X-Rated Ministry?
I received an email recently from a dear brother telling me about an accountability program offered for free that keeps track of your internet history. It's offered over at Integrity Online.com. I copied this from their site: "Called X3Watch*, this service tracks websites visited from a specific computer. It then regularly sends a report of potentially inappropriate websites accessed by that computer to an accountability email address which you designate."A helpful program, no doubt. Seems like I heard once that it might slow down your connection speed a bit - but that might be a small price to pay for some extra accountability (by "extra accountability", I'm assuming that we are all ULTIMATELY accountable to God, and perhaps have others in our lives with whom we openly discuss our progress in sanctification and fight against sin...without accountability to God, no filter or website tracker will do any good).
Now to the other purpose of this post...
The ones offering this free "X3 Watch" program also have a ministry aimed at helping those who are sinning in the area of pornography (note: I didn't say "struggling" I said "sinning"...let's not candy coat anything here :o). Their ministry and website is called XXXChurch.com. And the tagline is "#1 Christian Porn Site". Now, I'm sure you're like me & were a bit leary of having those three letters ANYWHERE on your computer! So, if you want to let your spouse know what you're doing or inform an "accountability partner", that might put you more at ease, then please do so before visiting the site. They also have a "nicer" address at www.x3church.com that takes you to the same page).
I can assure you that there are absolutley no provacative images on this site, nothing sensual, nothing tantalizing. (I did see at least two thumbnail images that were a bit questionable - pictures of some people from this ministry (dressed modestly) having their photo made with someone who wasn't dressed modestly, but these pictures weren't featured or highlighted in any way to draw attention to them)
There are, however, lots of play-on-words & "punny" phrases used to promote their products and ministry, just like the web address. Again, the site is safe, but do be aware that you'll see graphics such as their podcast title designed like a pink neon sign which reads "Dirty Little Secrets", or their "Porn Sunday" church campaign, or their t-shirts that say "Jesus loves Porn Stars". So, offended by images, probably not...put off by puns, perhaps.
After spending some time (admittedly, not a lot), I found several helpful things on this site. The filter and accountability software (as mentioned earlier), some frightening statistics about the damaging affects of pornography on men, women and children, and some links taking you to other ministries designed to help people stop sinning in this area (They seemed to be biblically based, but I couldn't tell from the sites just how biblical they were and if they integrated psychology in their counseling methods or not).
I'm also aware (and I'm not necessarily putting this in the "helpful" category), that the two men who run this ministry set up their "XXXChurch" booth at adult film conventions and pass out Bibles & the "Jesus Loves Porn Stars" t-shirts and share the gospel with the attendees.
Now, before I say anything else about this online ministry, so as not to influence anyone, I want to ask you a question. Take a look at the site, click on some of the links & resources and then answer this question in my comment section:
Is the XXXChurch site/ministry a legitmate way of reaching the lost?
Is there biblical support for such methodology?
Is God being honored and glorified in such a ministry?
What is right about this ministry?
What is wrong about this ministry?
I look forward to your comments!
"For you know what instructions we gave you through the Lord Jesus. For this is the will of God, your sanctification: that you abstain from sexual immorality; that each one of you know how to control his own body in holiness and honor..."
1 Thessalonians 4:2-4
(ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version
1 comment:
Thanks for reading & commenting, Danielle! I agree with you...and some of the comments from the original post address your concerns as well.
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