13 to 18 year olds spend more than 72 hours a week using electronic media.
Porn is free and easy to access. Even if someone is not looking for it, it can easily find them.
Every second $3075.64 is spent on pornography.
The average age of first internet exposure to porn is 11.
The largest consumers of internet pornography are in the 35 to 49 age group.
90% of 8 to 16 year olds have viewed porn online (most while doing homework).
80% of 15 to 17 year olds have had multiple exposures to hard-core porn.
26 and counting children’s character names are linked to thousands of porn links (including Pokemon and Action Man).
Women are not immune: 41% have viewed/download erotic films online and 17% admit to struggling with addiction to porn.[i]
We cannot pretend this is not out there.
We cannot pretend this does not affect our kids, parents and leaders.
So, what are a few things we can do? What can you do as a parent or church leader?
1. Talk about it.
Don’t pretend porn doesn’t exist. The temptation is real and is easy to step into. Educate yourself and have ongoing conversations about it in your family, children’s ministry, youth group and church.
Look for opportunities to talk about porn, using the internet well, and appropriate sexuality in your everyday life. Be aware of opportunities that present themselves to talk about these issues – something popping up on your screen, talking about temptations that face us, something that comes up on a TV show or in the news, a friend getting pregnant, sermon illustrations etc.
When you or someone you know is caught in the porn battle, they need help.
Understand this is a battle. Porn has a grip on them and they have to take responsibility to prey the grip off, and release the hold of the grip. It starts with confession to God and choosing to give it to God. But then the battle continues, as the temptation does not usually disappear instantly.
2. Help them develop and use tools for the battle. Here are tools to use in temptation:
a. List things you can do as an alternative, when the temptation comes. Keep the list in a spot near your electronics.
b. Examine when (the times and places) you are most likely to be tempted and come-up with a plan to fight at those times or to change your routine for those times.
c. Have a code phrase for when you are feeling tempted and need to be kept busy. Let a trusted person know the code phrase, and when you say it, no questions asked, the person will help you keep busy. e.g. “Mom, give me something to do.”
d. When tempted ask, what am I really feeling and H.A.L.T.
Am I Hungry, Angry, Lonely (Bored) or Tired?
How do I meet that feeling in a healthy way?
e. Memorize key Scripture to repeat in the moment.
f. Tell someone. Bring it into the light, don’t fight this battle alone. Counselors can be a great help to see yourself clearly and what is really going on, so you can beat this.
3. Pray with hope
I know, of course I’m going to say that, I’m a Pastor-right? But, if this is a battle, we need Christ fighting it for us. Get others praying too. Christ victory is real, He has beat Satan, death and destruction, but we need to see that victory in reality in this area of pornography. Yes, there is an industry that is spend billions of dollars to capture us and our kids into pornography, but there is also our God who is stronger than anything. His Spirit has access to hearts and minds, and is fighting for our kids and our best.
For those in the battle, know that Christ is with you in this battle. He lives in you and has already beat sin and Satan. He is fighting this battle for you, He is rooting for you. In learning to fight this you will grow stronger in your faith and walk with the Lord. You will become better equipped to handle other challenges that come your way in life. Christ has great plans for you and good for you. He’s created you for amazing things. Christ dream is still big for you. He is training you for big things.
Resources:
- This website is excellent for leaders, parents and students: http://www.xxxchurch.com/
- “Every Young Man’s Battle” By Stephen Arterburn & Fred Stoeker
- “Every Young Woman’s Battle” By Shannon Ethridge & Stephen Arterburn
- “Think Before you Look” By Daniel Henerson
- Need confidential help finding more resources or a counselor? You can call or email Cheryl Ann Beals () or I ()
(506)635-1922
[i] Statistics are from https://bedbible.com/porn-statistics/ and www.xxxchurch.com
