Will Trump’s Pledge Stop the Proliferation of Porn?
Can government policy stop the spread of porn?
No, not on its own. Donald Trump signed The Children's Internet Safety Presidential Pledge, aimed at enforcing existing law and preventing online sexual exploitation of children, which is a step in the right direction. But 68% of church-going men still view porn regularly. Jeremy Wiles argues the church cannot leave this to government. Heart change comes through grace, and Dr. Ted Roberts calls recovery a two to five year process.
With President Elect, Donald Trump’s inauguration this Friday, will he fulfill the commitment that he made during his Presidential campaign to end the spread of pornography?
For leaders wondering where to begin, start a Conquer Group at your church is a good resource.
What the pledge actually promised
In August, anti-porn group, Enough is Enough released a statement indicating that Trump had signed The Children’s Internet Safety Presidential Pledge.
The pledge was created to defend the innocence and dignity of America’s children by enforcing the existing federal laws and advancing public policies designed to:
- prevent the sexual exploitation of children online
- make the Internet safer for all.
Why the church can’t leave this to government
While it is promising that Trump has taken a stand on pornography, 68% of church going men still view porn on a regular basis.
Jeremy Wiles who directed a cinematic study that helps men break free from porn, says, “The Church can’t leave dealing with pornography up to government when so many of its members and so many of its Pastors are viewing it on a regular basis.”
“The Church has to take a stand on the issue of Pornography by providing sexual discipleship. Thankfully we are seeing thousands of churches starting to make this a regular part of their ministry through the Conquer Series,” says Wiles.
What it really takes to get free
For most people struggling with pornography, it has been a part of their life for a matter of years, so it is not just going to go away overnight. Dr Ted Roberts, host of the Conquer Series, describes recovery as a, “two to five-year process with a miracle every day.”
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The first step in this process is to join a Conquer Group, which are now offered by churches in over 80 countries around the world.
Men struggling with porn are dealing with high levels of shame and a sense of worthlessness. Adult’s Ministry Pastor at Orlando’s First Baptist Church, Chris Ogden explains, “For a lot of guys that have struggled in the area of sexuality, the lie becomes ‘This is just who I am. This cannot change. This will never go away. I might enjoy a week or a month [of sobriety] here or there but ultimately this is embedded in my soul, I can’t get free of it.'”
Men who attend a Conquer Group go through a series of exercises, which include a full disclosure of their struggle, uncovering any deep seeded lies that have taken root in their lives, then replacing those lies with the truth of God’s prophetic promises found in scripture. This really deals with that shame as Ogden recounts, “As the guys in our church walk through that, you could just see that flame of hope kind of rekindle, and going, ‘I not only believe what they’re saying is true, but I think it could be true for me.’ And I think when that switch happens, that’s when God unleashes the power in the guy’s life.”
While Trump’s pledge is a significant move in the right direction, it cannot bring this kind of heart transformation. It can only come through the Grace and Love found in Jesus Christ, administered through His body, the Church.
Thousands of churches are stepping forward and offering the Conquer Series to give their men a fighting chance in pursuing sexual integrity.
What the Conquer Series gives men
The Conquer Series is a cinematic 10-week course featuring in-depth teaching from former Marine Fighter Pilot and Pastor, Dr. Ted Roberts who shares powerful tools and bible-based strategies that he has used to help thousands of men renew their mind and find freedom from porn.
Men are desperate for something to help them break free, yet only 9% of churches have a program to help men struggling with porn.
Get started with the Conquer Series by signing up on SoulRefiner.com today!
Related Article: Government Declares Porn A Public Health Crisis
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If you're working through this, these posts may help: why 68% of Christian men watch porn and what porn actually does to your brain.
Writing at the intersection of faith and neuroscience to help men and women break destructive cycles and walk in lasting freedom.
More articles by Jeremy Wiles →Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Children's Internet Safety Presidential Pledge?
It is a pledge created to defend the innocence and dignity of America's children by enforcing existing federal laws and advancing public policy with two aims: preventing the sexual exploitation of children online and making the internet safer for everyone. An anti-porn group, Enough Is Enough, announced the signing. It is a meaningful move, though it was never built to change a single human heart.
How long does it take to recover from porn addiction?
It takes years, not weeks. For most people struggling with pornography it has been part of life for years, so it is not going to go away overnight. Dr. Ted Roberts, host of the Conquer Series, describes recovery as a "two to five-year process with a miracle every day." That timeline is honest rather than discouraging. Expecting instant deliverance is what sends men back into shame when week three looks nothing like week one.
What happens in a Conquer Group?
Men work through a series of exercises together: a full disclosure of the struggle, uncovering the deep-seated lies that have taken root, then replacing those lies with the truth of God's prophetic promises found in Scripture. Chris Ogden, Adult's Ministry Pastor at Orlando's First Baptist Church, saw the result firsthand — "you could just see that flame of hope kind of rekindle." Conquer Groups are offered by churches in over 80 countries.
Why do men believe they can never change?
Because shame has convinced them the struggle is their identity. Chris Ogden, Adult's Ministry Pastor at Orlando's First Baptist Church, describes the lie this way: "This is just who I am. This cannot change. This will never go away. I might enjoy a week or a month [of sobriety] here or there but ultimately this is embedded in my soul, I can't get free of it." When a man finally believes freedom could be true for him too, that is the switch God moves through.
Why can't the church leave porn to the government?
Because the problem is already inside the building. Jeremy Wiles, who directed a cinematic study that helps men break free from porn, says it plainly: "The Church can't leave dealing with pornography up to government when so many of its members and so many of its Pastors are viewing it on a regular basis." The answer is sexual discipleship, and only 9 percent of churches currently have a program to help men.
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