “not recycling” more immoral than viewing pornography
• 66% of teens and young adults have received a sexually explicit image and 41% have sent one
• More than half of Christian youth pastors have had at least one teen come to them for help in dealing with porn in the past 12 months
• 21% of youth pastors and 14% of pastors admit they currently struggle with using porn.

Those at the Set Free Summit aren't the only ones raising concern. A recent cover article of Time Magazine (April 11, 2016) addressed the issue. Porn and the Threat to Virility reports an increasing number of young adult men contend their "sexual responses have been sabotaged because their brains were virtually marinated in porn when they were adolescents."

It's not just our kids and young adults being impacted. The ramifications of pornography are multi-dimensional. It is eroding the way our culture views healthy intimacy. The production of pornography exploits men and women and drives human trafficking. For some the lure of viewing pornography is addictive and the church's silent refusal to talk about the problem only drives their habit and their shame further into secrecy. (For more information check out www.fightthenewdrug.org)

I want our church to be a safe place to talk about this important topic. Do you know someone who struggles with pornography or who has been impacted by it? Would you be willing to join me, and perhaps others, in conversation? If so, send me an email and let's start talking.

steve@clpc.org

God in the Bush

Are you listening for God’s voice today? 

Moses heard God’s call in the course of an ordinary day tending sheep (Exodus 3:1-6). He noticed a bush, took time to turn aside, and that’s when God began to speak. Richard Rohr, Franciscan priest and author, is fond of Paula D’Arcy’s renown quote: “God comes to us disguised as our life.” Moses’ response to God’s voice in the bush, was “Here I am.” 

As you dive into another Monday, are you here?

(listen to the full message at our website www.clpc.org)