Breaking Free

The following is a letter written by Tom Trask, former superintendent of the Assemblies of God. After graduating from North Central Bible College, Minneapolis, MN, Trask served 25 years as a pastor and was superintendent of the Michigan district and general treasurer of the Assemblies of God before being elected in 1993 as the superintendent. He resigned from his position in 2007.

- – - -

Nearly half of ministers today admit to some form of inappropriate sexual addiction or behavior. How can you protect yourself from these temptations?

Walk in the Spirit

Today, sexual behavior is flaunted and exploited by big business. The content and language of today’s TV programs would have been unacceptable years ago. I participate in the Religious Alliance Against Pornography, and I know that major corporations in America are in the pornography business because it generates money.

Pastor, a direct correlation exists between your spirituality and your sexuality. When you, as a pastor, neglect your spiritual life, you limit your ability to fight the enemy of your soul because your protection comes from your walk with God. Galatians 5:16 says, “Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh” (KJV). You can become addicted to inappropriate sexual behavior because you let down your guard and reject the protection the Spirit gives you. When you walk in the Spirit, you have the strength you need to be victorious over sexual temptations.

Pornography is so far reaching, and its tentacles are so damaging and entrapping that I cannot urge you strongly enough to abstain from it. If you cannot control where you go on the Internet, disconnect it. You cannot afford to allow your ministry and your calling to suffer from sexual addictions. A sexual addiction is dangerous—just as an addiction to alcohol or drugs.

Make Yourself Accountable

I encourage you to open up to a person you can trust. A long-time minister friend or a long-time family member is a good choice. You should choose someone whom you can go to in confidence, so you can be honest, and yet know that person is not going to turn on you or try to destroy you because of your confession.

Internet filters and/or accountability software such as Covenant Eyes are essential. It is also wise to place computers in a public place in your home. You must use all the safeguards that are available because the enemy is insistent on destroying your family.

Pastor, there is hope and help available if you are suffering from sexual addictions. Someone said, “The church shoots its wounded.” We do not. We believe in restoration and in giving people the help they need. Many people today are helping others because the Lord saved them from sinful lifestyles. They understand the dynamics after being delivered from addictions and can be instrumental in ministering to others who are in a sinful lifestyle. The trick of the enemy is to say you are ruined and there is no hope left. That is a lie. Our message is that there is restoration, deliverance, and help.

Recommendations

Because of the pervasiveness of pornography in our environment and its insidious addictive potential, it is highly recommended that:

• You take aggressive, proactive steps to protect yourself, your family, and your church staff against pornography by installing computer filtering and/or accountability software.

• You be intentional in providing awareness, education, and training for your church families in making their homes pornography free.

• Our educational institutions (church schools, colleges, universities, and seminary) should make every possible effort to prevent access to pornographic material on their campuses and provide ongoing awareness and training on the perils and consequences of pornography.