Serious Question

[Nahum]

Would you feel comfortable knowing that a leader (not necessarily a preacher) in your church was struggling with his/her eye gate (internet sites or mags) and yet still in a place of heavy use in the church?

What if this man or woman had struggled for a while, perhaps even giving in to the temptation, asking forgiveness, only to return to the temptation, and still wanted to teach others or be used in a leadership role?

How does the church deal with this issue?

Originally Posted by Pastor Poster

Would you feel comfortable knowing that a leader (not necessarily a preacher) in your church was struggling with his eye gate (internet sites or mags) and yet still in a place of heavy use in the church?

What if this man or woman had struggled for a while, perhaps even giving in to the temptation, asking forgiveness, only to return to the temptation, and still wanted to teach others or be used in a leadership role?

How does the church deal with this issue?

No, I would not feel comfortable with this knowledge.

Deal with it carefully and scripturally! This and other similar issues are all too common in society in general and the church in particular. We certainly must deal with it but it must be dealt with in love according to Galatians 6:1.

A time of proving to one's self is always in order. Certainly having a trustworthy accountability partner who has integrity is a critical defense against the repetition of the specific sin!

[ManOfWord]

Originally Posted by Pastor Poster

Would you feel comfortable knowing that a leader (not necessarily a preacher) in your church was struggling with his/her eye gate (internet sites or mags) and yet still in a place of heavy use in the church?

What if this man or woman had struggled for a while, perhaps even giving in to the temptation, asking forgiveness, only to return to the temptation, and still wanted to teach others or be used in a leadership role?

How does the church deal with this issue?

Not much different, IMO, than a man having an anger issue with his wife. I have a great amount of respect for someone who is fighting to over come and may stumble. Hopefully they are moving in the right direction and are having less and less falls. For every man who has the integrity and honesty to admit his struggle and trust someone to tell them when he falls for accountability there are a hundred or maybe even a thousand who are just "quietly" in bondage.

I have worked with men who have admitted addiction to porn. I have never judged them and have only had compassion and told them that they needed to fight the good fight to be free from domination. I have always encouraged them to know that they can be free and that I will be their chief "cheerleader" and supporter. I have rarely been let down.

[Nahum]

Originally Posted by ManOfWord

Not much different, IMO, than a man having an anger issue with his wife. I have a great amount of respect for someone who is fighting to over come and may stumble. Hopefully they are moving in the right direction and are having less and less falls. For every man who has the integrity and honesty to admit his struggle and trust someone to tell them when he falls for accountability there are a hundred or maybe even a thousand who are just "quietly" in bondage.

I have worked with men who have admitted addiction to porn. I have never judged them and have only had compassion and told them that they needed to fight the good fight to be free from domination. I have always encouraged them to know that they can be free and that I will be their chief "cheerleader" and supporter. I have rarely been let down.

What if it was a pastor or minister? Would that be different?

[Nahum]

I find it interesting that very few sermons focus on this issue. Is viewing porn considered normal, manly, and a rite of passage?

Originally Posted by Pastor Poster

I find it interesting that very few sermons focus on this issue. Is viewing porn considered normal, manly, and a rite of passage?

Not in my area. it is addressed on a regular basis. It is seldom the primary focus of the message but it definitely is mentioned often as a potential destroyer of many relationships on many levels, beginning with the relationship with God.

[ManOfWord]

Originally Posted by Pastor Poster

What if it was a pastor or minister? Would that be different?

Not to me. Being bound and not trying to get free is one thing. But being honest and fighting for freedom and yielding to the Lord is completely another. A person like that who makes it is an excellent help to someone else who may be fighting the same battle.

Dobson published a statstic a number of years back that stated the 40% of pastors struggle with porn!! That is an astounding figure. I'm sure it is skewed by many main line guys....at least I would hope so, but with so many moral failures, I wonder.

Once again, the person's honesty would be more valuable to me than their failure. I can get somewhere with someone who is not hiding or is in denial.

[Nahum]

Originally Posted by philjones

Not in my area. it is addressed on a regular basis. It is seldom the primary focus of the message but it definitely is mentioned often as a potential destroyer of many relationships on many levels, beginning with the relationship with God.

Would you continue to use someone who had admitted a problem with this, or would you sit them down for a while?

[ManOfWord]

Originally Posted by Pastor Poster

I find it interesting that very few sermons focus on this issue. Is viewing porn considered normal, manly, and a rite of passage?

Well, I preach on it. But I also preach about being in "slavery" to anything so porn is not my hobby horse, but I don't shy away from the subject either.

[berkeley]

Originally Posted by Pastor Poster

I find it interesting that very few sermons focus on this issue. Is viewing porn considered normal, manly, and a rite of passage?

I don't know a man who has not viewed porn.... or done other things for that matter.

Porn does damage. Some can not function without it. Oh, and it is also a sin to view porn!!