Wade,

You are a man of courage! lol I don’t have an answer to some of the questions you raise and it seems that you are offering some great resource info.

I will say though that sexual sin should not be dealt with in a way that leaves the offender thinking he or she is a victom. Paul’s instruction to those believers who were stealing was “steal no more” and to those who were liars “start telling the truth”.

Sexual sin, including lust, can usually be avoided by fleeing, turning away, deleting, or changing the channel. Perhaps it seems elementary but “STOP IT!” seems like a good place to start.

Finally, there is no gospel in that passage but only those who have embraced the gospel’s claims are equipped to say “NO” to unrighteousness.

His peace,
Royce

Mark Driscoll recently put out a free online book on sex addiction/pornography.

Crazy…I am starting a group in a few weeks and I am gathering resources today. The ones mentioned above are great. Another minister recommended to me today “The Steps to Freedom in Christ.” Recently used “Sex is not the Problem Lust Is” for some high school guys. Great quick read with relevant points. When marketing to men this book is great. It cuts to the chase.

Driscoll preached a sermon on Worship vs. Idolatry that really got down to root cause issues that was excellent. Also, in the last year, Chip Ingram at Living on the Edge did an amazing series on the 10 commandments that dug into this issue in terms of idolatry, adultary and coveteousness. Very insightful. O

Wade: This is a difficult but such a relevant topic in our culture today. Isn’t it interesting that people struggled with it in Jesus’s time, yet they didn’t have porn mags, commercialization, the internet. We get hit with these messages hundreds of times a day. Yet human nature was/is still the same. I always wondered Why God gave these desires and then they become such a sinful way of life.

One thing that has helped many, an accountability group or a friend that helps you stay on track. Paul encouraged confessing sin to bring it out into the light. Also, I think purity can start young with discussing these issues with pre-teens, teaching them how to date, when to date, that they can wait, and teach them to not expose themselves to porn.

Anyway, I think this is a powerful topic that can lead to freedom from sin. Thanks, Lynn

Saw this referenced on another blog…it’s from Mark Driscoll: http://relit.org/porn_again_christian/

My advice is to keep preaching Jesus rather than behavior modification. We all stink at behavior modification.

Personally, I think Jesus’ teaching is that adultery starts with lust and lust starts in the heart. So don’t blame your eyes or your genitals or the object of your infatuation because he/she’s gorgeous or God because He made him/her that way and made you the way you are. Even if you maimed yourself, the temptation of lust would remain because you haven’t cut out your heart.

So turn that heart over to Christ and let Him point that lust where it belongs - in the direction of the one to whom you commit your sexual love: your husband, your wife (even if you haven’t met him/her yet) - as an expression of your attraction and love and fidelity.

For cryin’ out loud, how many hundreds of years has He been waiting for His bride to be presented to Him, made blameless and pure and beautifully dressed in white by the sacrifice He made?

That’s worth thinking about when you think you can’t deal with it for another second.

It’s not like He can’t or won’t help you … if you ask. He’s just not likely to go where you don’t want Him to go if you’re convinced that you’re alone and He can’t see you or He doesn’t care.

Of course He does. He wants the very best for you … not some chintzy imitation.

Am I way off base here?

http://www.faithfulandtrueministries.com

Best resource I know of. I’ve seen Laaser’s material set people free from ingrained patterns of lust and acting out. He also helps people get at what’s beneath the addiction.

The comment about lust in the ancient world and no porn mags made me think of that passage in Job where he says that he made a covenant with his eyes that he would not lust after a girl. A covenant with your eyes.

Marnie Ferree at Bethesda Workshops (http://www.bethesdaworkshops.org) is a great resource. This ministry is housed at Woodmont Hills in Nashville, where they do counseling (next to the youth room you spoke in a couple years ago). A few years ago a friend and I had a program that send web history automatically to the accountability partner–maybe ones you cited do that, and I can’t remember the name of the one but that’s the simple concept. Another big issue is learning new and more healthy ways to talk with our children about sex as an ongoing conversation rather than just “the talk”

No he didn’t! Yes he did. Yes, Wade discussed sex on Sunday morning and it was funny and cool and relevant. I am glad the teens got to hear the message. The ‘homework’ assignment for married folks isn’t too shabby either. Wade also discussed depression,his, the previous Sunday and that opened the floodgates for all those privately struggling and afraid to come out of the closet..so to speak. I praise God that Wade has a vision and a mindset to go where God is leading him and that we are on the journey together. You rock!

Check out this website:/www.sexaddict.com/

I have been to celebrate recovery… I’m an ex boozer and drug addict… So I took a break from 12 step meetings for a look at the growing Christian recovery method… I went to the “alcohol” group but found most of the guys struggling with sex addiction…

One guy said he hadn’t surfed internet porn or “acted out” in over 2 months… Hmmm? I think I acted out before coming to the meeting… I guess I don’t sweat the small stuff…

I have read a Christian version of “The Joy of Sex” that condones “acting out” unless the fantasy involves somebody other than your wife… Is that acceptable? I guess it is if your mate is OK with it… But what is actually going in in the persons head is another story…

Sex isn’t talked about much in church… When it is people freak out… I rave on your bravery to tackle a subject that people love to be a part of…Sex is the bomb…Ask ANYBODY….

Now… PureOnline wants $165 for online sex addiction treatment? No thanks… I’ll just check the CA meetings….