What We Really Want: Conversations About Connection 51 | Sam Black: Safe People, Safe Places, Safe Process
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It's critical for ministry leaders to understand their responsibility and opportunity to help people in their churches who are sexually struggling. That was a key theme in our rich conversation with Sam Black, Director of Recovery Education at Covenant Eyes. Sam explained that empathy plus action breaks porn’s grip, and how churches can become truly safe communities for strugglers and spouses. We talked about practical tools, trauma-informed insights, and a clear path toward allyship, healing, and prevention.
Some of the themes from our conversation included...
• Early exposure + repetition + pain = a common pathway into pornography.
• Allyship and accessibility work better than traditional accountability.
• How mind-body-spirit healing helps interrupt the addiction cycle.
• What constitutes safe people in safe places with a safe process.
• How church leaders often unintentionally add harm to betrayed spouses.
• Sex (or more sex) is not the solution to porn use.
• How to find available, practical, ready-to-use tools for pastors and leaders.
• How healing it is when leaders admit mistakes & repair ruptures.
#samblack #covenanteyes #thehealingchurch #pornographyaddiction #therapy #healing #addiction #trauma #vulnerability #recovery #grace #gospel #transformation
Covenant Eyes website
Five Stones pastor kit (FREE from Covenant Eyes)
The Healing Church book (Amazon)
Awaken website
Roots Retreat Men's Intensive
Roots Retreat Women's Workshop
Awaken Men & Women's support meeting info (including virtual)