We all know that to have strong churches we must have strong men. Clearly, one of the greatest struggles for men is moral purity. Some of our most admired Bible heroes struggled with moral purity. The biblical vision for sexuality certainly deviates from the current cultural standards. Men of all ages are constantly being indoctrinated with the permissive, sexual narrative of our secular society. The internet has made pornography available any time, any where in the privacy of our homes. The secret devastation it has brought has not left the church unscathed.
The shame and condemnation that goes along with acknowledging this struggle makes it delicate to deal with in a public setting. A few years ago I read that 68% of men in church regularly view porn. Once again, this is not the general population, but specifically the men sitting in the pews of our churches each Sunday. Josh McDowell commissioned research and reports that 76% of Christian young adults between the ages of 18-24 actively seek out porn. This is clearly a battle the men in our churches are facing.
While it is di cult to bring this subject up in church, we must. Even just declaring the statistics can help men realize they are not alone in their struggle. At High Street, we launched a church-wide initiative to get men to attend a video-driven study – whether they felt they had a problem with this or not. I called all leaders including deacons, teachers, small group leaders to attend. My challenge was that all of us need to understand how to strengthen each other. The response was great. The conversations began in table groups after each session. This kind of ministry needs to be a regular part of our e orts to strengthen men for the battle.
We can defeat the enemy but we need sound biblical teaching and the support of fellow men to do it.