Thanks again for your partnership. Here are some specific requests for the upcoming weeks:
1) Trinity Church Plano TX Sept 13 Grace Transformed Sexuality Seminar.
So far they have 42 signed up and are hoping for 50. Pray for the
Spirit of God to move mightily both to convict and to comfort men
struggling and ashamed of their lust. Also pray for the leading of God's
Spirit in each man's life for the specific principles he needs most to
apply and for a lasting deeper connection among the men as a result of
talking about this issue. Also pray for the follow up study.
2) Countryside Church Cameron, NC Sept 20 Rediscovering Biblical Manhood. Pray
that some of the PCA churches in the area will join this small church
for the seminar and for the example of Jesus as a man to motivate and
challenge the men.
3) Spriggs Road Church, Manasas, VA Sept 27 Great Dads Seminar Pray
for the promotion, attendance of the dads, especially the busy young
ones, and the application of the material to each man's situation. Pray
for me reabsorbing the material because it is a lot of content that I
have not presented for a while.
4) Big Project
Updating our Website: Pray that we can make the time to transfer the
data so that we can transition to the new Website in Oct.
5) Big Project Launching Gary's new book, Got Your Back
(Revision of Forging Bonds) Pray that we can finish getting the
recommendations, get it professionally edited, cover designed, promo
video made, promo strategy completed.
6) Pray
for the impact of my effort to interpret the Barna Study on Pornography
and use it to challenge church leaders to follow a three-part strategy
to help provide men what they need.
Last evening I emailed every Clerk of Presbytery in my denomination (about 65 presbyteries in the US) the following:
Dear Stated Clerk,
I
serve as the Men’s Ministry Consultant of the Committee On Discipleship
Ministries. My job is to help our churches disciple their men as
effectively as possible. Please pass this information on to the TE’s and
Sessions of your presbytery. Thanks.
In
a new study, released in late August by The Barna Group, 54% of
Christian men acknowledged viewing pornography at least once per month,
and 37% admitted looking at porn several times a week. The study, which
was commissioned by Proven Men Ministries, also reveals that 23% of men
aged 18-30 think they might be addicted to pornography compared to 16%
of men aged 31-49, a sobering trend. Also enlightening is that more
married than single men think they might be addicted to porn,
challenging the common assumption among single Christian guys that
viewing porn will stop when they get married and experience the real
thing.
Because
this new study sounds like old news, we in the PCA need to ask
ourselves, “Are we being lulled to sleep about the serious damage that
pornography is doing to the souls of our men?” The Apostle Peter wrote. “I urge you to abstain from the passions of the flesh, which wage war against your soul.” Habitual
surrender to lust erodes our spiritual lives at the very core—stealing
strength our men need to lead their homes, share their faith, and impact
the world around them. As those called to lead PCA churches in the
twenty-first century, we dare not be passive, when our men need our
help!
Is
there an effective, grace-centered, attainable strategy that a church
can follow to provide our men and young men with the help they need? My experience working in this field has shown me that there is. After ten years leading the Grace Transformed Sexuality Seminar in
PCA churches, presenting it at GA, meeting with John Freeman of Harvest
USA and Nate Larkin, founder of the Samson Society, I’m persuaded that
an effective strategy must have three parts. Since this is a (spiritual)
battle, the military provides a useful understanding of what our men
need for this fight.
First, every man and especially every young man who is approaching his teen years needs basic training—boot camp, where he learns the basic biblical principles for combating lust. Second, after boot camp, a soldier travels to his battle station, the place where he routinely fights his everyday battles. What he needs for his everyday struggle with lust is a battle budy, or wing man—a
man to fight beside him, pick him up, and watch his back. Third, just
as severely wounded soldiers can’t survive on their own but need special
care, those whose hearts have been severely overpowered by the craving
for pornography, need an anonymous support group perhaps with
counseling by one trained in Biblical soul care.
This
three-part strategy is explained, with some recommended resources in a
short Vimeo video tutorial, we recently filmed for PCA churches. It is
called, Strategy for Helping Men In the Battle With Lust. Here is the link. It isn’t Hollywood quality, but I think you will find it helpful
Article by
Dr. Gary Yagel
Executive Director, Forging Bonds of Brotherhood
PCA Men’s Ministry Consultant
Prayer Team, Please
pray for the impact of this email (and potential look at the video)
since it will be sent to every ordained pastor and all the sessions of
our denomination.
Thanks.
Gary
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