Sex! Now that I have your attention...

Francis wrote a post on his & Andrea's blog recently about some of Pure Joy's work that we are posting a copy of below for you all to see as well.

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They say you can draw people’s attention by using sex, and here you are reading this blog! (Except, this blog is actually about the subject, not some marketing ploy to get clicks - there is nothing monetised at all about this blog... sadly 😜)

This month (Editor's note: this was July) we are using the devotional times in our tutoring program to disciple the young people who attend it by teaching them about a Christian sexual ethic. Partly this is because it is an important topic to teach on and it’s important that we are intentional in sharing what the Bible says on such significant matters, and partly it is because members of the tutoring program past and present have gotten pregnant unintentionally… 😅

(Receiving teaching from the health centre workers)

After the mid-year vacation week we started the second half of the year with a visit from the local health centre who came and gave a presentation to the young people about avoiding teen pregnancy and the risks of sexual activity. They gave a well-balanced presentation that didn’t go into inappropriate detail anywhere, and was informative while also encouraging abstaining from such behaviour.

We are now in the midst of teaching them beyond just this “practical” advice, looking at what the Bible says in-depth - not just “don’t do it ‘til you’re married”, but actually considering how God has designed sex and why He wants us to treat it the way He does.

(Here I am, facing discomfort head on & teaching a sensitive topic in my second language)

Now, when I say how God has designed sex, I don’t mean the biological parts and functions, I mean the fullness of how he has designed it. As we have considered its purpose we have mentioned three aspects - the first is procreation (obviously), the second is the creation of an intimacy between a man & wife that can’t be replicated elsewhere (most definitely not in casual hookups), and the third is the image it gives us of God’s love for the church.

I don’t have the space to unpack everything we have and will (Ed: did) talk about with them here [...] but it has been encouraging to share how it is that we guard what is precious, and how saving sex until marriage makes it priceless and shows the world how what God has for us is more valuable than any pleasure sex can give us.

(Wendy shares on the topic, as we are each involved in delivering this material)

This week (Ed: at time of writing) we are looking at lies about sex found in the culture - things like “if it feels good then it’s ok to do it”, “sex before marriage doesn’t hurt anyone”, “but we’re going to get married anyway”, “you need to find out if you are sexually compatible”, and so on - and also lies found in the church - “if you don’t wait until marriage then your sex life will be tainted forever”, “sexual purity means being a virgin when you are married”, “if you lose your purity then it’s gone forever and you are damaged goods”, etc. There is a lot of falsehood not only in the world but also in the church when it comes to this area.

Next week (Ed: that was the last week of July) we will be considering what it means to strive to maintain sexual purity and hopefully all of this will have encouraged these teens to pursue God’s plans for their lives. Please pray that this would encourage them, challenge them, and inspire them to live fully and show the world around them that there is a better way.

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The teens were thankfully receptive to the teaching and we will be sending them a copy of the notes Francis made in preparing for it. Please pray that God would speak to their hearts about guarding themselves in the area of sexual purity, not in a legalistic way but rather in a way where they appreciate their worth before Him.