Do You Want To Be Healed?
Jesus heals the man at Bethesda as depicted by The Chosen.
Neil Armstrong was 38 years old when, on July 20, 1969, he became the first man to walk on the moon. This feat didn’t happen in a vacuum, as the Apollo 11 commander spent years physically preparing for the arduous mission.
Two millennia earlier, an unnamed man took his first steps on earth — after 38 years of paralysis. His feat was not the result of self-determination and discipline, though. His steps came only after Jesus asked a simple question:
“Do you want to be healed?” (John 5:6)
Instead of answering Jesus directly, the man listed reasons why he couldn’t dip into the healing waters at the Pool of Bethesda, just feet from where he lay.
In an inspiring scene from the blockbuster series “The Chosen,” Jesus gently challenges the paralytic to receive his healing through experiencing Him. You can watch the YouTube clip.
Who wouldn’t want to be healed from pain, suffering, or a thorn in the flesh? In our May 14 email, “A Two-Track Emphasis,” we announced a new Church United emphasis designed to complement our founding goal of impacting culture by cultivating the influence of America’s pastors. That secondary track involves spurring on the church broadly (men, more specifically) from the most common sins that prevent us from fully engaging in a Spirit-led life and witness.
Why is this an important focus for Church United?
It is true that elections have consequences, and placing godly men and women in elected and appointed positions is indeed strategic. If the hearts of men within the Church are dark, how will anything change?
In my journey of ministering to men, I’ve gained greater insight into why Jesus said, “Do you want to be healed?” I’ve learned a harsh reality: Many people do not want to be healed (or do not know where or how to start). They choose slavery over freedom.
Again, who wouldn’t want to be healed? There are dozens of potential obstacles that keep us from living out our calling; most of them are feelings-based: comfort, apathy, habit, depression, resignation, and addiction.
Just as there are common obstacles, there are also common sins — often disguised as coping mechanisms — to mask our brokenness.
That’s why I wrote Breaking Sin’s Grasp,Your Temptation Doesn’t Define You. The book shares stories of men who have experienced failure yet overcome sinful behaviors such as pornography, unbiblical sexual relations, pre-marital sex, substance abuse, and yes, even unhealthy sugar addiction. Beyond the stories, Breaking Sin’s Grasp tackles the Romans 7 concept of the law and human sinfulness (practicing the evil I do not want to do) and shows believers tangible ways to walk in a Romans 8-type of life (walking in the Spirit).
Breaking Sin's Grasp, Your Temptation Doesn't Define You available 2025.
The heart behind the book is to set men free like I’ve been set free!
Make no mistake. I am NOT without temptation(s). Like most of us, I have a preferred sin of choice. But will I give my flesh permission to make my choices or the Spirit of God? The battle begins in the mind. I desire to fight in the mind and win victoriously.
What’s your sin of choice?
Please pray for this exciting book and coaching project, which will launch in 2025! In addition to the book, we will release a companion video series and study guide and will offer coaching services. Sign up at JimDomen.com
Finally, if you need to break sin’s grasp, please text or schedule a call with me. I’d love to help you and/or the men (women too) in your church.
In His grace and truth,
Jim
P.S. How bad is sexual sin within the church? The issue of pornography[1] alone is staggering. The statistics are from a Barna survey in October 2023.
61% (Three in five U.S. adults) reported viewing pornography. 84% of these said they don’t have anyone in their lives to help them avoid it.
58% of Christians and churched adults said it was critical for their church to speak on the issue of pornography. Sadly, only 10% of those mentioned said their church offers help. A 3% increase from 2016, see below.
48% of practicing Christians said that viewing pornography can improve a person’s sex life.
Men & Women: Four in every five men and two out of every five women confessed to watching pornography.
Consider these statistics from over a decade ago
According to a 2016 Barna Group survey:
1 in 5 youth pastors and 1 in 7 senior pastors use porn regularly and are currently struggling. That’s more than 50,000 U.S. church leaders.
43% of senior pastors and youth pastors say they have struggled with pornography in the past.
Only 7% of pastors report their church has a ministry program for those struggling with porn.
41% of practicing Christian boys aged 13-24 use porn at least once a month.
23% of practicing Christian men aged 25 and older use porn at least once a month.
According to a 2014 Barna Group survey:
64% of self-identified Christian men and 15% of self-identified Christian women view pornography at least once a month.
[1] Christian Post By Samantha Kamman, Christian Post Reporter Sunday, September 29, 2024