Underestimated Danger

How EFCA districts are helping pastors

by Rev. Matt Mitchell

The blue glow of the screen illuminated the hunched-over figure. A swift stream of images downloaded into his soul. For six to eight hours a day, this man accessed pornographic material in his office.

He was an EFCA pastor.

The problem of sexual impurity is as old as the problem of lust. But with today’s explosion of technology, unfettered access to pornography has greatly exacerbated the problem. Those at-risk include both men and women—including church leaders—who are often unaware of the full extent of the danger.

EFCA Today interviewed two EFCA district superintendents to find out how grave the dangers are and to learn what our districts and national ministries are doing to help pastors—and, through them, other church leaders—escape the traps of sexual impurity.

According to Gil Stieglitz (Western District), part of the problem is that godly pastors have their heads in the sand. “Many of our pastors are men of such high integrity,” he explains, “that when I talk about needed safeguards for their church, they are almost dumbfounded: ‘Well, if you need that to keep yourself from pornography, you have a big problem.’

“Therefore, they have a hard time implementing necessary steps downstream.”

Gil recommends that, as a starting place, churches install filters and accountability software on their computers (see “Accountability Web Sites”). An even greater underestimating of the danger, both men agree, is occurring among younger church leaders.

Because the American culture is so steeped in sensuality, many are dangerously desensitized and don’t set appropriate boundaries.

Cal Swan (Central District) says, “What I define as pornography, they would say, ‘This is just a part of life.’”

Gil agrees: “They are looking at Web sites that we would consider a problem, and before you know it, they click on some link, and they’re swimming in a much deeper pool.”

Gil advises leading young church leaders in a discussion of what is and what isn’t sin. He often asks youth pastors, when they explain their definition of pornography: “Would you like your pastor or your wife to be looking at this?”

“That changes the definition.”

Cal and Gil identify four major warning signs:

1. PRESSURE Many of the fallen pastors they have worked with had dynamic and growing ministries—growing beyond their abilities to keep up. With the pressure comes temptation to escape.

2. POWER Illicit sex is sometimes a misuse of power but also sometimes a searching for power—even power to do ministry. Gil recalls one pastor who said, “I was so ‘out of gas,’ I was looking for anything that would give me energy. And this gave me a little energy.”

3. PAST In cases where use of pornography reaches addictive levels, Gil notes that there is often an unresolved issue of molestation or abuse.

4. PASSIVITY “Many of these men don’t have a great relationship with their wife,” Gil explains. “Their relationships are plastic. If you are in a well-rounded, healthy relationship with your spouse, that kind of blows up the pornographic images so they aren’t so real.”

When these warnings go unheeded, the danger escalates. In both districts, Cal and Gil refer to the Purity Initiative developed by EFCA Pastoral Care Ministries (below). The initiative indicates increasing levels of involvement. If not dealt with, what begins as careless curiosity can lead to the loss of ministry, credential, reputation and family. However, the danger can be averted and ministry can be restored. At lower levels of involvement, it can be handled privately, or with your team, your spouse or your accountability partner. At higher levels, more accountability and discipline is required.

“If you have a history and you hide it, you’re in trouble,” Cal says. “But if you let someone know, we’ll work with you.”

Both the Central and Western districts are implementing an array of programs to stem the tide:

TALK ABOUT IT

Central District leaders have made it as mandatory as possible for pastors and church staff to attend special meetings about sexual integrity. At each four-hour, face-to-face meeting, leaders address the biblical basis for sexual purity and the size of the problem, and Cal invites a pastor to share how it almost tore his family apart.

“It sends the message that ‘every one of us is exposed,’” Cal says. “And it gets pastors talking about the issue. They can confess with each other or with our district staff.”

Whenever he has been forced to take a pastor’s credential away, Gil delivers a frank post-mortem throughout the district of what went wrong. “That gets guys’ attention.”

Gil encourages churches to emphasize the fight against lust in some component of church life each year. Some churches highlight National Porn Awareness Sunday [xxxchurch.com/pornsunday]. Others offer retreats, recovery groups and addiction programs.

Gil feels so strongly about this that he wrote Mission Possible: Winning the battle over temptation. He then gave a copy to each church in the Western District. Fathers are studying it with their sons to lay the foundation for purity early in life.

CALL FOR HELP

In both districts, pastors who are struggling are encouraged again and again to seek professional help. In the Central District, in particular, after each purity program meeting, the district offers a safe, free counselor (and district staff members aren’t notified with any names or details). After each meeting, at least one pastor has called the free counselor.

HEAD IT OFF AT THE PASS

Healthy marriages will fend off a lot of temptation, so both districts provide preventative maintenance. The Central District built a cabin for pastoral couples to use, free of charge, to get away and recharge their marital batteries. In the Western District, Gil is always on the lookout for pastors who are losing energy and need to get refreshed before they find themselves in trouble. While the danger is real and growing, both superintendents have hope for leaders who address it now.

The pastor who was addicted to six to eight hours of pornography daily? Cal Swan reports that it took three or four years for that pastor. “It was difficult, painful and hard, but he embraced honesty, and now he is safe to be around and restored to ministry.”

It is possible to escape the danger.

Matt Mitchell is the pastor of Lanse (Pa.) EFC in the Allegheny District, and he blogs at matt-mitchell.blogspot.com

Accountability Web Sites

• bsafehome.com
• contentwatch.com
• covenanteyes.com
• cyberpatrol.com
• familyconnect.com
• intego.com (for Macs)
• xxxchurch.com