Killing Fields, Part 1--Pornography

This is the first of several lessons entitled "The Killing Fields." They are referred to as The Killing Fields a la World War I because so many men who should be in the eldership today are not able to do so because they were "killed" by Satan's temptations before they were old enough to serve. When the children of the 50s like myself look around in 2009 and see how incredibly few are able to serve, we realize that our generation has been through the spiritual killing fields, and Generation X is going through those fields right now. The next several lessons on The Killing Fields are written so that (1) some will not sin--regardless of whether they are ever ministry leaders, deacons, or elders; (2) more will survive and be able to serve when they are old enough; (3) to spare the human misery that comes when men fall in The Killing Fields.

Pornography. Because of the sheer availability of pornography, this sin may become the one that keeps the most men from the deaconship or eldership of any of the killing fields in the years to come. At last word, pornography was a $20 billion dollar per year industry in the U.S., eclipsing even Hollywood's budget (and that is treating Hollywood like it didn't produce anything pornographic in any way).

The following twenty minute video from American Family Association http://www.afa.net/somebody/ about Somebody's Daughter, while not produced by the churches of Christ, is a graphic documentary of how pornography is tearing apart homes in America.

Books that have been useful in preparing these lessons include:

Anderson, L. (1993). They smell like sheep. West Monroe, Louisiana: Howard Publishing.

Gangel, K. O. (1984). So you want to be a leader! Camp Hill, Pennsylvania: Christian Publications.

Grimsley, R. W. (1964). The Church and its elders. Abilene, Texas: Quality Printing Company.

Lewis, J. P. (1985). Leadership questions confronting the church. Nashville, TN: Gospel Advocate.

Lewis, J. P. (2008). The question of instrumental music in worship. Searcy, AR: Truth for Today World Mission School.

Sanders, J. O. (1989). Spiritual leadership. Chicago, Ill: Moody Press.

Strauch, A. (1991). A study guide to biblical eldership: An urgent call to restore Biblical church leadership. Littleton, CO: Lewis and Roth Publishers.

White, J., & Blue, K. (1985). Church discipline that heals: Putting costly love into action. Downers Grove, Illinois: Intervarsity Press.

Yeakley, F. R. jr. (1980). Church leadership and organization. Arvada, CO: Christian Communications.