This article originally posted 10/30/17 via Collegiate Collective
Unequivocally, porn is a problem on college campuses. And the problem of porn is a problem of the heart, but that doesn’t mean there aren’t practical tools when facing this issue. There are countless tools out there that relate to this issue, but in this article I want to give you some of the top, most trusted resources when it comes to equipping yourself with tools.
SYSTEMATIC PLANS
Crave Freedom
A new free resource developed by the Southern Baptists of Texas Convention starts someone on a 30 journey to freedom. It offers daily content, such as devotional, videos, and other resources that are Bible centric. It also offers a temptation tracker and the ability to connect your account to a mentor.
XXX Church
XXX Church is probably one of the most extensive addiction sites in the area of sex. They offer help for those who are having an affair, those who know of someone they love is looking at porn and hiding it, those who want help but can’t afford anything, those who are in the porn industry and want out, those wondering if they are addicted to porn, pastors who are addicted to porn, men who can’t stop masturbating, students hooked on porn, those who have been caught by their spouse looking at porn, women struggling with porn, and a parent who has caught their child looking at porn. Like I said, it’s extensive.
Fight The New Drug
FTND is one of the most popular secular sites on educating the population on the effects of pornography. They offer research on how porn affects the brain, relationships, and society. They also offer a program called Fortify that is filled with short video lessons and activities in order to help individuals break from porn addiction. It is helpful, but not Bible centric.
ACCOUNTABILITY SOFTWARE
Covenant Eyes
One of the most reliable accountability tools is Covenant Eyes. Users can download this app or program and connect multiple accountability partners who can see what the user is viewing. This is an app that tracks all internet usage via a computer, tablet, or smartphone device. If a user looks a content that’s even remotely sketchy, it notifies their accountability partners. Personal accounts start at $10.99 a month.
X3 Watch
This software is a part of the XXXChurch ministries. It has two plans to choose from, the Basic Plan or Premium Plan. Basic allows others to monitor a user’s online activity and allows a user to have up to 4 accountability partners. The Premium Plan allows users all the features of basic, plus a multitude of blocking features when surfing the web. It also comes with some videos series and an e-book on accountability. Basic plan starts at $24.99 a year and the Premium Plan is $64.99 a year.
Ever Accountable
This app is purely for accountability purposes. It allows users to designate accountability partners that can monitor and be notified of a user’s online activity. It does not offer a filter that blocks harmful websites. This app starts at $6.99 a month.
BOOKS
Surfing for God by Michael Cusick
Michael is a recovering porn and sex addict. He was a pastor at a church and dealt with sexual addiction that manifested itself in adult bookstores, club hopping, strip clubs, and escort services. He shares how these cravings were rooted in worship and how Jesus is our only hope.
Hooked: New Science on How Casual Sex is Affecting Our Children by Joe Mcllhaney and Freda McKissis Bush
Hooked helps you understand the science that goes on with porn addiction, especially in the brain. Although it has a lot to do with the science of the brain, it is a fairly easy to read book.
Girls Uncovered: New Research on What America’s Sexual Culture Does to Young by Joe Mcllhaney and Freda McKissis Bush
Written by the same authors of Hooked, this book makes a specific emphasis on how sex and porn affects women. An interesting note from the book is that it shows that the chemicals released when a man and woman bond are the same chemicals released when a mother nurses her child. When this chemical is abused over and over again it can affect not only a woman’s relationship with her husband, but her future children.
Counterfeit Gods by Tim Keller
This is an excellent book that really gets to the central problem of pornography: the heart. Keller talks about how money, sex, and power offer promises they can’t keep and how the Gospel is our only hope.
Sexual Detox: A Guide for Guys Who Are Sick of Porn by Tim Challies
Tim Challies address men who know that sexual fantasies, masturbation, and pornography are wrong, but choose to do it anyway. Tim helps young men gain a biblical perspective and apply these biblical truths to their situation.
STUDIES
Sexual Sanity for Men: Re-creating Your Mind in a Crazy Culture by David White
This study is written for men dealing with sexual brokenness. Sin starts in the mind and heart and the gospel helps men transform their mind and heart. This study offers men practical steps to a road to recovery.
Sexual Sanity for Women: Healing from Sexual and Relational Brokenness by Ellen Dykas
This is a 20 lesson study that helps women develop a process of understanding why they struggle with destructive relational and sexual patterns and how the gospel brings change. It really gets to the true issue of addiction which is the heart. This study probably works best for groups. $19.99 on Amazon.
Conquerors Series
This has been one of the top recommended studies for men. There have been a lot of resources put into this study, so it’s a little expensive.
PEOPLE
Josh Proctor
Josh has contributed a lot of his content to the Crave Freedom resource. He has been mentoring men of all ages through pornography addiction. He frequently writes on issues of idolatry, specifically in the areas of sex and porn addiction.
Anne Marie Miller
Anne is a popular keynote speaker at colleges, conventions and churches on topics of social justice, sexuality, mental health, and addiction. She hosts a blog on her website where she addresses sexual addiction from a woman’s perspective.
Josh McDowell
Josh offer’s many articles and a ton of research on this issue. He has a power 6 minute video on how porn infiltrates the home – JUST1CLICKAWAY.
