On Pornography Part 1 (Counseling Talk, Ep. 9)

In this episode of Counseling Talk, Deepak Reju, Hayley Satrom, and Garrett Kell start a mini-series on pornography and how pastors and members can help one another fight the battle.

Resources resources:

• Making All Things New: Restoring the Joy to the Sexually Broken by David Powlison
• Sexual Sin – The Wider and the Deeper Battle by David Powlison (article)
• Pure in Heart by Garrett Kel;

Strategies for Closing Off Access Points

Here are some practical steps to consider as you help an addict to get rid of his access points.

1.  Ask the struggler about every e-device he owns.

2.  Encourage him or her to get a software monitoring program, such as Covenant Eyes, and put it on all his devices.

3.  Get rid of standard web browsers and rely on a browser that is carefully monitored.

4.  Get rid of the applications store. If a new app needs to be downloaded onto a tablet or phone, provide access only temporarily.

5.  Use special restrictions to cut out the web browser and app store, set time limits, and so on. Make sure the restrictions code is known only to an accountability partner. If the struggler knows it, he or she will remove the restrictions in a moment of weakness and act out.

6.  Get rid of all apps that have an embedded browser.

What’s the principle behind these six points? We’re removing control from the believer who struggles with porn and giving it to others because he or she can’t steward the freedom of open access.