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“A sexual tsunami is coming!” Those words were spoken seven years ago by Dr. Patrick Carnes, an internationally recognized psychologist who pioneered the study and treatment of sexual addiction.
It is safe to say the wave has already slammed our shores and is now sweeping across our land. Pastors, counselors and other Christian caregivers need to know how to successfully surf this wave through the chaos and debris, rescuing those under our care. Hence the title: “Tsunami Surfing: Ministry in the Flood of Sexual Chaos.”
So what were the tectonic plates that shifted below the surface, causing this sexual tsunami? A number of factors went into the enormous shift.
Even though the plates had been shifting slightly for centuries. The introduction of the birth control pill in 1960 combined with the Sexual Revolution set the stage for an enormous, tsunami producing quake.
Then came personal computers and the Internet. Soon, we were using video games as babysitters. Because of the repetitive “risk and reward” dynamic of such games, Carnes asserts, the supple brains of children have been conditioned for addictive behaviors. Stumbling upon porn at the average age of 12, addiction to porn has gone through the roof.
In essence, a generation of kids were distracted on the beach as the menacing wave began to crest above them. In the wake of porn addiction has come experimentation, abuse, and a truckload of confusion that will spill over into marriages for decades to come.
Add to this our culture’s ever evolving attitudes about gender identity and sexual practices. Feelings and urges are now defining us. Universities are training sex therapists that anything goes, as long as all participants are consenting adults. The only hard and fast rule is this: Don’t label any sexual behavior as immoral. Failure to toe that line can cost some therapists their clients or, in some cases, their practice.
Increasingly, we see this same intolerance in ministry. Failure to extend full acceptance to any of a variety of sexual or gender expressions can cost you relationships with friends and family. At a time when some churches are already struggling to survive, rocking the boat over sexual matters seems too risky for many.
But there are deeply wounded people clinging to the wreckage from this tsunami who desperately need the healing hands of Jesus. They’ve experimented and have been burned or abused. They’ve sampled and are now chained.
The walking wounded see the Church as the last place to open up and seek help.
The Body of Christ needs to be informed and equipped!
This blog is one of many resources rising to the surface. Here’s what you will find:
· Theology: Whether a pastor or a counselor, you need to know what you believe and why. People are becoming increasingly harsh toward anything that does not fit their narrative. You need to know which hill to die on and when to take that stand.
· Prayer Practices: Things are changing rapidly. We are hurtling toward Corinth and Ephesus. Learn practical ways to position people for healing and to handle increased spiritual warfare.
· Wisdom: In our lifetime, it has never been more difficult to speak the truth in love.
· Resources: Hear from a variety of guest authors who will share insights from their own ministries. Learn of books and resources which point the way toward effective and transformative practices.
· Encouragement: Testimonies of those who have found healing from abuse, victory over addiction, clarity for their confusion, and grace for their struggles.
· Courage: In this cancel culture which is becoming increasingly hostile toward the Church, we cannot huddle alone in fear. We must be assured of what we believe, equipped with proven practices, and aware that we do not stand alone.
Posts will be brief and to the point. Links will be provided for further information and details.
Most posts will be free, but no comments will be allowed. This will help us avoid the trolls who want to harass and disrupt.
Eventually an optional paid subscription will be offered where comments will be welcomed and the blog will take a “think tank” approach, allowing us to learn from each other. As one colleague said recently, these times call for an “all hands on deck” mindset. When a tsunami crashes on a culture, we need each other’s gifts and insights for God’s work of rescuing those entangled in the wreckage.
Welcome to all who have a heart to help!