Paul Leininger is the executive director of Operations at Petra Church in New Holland, Pennsylvania, and he also heads up the men’s ministry there.
In 2013, the leadership at Petra was alerted to the growing problem of pornography in their local community and knew it was an epidemic that had to be talked about.
“We knew we had to allow God to light up the shadow of pornography that was consuming so many men and families in our area, let alone the world,” said Leininger.
Desperate for solutions, Petra’s executive pastor, Ken Reinford, took 10 men to a Pure Desire Conference in 2013 where they were introduced to the Conquer Series: a powerful cinematic DVD series that gives men biblical strategies to conquer porn and walk in freedom.
The Men’s Ministry set aside nine months to go through the Conquer Series and Seven Pillars of Freedom courses and train up before launching it to the church.
“Head Pastor Lester Zimmerman wanted to make sure that our congregation knew that pornography needed to be addressed openly and boldly and that Petra was not afraid to talk about it,” explained Leininger.
Pastor Zimmerman presented a sermon about sex where he addressed pornography and explained Petra Church’s plan to introduce recovery courses for men and women. During the church service, Leininger and his wife also shared their personal testimony.
What Happened Next?
“We are seeing men changed within the first two sessions of the Conquer Series because they know they are not alone in this and they feel free to fully disclose their struggle,” says Leininger.
“Men don’t normally like to talk about anything below the surface, let alone the deep dark stuff, but it is happening by the power of the Holy Spirit and through the Conquer Series.”
Petra Church has now had over 300 men go through the Conquer Series. Not only have they had men from other churches attend, but they have used the series in their youth ministry where it has had a profound impact.
“We have seen men change from defeated men with porn addictions to victorious men who are godly leaders in their marriages, with their children, at their vocation, in the community and leading Conquer and PD Groups,” says Leininger.
He describes a community where men are making themselves accountable to one another, while entire marriages and families are being rescued.
Imagine what the church in America would look like if every pastor made it their priority to make the Conquer Series an ongoing ministry in their church.
The team at Petra Church is planning another large launch with the release of the all new Conquer Series which will be promoted in the community.
Order the Conquer Series and make it an ongoing ministry in your church today. {eoa}
This article originally appeared at conquerseries.com.
