Clergy, Christian leaders and theological seminary students today who expect to serve in congregations or lead para-church ministries are going to be faced with some large challenges. Among these is the tsunami-like rise of lust-driven, sexually addictive behaviors among those they serve. Although the thinking and behaviors are not new, its virus-like nature is. Much of this can be traced to the meteoric rise and pervasive presence of the internet. From internet pornography to the on-line hook-up culture, many people today are mired in thinking and behavior they seem unable to escape or remedy. Some see no need to escape, but many others would secretly like to if they just knew how. Moreover, these problems appear to be nearly as prevalent in the church as outside it.
But there is help and hope. There are people who have been trapped in these behaviors who have been able to let go and walk in a greater degree of freedom, many for the first time. Some claim a greater closeness to God and intimacy with Christ as a result. They are ready to tell their stories in an honest, humble, and hopeful way.
How lust and sexually addictive behavior works in the human brain. What are the chemical and behavioral catalysts that make sexually driven actions so difficult to stop?
What they were like, what happened and what they are like now. Ample time will be available for interaction, questions and answers. (This segment can be expanded or contracted based on time constraints.)
How does a Christian leader understand this problem? How can he or she provide supportive and confidential community, resources, help and hope to those who suffer? What is the role of healing prayer? What does the gospel say about lust and sexual addiction? How did the early church reach a sex-drenched culture in its day and how might we learn from their message and manner? How can leaders speak to these human problems in congregational and organizational settings in an age-appropriate context?
Presented by Living Without Lust and Dr. Drew Edwards and Associates, this seminar can be adapted to a number of time slots and settings.
