Freedom Method Background

The Freedom Method was created because there seemed to be a lack of material that truly involved some sort of personal systematic discipleship. Yes, there are many materials that merge the individual into group settings and give them activities and projects to do; but there was nothing that I found that really helped me personally to walk with someone trapped in this sin of sexual immorality. What is my part in all of this? Where was the discipleship endeavor that cost the one doing the discipling? Most material I looked at put all the responsibility on the one trapped in the sin of sexual immorality. Yes, it was their choices and they got stuck, but it seemed a rather un-Christian and heartless approach on my part to stand back and remotely cheer them on.

 

These materials gave me the impression that I would end up being more of a facilitator or a background coach. Where was the discipleship relationship where I as the one discipling got deeply involved with the brother or sister who was struggling? I did not find one, but then again maybe I did not look hard enough.

 

There are a couple of verses in Galatians that really challenged me to become more personally involved. As I did, it became more apparent that these men and women really did need someone to walk closely with them and encourage them.

 

Galatians 6:1-2 1 Brethren, even if anyone is caught in any trespass, you who are spiritual, restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness; each one looking to yourself, so that you too will not be tempted. 2 Bear one another's burdens, and thereby fulfill the law of Christ. NASU

 

What is Paul asking of us? 

What does Christ want from me?

The idea of restoring has the thought of “setting a broken bone” or “mending of nets”. This word also is used in the manner of “manning a fleet” or “supplying and army with supplies”. All of these thoughts show us a high degree of personal involvement and responsibility.

 

Could what I am sharing with you today be modified to help more than one person at a time and still be highly beneficial to the one trapped in the sin of sexual immorality? Perhaps it could be, but this is not the intent of this material. It is for one person to help another person rather than a group of people.

Secondly, what material I did find was overwhelming, in that what needed to be done in order to “be free” was staggering. As I looked at some of the material I wondered how anyone could do and remember all of the things they were supposed to do.

 

In addition, my concern was the amount of people I talked to that have been through some sort of 5-12 week program and yet ended up back in the same situation...still addicted to porn or struggling with some aspect of sexual immorality. Then there were others who had been through a particular program 2, 3 or 4 times and were still dealing with the issue. It just seemed that something was not quite right.

 

This particular subject material of sexual immorality was not something that one day on a lark I just decided to embark upon. I found myself as a youth pastor who used to be plagued by my decision to be addicted to this horrible sin. On a weekly basis I would be asked by students, leaders in the church, pastors of other churches, and even parents about what can be done to free people with this addiction. As a result of this disheartening experience, I began my journey into this black hole of destruction not really sure what I would discover.

 

What I discovered shocked me and I began to fear the immensity and destruction of this sin called sexual immorality. Certainly, our culture thinks nothing of sexual immorality and believes that it is normal and there is no significant damage to the individual. Unfortunately, the church has bought into this lie, in that not much happens to the individual, still yet there are many Christians that believe that it is some sort of vague, but unimportant sin. Unfortunately, nothing is further from the truth. The more I studied and researched the more concerned I became not just for our missionaries, but for the people in our church. Statistics show that there are some 68% of Christian men who admit to looking at porn in the last month. These are just the ones who admitted it. Around 30% think they might be or know that they are addicted. And that was just the men.

 

Are sexual sins a big deal to God? God certainly knows our frame (weaknesses) and His grace covers it all, so why make a big deal about it?

Should sexual sins be a big deal to us?

Everyone struggles!

These are just some of the responses I have gotten.