PASTORS MAY BE MORE VULNERABLE TO PORNOGRAPHY THAN OTHERS
by Richard Nevard

Christian ministry is a unique vocation. Ordinary men and women, who sense God’s prompting, lay aside their own personal ambitions in order to serve others. Clergypersons are no different than the rest of the human race. They have the same passions, hopes, and dreams as everyone else. These men and women also have the same stirrings as others: they are sexual beings, moved by the same passions of life and influenced by the same negative forces.
In fact, a pastor’s own position and typical temperament can make him more prone to sexual addictions. Environmental factors play a huge role in character development and susceptibility. Statistics show higher percentages of clergy come from dysfunctional families than not. (See Understanding Clergy Misconduct in Religious Systems by Candace Benvei.) Some enter ministry, freed from their own personal hell, wishing to help others get free as well. But once ordained, they discover that more healing was necessary and hell has caught up with them. Others enter ministry as a desperate attempt to overcome their own personal dysfunctions, hoping such a commitment will deliver them from the sin that has held them.