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christian counseling today
VOL. 22 NO. 1
T
he Bible calls on pastors to
be above reproach. Satan
uses pornography, sexual
addiction, and infidelity to
destroy the ministries of pastors, with
tragic personal consequences for min-
istry leaders and their families. When
sexual misconduct involves a victim in
the church congregation, there may be
costly litigation involving the pastor and
the church that could potentially result
in financial hardship or even ruin for
the church, as well as emotional turmoil
among the congregation.
Juniper Research reports that a
quarter of a billion people are expected
to be accessing mobile adult content
by 2017 from their phones or tablets,
which is reportedly an increase of more
than 30% from 2013.
1
Eric Reed, the
managing editor of
Leadership Jour-
nal
, reports that surveys over the years
show that up to 12% of pastors confess
to inappropriate physical involvement
outside of marriage—and in one poll
Leadership
found that 38% of pastors
said Internet pornography was a tempta-
tion to them.
2
It is recommended that
Christian counselors and local church
governing bodies understand and help
clergy guard against sexual misconduct.
Pastors Must Prepare for the
Spiritual Battle
The Apostle Paul candidly explains in
Romans 7:14-25 his battle with the sin
nature, and joyfully explains in Romans
8:2 how the Holy Spirit sets a Chris-
tian free from the law of sin and death.
Paul writes in Ephesians 6:12 (ESV),
“For we do not wrestle against flesh and
blood, but against the rulers, against the
authorities, against the cosmic powers
over this present darkness, against the
spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly
places.” Pastors should prepare for a
battle for sexual integrity.
Pastors and Sexual Integrity:
The Unique Challenges
Ralph Earle and Ken Wells, therapists
at Psychological Counseling Services
in Scottsdale, Arizona, in a
Christian
Counseling Connection
newsletter article
titled, “Sex in the Pulpit: Why Chris-
tian Leaders Fall,” discuss outcomes
from a number of studies, as well as
their own clinical experience with clergy
who engaged in sexual misconduct. The
studies evidenced a variety of issues that
made clergy vulnerable to sexual sin,
including: 1) emotional and physical
exhaustion; 2) a lack of emotionally
intimate relationships in their personal
lives; 3) a struggle with boundaries and
«
JOHN SANDY, J.D.
law, ethics & liability
Pastors and the Fight for Sexual Integrity
Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the
devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking
someone to devour. — 1 Peter 5:8 (ESV)