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My church has been focusing on the Ten Commandments during our weekend worship gatherings and this past Sunday was number seven: You shall not commit adultery (Exodus 20:14). Jesus instructs us in Matthew 5:27-30 that adultery includes the act as well as the thoughts leading up to the action, so don’t think you’re off the hook if you haven’t committed the physical act of adultery. Since I’m not the one preaching here, I’ll move on.

If you’re in pastoral leadership, you’ve probably read many articles and books on the subject of protecting yourself in the area of marital faithfulness and more recently about not taking the bait of Internet pornography. I don’t feel I need to develop a rationale to convince you to pursue Christlikeness in these areas because you should know better. If you’re a student of God’s Word and are in church leadership, as a pastor or in lay leadership, you should already understand how God thinks. Others have accomplished that much better than I could so I encourage you to dig up those magazine articles and books and go through them periodically and prayerfully. We know there is a hook attached to the bait and a fisherman at the other end of the line with every intention of pulling you in. It’s good to re-read those materials and remind yourself of those truths from time to time because our minds might blur the distinction between the bait and the provisions God has given to us.

Think of it like reverse beer goggles. Beer goggles enable the drinker to view the not-so-attractive barfly as a thing of beauty the more alcohol they consume. The more we study God’s Word and other materials on the subject of purity, the clearer the lines will be between that which God has blessed us with and that which ensnares us.

While I’m not going to give you instruction on why you need to have victory in this area, I will give you some ideas on how you can succeed and steps you can take to reduce the chance of making the wrong choice.

1. Remember: the computer is a tool for ministry.
   Whether the computer is church property or it belongs to you, remember that it is a tool you use to further the Gospel. Don’t let inappropriate pictures or videos mingle with your sermons and counseling notes on your hard drive. It’s just creepy and wrong.
2. Remember: it could destroy your ministry and marriage.
   Within the last week Ted Haggard just lost his job as a pastor, his prominent position in the NAE, and has at least severely strained his family relationships if not worse. This stuff is real, folks, and it’s serious. Nothing like a little fear to get you motivated.
3. Actively pursue your relationship with Christ and your spouse.
   To quote Mel, the cook and owner of the diner on Alice, “The best defense is a good offense.” Strengthen these relationships and the arrows of the evil one will bounce off you like nerf balls.
4. Be up front with someone about your struggles.
   Practice the buddy system. Get a respected friend of the same sex with whom you can talk through these issues and make him ask you if you’re being successful in this area or not, regardless if you’re struggling. Go out for breakfast or sit down over a caramel macchiato once a week. Just don’t hold hands while you’re crossing the street.
5. Find accountability software, install it, and use it.
   Purchase software that filters content and automatically sends reports to your buddy. Don’t be afraid to pay for something that will keep you accountable and help prevent you from making poor choices. If you’re on staff at the church, ask the church to foot the bill. If your buddy from number four knows his way around a computer, have him set up the software for you and establish the passwords so you can’t change settings. Most of the newer routers have settings internally for blocking certain content, web pages, and keywords. Let him configure those settings in the router for you, establish the password, and have him share the password with your wife in case something goes haywire at 3 AM Sunday morning when you’re preparing your sermon.
6. Face your monitor toward public areas.
   Whether you’re at home or the office, position your computer monitor so that it can easily be seen by others. This demonstrates to others that you’re above reproach and you’re not trying to hide anything.
7. Use Scriptural phrases as passwords.
   Imagine every time you log into your computer, your online email account, or anything that requires a password, you type something like “BeYeHoly” or “1Cor6:13″. A simple 6-10 character combination as your password can remind you subtly but effectively.
8. Listen to religious material when you’re on the Internet.
   While you’re at the computer, pump your melon full of positive content, such as Christian music, sermons downloaded from other church web sites, religious podcasts, or the Bible in audio format.
9. Be an example and maintain victory.
   If you’re a pastor, others will struggle in this area and will come to you for guidance and counsel. Be able to counsel from a position of victory by keeping yourself pure and setting an example.

Resources

Setting Captives Free - “Stop sex and pornography addiction! - Free online, interactive 60 day course to find freedom from pornography and sexual addiction. Lose the guilt, the shame, and the habit…. The purpose of this site is to actually recover men and women from slavery to sinful habits. Our heart’s desire is to reclaim those who are captive, to recover those who are enslaved; not merely to inform, but to help release.”

Covenant Eyes - “Covenant Eyes is the Standard for Internet Integrity with Accountability through Monitoring. The software program is designed to hold people accountable when using the Internet. Safeguard your Internet world from the dangers, risks, and liabilities of Internet pornography.”

Bsafe Online - “We’ve designed Bsafe Online’s Internet filtering and security software specifically for families and made it very easy to use.”

X3Watch - “X3watch is an accountability software program helping with online integrity. Whenever you browse the Internet and access a site which may contain questionable material, the program will save the site name on your computer in a hidden folder. A person of your choice (an accountability partner) will receive an email containing all possible questionable sites you may have visited within the month. This information is meant to encourage open and honest conversation between friends and help us all be more accountable.”

Integrity Online - “We can help your family or business have a cleaner, more efficient filtered Internet experience today. Our award-winning technology is highly effective at eliminating unwanted Internet content, without blocking access to the information you desire.”

Tags: Technology, Pastor