We live in a porn-saturated world. Pornography is more accessible than ever, and its usage is more normalized than ever. Statistics on porn use reveal that this epidemic exists within the church as much as in the world. In the face of this reality, pastors may feel helpless to address the problem.
As a pastor and biblical counselor, I know how easily we can feel despair in the midst of what looks like a losing battle. And to be sure, there are no “silver bullet” solutions. But faithfulness in ordinary practices rooted in the gospel make a significant difference over time.
Here are 9 ordinary, but powerful, ways that pastors can fight the porn epidemic in their churches.
- Preach Christ. Resist the temptation to get novel in your preaching. Those who are ensnared by sexual sin need to see Jesus lifted high in your preaching. They need a steady diet of Christ’s life, death, and resurrection. They need to be reminded that Christ is interceding for them in their moment of need (Heb. 4:15). Practical strategies are important, but only the gospel of Jesus Christ will break the power of sin in our lives.
- Champion Discipleship. Lasting change requires a focus on following Christ in every area of life. But none of us can do this as a lone ranger. Therefore, the culture of your church should reinforce the priority of discipleship. Making disciples is the heart of the Great Commission (Matt. 28:20) and should be at the center of your church’s mission.
- Model Holiness. So much of how we think and act is more caught than taught. Whatever is regularly modeled is normalized. Pastor, commit to modeling holiness for your people. Point them always to Christ; but also show them a life captivated and changed by Christ. This is compelling in a way that words alone cannot be.
- Prioritize Community. Sexual sin thrives in isolation and anonymity. Cultivating genuine Christ-centered community should be a top priority for every pastor. Train leaders to create an environment where people can be truly seen and known, and is safe for people to confess sin and find loving help.
- Sanctify Beauty. Porn is a sinful corruption of something beautiful. Sadly, many think that holiness is only achieved through stoic restraint. But God created us to delight in His beauty (Ps. 27:4), and in the revelation of his beauty in creation (Ps. 19:1-6). Pastor, your teaching ministry can help people sanctify their experience of beauty. Lustful desire reveals a heart starved of genuine beauty and desperately needing to be re-enchanted by God’s glory!
- Engage Youth. Start the conversation about porn early with the young people in your church. They need to know their parents and other loving adults are committed to provide an environment of accountability, godly training, transparency, and safety.
- Equip Parents. Even more than church leaders, parents are on the front lines of this battle. Many feel overwhelmed. Take the time to equip parents with teaching and tools to engage their kids meaningfully on this subject.
- Elevate Service. Those struggling with sexual sin need tangible ways to step out of their self-focused world and serve others. Serving helps believers grow in community, compassion, and the deeper satisfaction of giving. This is a significant, but often overlooked, part of killing addictive habits like porn.
- Provide Resources. Know that you’re not alone in addressing this problem. One of the ways you can love your people well is by providing other resources inside and outside the church that can help them in this battle. A few examples would be:
- Good books. such as Rescue Plan & Rescue Skills by Deepak Reju & Jonathan Holmes, The Death of Porn by Ray Ortlund, and Making All Things New: Restoring Joy to the Sexually Broken by David Powlison.
- Recovery Groups. These can be transformative for those who are ready to tackle this problem in community.
- Counseling. Many people need a longer process of counseling to break free from porn addiction. Consider adding funds into the church budget to help those in your church have access to gospel-centered counseling. Organizations like Anchored Virtual are designed to partner with local churches for a team approach in caring for counselees.
Pastor, you may look at this list and see many things you’re already doing. If so, praise God! I hope this article serves as encouragement, strengthening your confidence in our God who works through ordinary means to bring about extraordinary transformation in peoples’ lives!
Brian Walker (M.Div.) serves as Director of Operation for Anchored Virtual, an organization committed to providing biblically-grounded, clinically-informed, virtual counseling to individuals and churches around the globe. He has over 20 years of experience as a counselor and pastor, previously serving churches in the PCA and EFCA.
If you could benefit from counseling or consultation services, staff or church-wide training, the team at Anchored Virtual is here to help. You can submit an inquiry here.
