Sexual Integrity

While taking a break from working on a short promotional video for the upcoming Out of The Shadows Conference, I saw a another series of posts on Facebook about various sexual scandals, the #MeToo posts, and a couple of memes about about them. Most of the posters were Christians expressing concern and outrage about what was happening in the world. (One of the memes made me laugh out loud but I'm not going to post the pic with the statement.)

Before I go further, if you're surprised that people who don't know or follow Jesus live in sin and selfishness, step back and think about that. We cannot hold those who are still living in the flesh to the same standard we are supposed to hold. Sinners will sin. Sexual sin is easy to fall into and hard to break free from especially when trying to do it through your own strength. These scandals are not new but their growth is part of a much larger problem. We are now ministering and striving to live for Jesus in a sex obsessed culture full of pornography in all its forms, dropping sexual standards, and sundering of relationship (especially marriage) from sex.

Do we need to be concerned about this? Absolutely. At a conference in Peoria, IL in November of 2015, Josh McDowell called pornography one of the two greatest obstacles to the spread of the Gospel. However, we can't stop the slide amongst the lost until we deal with it inside the Body of Christ. How can we go forth and bring the redemption of Jesus to a lost and dying world if we have surrendered so much ground to the sins of the flesh? If we're not walking according to the freedom we have been given in Christ, how can we offer it to those who are trapped in that cycle and are hell-bound?

I wasn't a follower of Christ yet when Jimmy Swaggart fell but I remember it well. I remember the jokes, the thoughts that Christians really didn't believe the stuff they said, and the prostitute's spread in Penthouse. I remember all of that. I shudder to think what that did to the church's ability to witness in those days. I wish we had learned our lesson but we didn't.

While doing the research for the conference, I have read a lot of articles and posts about sexuality and porn in the church. I've read Whisper confessions from youth pastors talking about the young women (and in some cases young men) in the group that they's slept with while serving in ministry. I've seen the numbers on porn use amongst Christian men and women. I've seen the slide in morals and moral understanding of sexual integrity inside the church, especially in the younger generations. High profile affairs from pastors in churches both large and small break on the news. The morass of the world's falling morals is sinking into the church.

Sin, of any kind, draws us further away from the Lord we are called to follow. Shame, guilt, or, in later stages, pride all serve to block the channel of hearing the Lord's voice and our willingness to listen to His voice. Our sin, the flesh, can consume us when we allow it. If that sin remains in the dark, how can we be free?

It is written:

For once you were darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light (for the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness, righteousness, and truth) finding out what is acceptable to the Lord. And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather expose them. For it is shameful even to speak of those things which are done by them in secret. But all things that are exposed are made manifest by the light, for whatever makes manifest is light. Therefore He says: "Awake, you who sleep, Arise from the dead, And Christ will give you light"

Ephesians 5:8-14

And:

Brethren, if a man is overtaken in any trespass, you who are spiritual restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness, considering yourself lest you also be tempted. Bear one another's burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.

Galatians 6:1,2

If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

I John 1:8,9

When we bring a sin into the light, it is for the purpose of redemption. That's why we put on conferences, teach, and reach out to the church. Restoring the sexual integrity of the church is essential on the path to holiness we are called to walk. If we act like the world, dress like the world, allow the world's graphic entertainment into our homes and minds, and talk like the world, how will they see the difference made by Jesus? Why would they want Him if we aren't changed?

These are difficult issues to take on inside the church. Since it's been left in the dark for so long to fester, few pastors, leaders, and congregations even know where to start once they see the issue clearly. The fundamentals are the same but getting there is a little tricky. There's a level of shame and guilt involved that few other sins bring. Add the addiction component and you've got a mess that needs to be sorted. We're here for you.

If you're in Central Illinois, join us May 19th for the Out of The Shadows Conference to be equipped to handle sexual sin, pornography, and their consequences such as adultery and divorce. If not, please contact us about how we can come to your community. We can bring our resources and help you discover what you have on hand that can help.

Restoring the sexual integrity of the Body of Christ is essential to our mission to bring Jesus to the world.

All In! (Albeit a Little Earlier Than Planned)

Well, here we sit at a crossroads. It's not one that we expected to approach this soon but the Lord used circumstances to give us a much needed push. We are completely in the hands of God and His faithfulness.

What do we mean by all in? All we have left is Jesus' Outsider Ministries and the Deep Mystery Studio. Challenges with my now former part time income have left us with no other potential sources of income. No, there is not a possibility of unemployment since I have worked as an independent contractor for the last several years. Plans that we had been working on that were meant to gradually replace that income have to be put into effect now with no time for buildup. So, we are all in with ministry and, as we can find opportunity, freelance media production and writing.

Nothing in the current ministry schedule is going to change. Events already on the docket will go forward as planned. However, some changes are going to happen out of shear necessity and we will be looking for additions to it.

Plans were already in place to make this transition. Part of those plans included a conviction that we weren't doing enough ministry in Central Illinois. As we prayed about it, we knew that it wasn't to do more in our church homebase. Rather, I need to get out and start preaching, teaching, and supporting local ministries. It's a bit of a daunting task since I've been working primarily online and out of the area for several years. The only local event we've done was the Sex, Porn, and Freedom conference held back in June of 2016. We need to change that. Not only are we going to organize local events (including one already scheduled), we are going to do more to support and teach at others events.

We have a message. We have a mission. Now, we need to fulfill it. While the lovely bride is still working on her speaking skills and comfort level (it's not natural to her), I will be putting myself out there for pulpit supply, guest speaking, and teaching on our main topics in various events. Of course, with six years of podcast archives available to listen to, my doctrine and views are well known. Whether in person or online, I strive to faithfully preach the Word of God and give glory to our Lord Christ Jesus.

Before you ask, no, the effort to preach locally isn't a financial decision. Making a living from honorariums is pretty far fetched for a local preacher. Sure, there are some big names that can command large fees just to show up and speak a few words. I have no such illusions that I am one of them. Over the years, I've preached for free and I've received some very generous gifts for proclaiming the Word. It's time to proclaim God's Word to all that will listen and trust the Lord for His provision.

We will also be starting fundraising efforts for the upcoming Out of The Shadows Conference. The YouCaring page is already set up but needs some tweaking to be more effective. Look for it to be ready the first of the year. Our current situation means that we will have to raise more money than we had originally planned but not a lot.

If you want more information, drop me an email at mike@jesusoutsider.com.

Moving Forward

Friends, we are at an impasse. Jesus' Outsider Ministries has been called to be an equipping ministry. The mission the Lord has given us is to help the Body of Christ take on the more challenging issues including pornography, mental illness, and more. (A complete list can be found here.) To accomplish this mission, we need to be able to produce media. The plan includes videos from seminars, webisodes, and other video and audio resources. However, we can't do that. We have had a massive and permanent failure of our studio computer system.

We have tried to move forward with the extremely limited capacity that we have. We have been able to produce our weekly podcast but not much more than that. We have video footage from our first conference that we would release but we can't process it. Anything beyond the most rudimentary audio production is beyond the ability of the older model computer that was given to us after the crash first happened. Video work is completely impossible.

We need your help. We are starting a fundraiser to replace our tower and a few key components that are beginning to fail. We will be using a multifaceted approach as our limitations allow. The essentials of the need can be found on an Amazon wishlist created just for that purpose. The tower and monitor on the list are included for specs only as a guideline for anyone who chooses to help.

We do not have the resources to replace the lost equipment. Our ministry and personal budget run razor thin. Up to this point, we have been mostly self funded save for ticket sales to the Sex, Porn, & Freedom Conference and a few timely contributions. In order to fulfill the mission the Lord has given us, we can't operate that way anymore. This initial fundraiser gets us moving in the right direction. A follow up for the next phase is coming down the road.

Please, prayerfully consider how you can help. Give if you are able and if not, please share this as wide as you can on social media and in person. We trust the Lord that He will move on the hearts of enough of his people that we will accomplish that which has been entrusted to us.

The complete list can be found on Amazon following this link. If you would like to give financially, visit the Support page of our website.

Sex, Porn, and Freedom - Who Should Come?

We are less than a week away from our first Sex, Porn, and Freedom Conference. Many have been asking why they should attend. I think that's a question that deserves an answer.

This isn't like most Christian conferences. We aren't going to be asking anyone to confess or open up about their struggles. We're going to reserve those for smaller settings like men's or women's retreats or gatherings. Since this is a conference for both men and women, we are not going to do more than present information and the opportunity for a prayer of salvation. If someone wants private prayer, we will make accommodations in a separate room.

So, who should come? Everyone. It really is that simple.

• If you are an addict, come and discover that you are not alone and there is hope.
• If you love an addict, come and find support and tools to help.
• If you are struggle, find hope and peace.
• If you are in ministry, come and learn the truth about the depth and breadth of the problem and how you can help.
• If you're a parent, find out what your kids are facing today and where it's going.
• If you are curious, come.

This is for everyone. By coming, nothing is being admitted. If you struggle or know you are addicted, no one else will know. You will be surrounded by people who are addicted like you, those who've never used porn in their lives, and everyone in between. There is no shame in attending no matter who you are. No matter what, you can be part of the solution.

The truth is that we can no longer afford to be silent on the problem. For Jesus' Outsider Ministries, this is only a start, the first of many as we travel bringing a message of truth and hope.

Please, join us for this important conference. Pornography is destroying the Body of Christ from within and if we don't face it, the harm it does to our brothers and sisters could be irreparable. For more information, visit the special section of our site.

If you can't attend or still unsure, please contact me. We are willing to come and talk to any group with this same message.

Help Make The Sex, Porn, and Freedom Conference Happen

There is a cancer spreading throughout our culture and the Body of Christ. It’s time to face this evil head on.

Pornography and the culture it creates has penetrated every level of society. It’s everywhere including the church. Some of the numbers:

• 33% of youth pastors admit to pornography addiction or to struggling with pornography
• 40-45% of Christian men admit to being addicted to pornography
• 70% admit to struggling with porn
• 25% of all internet downloads are porn related

This is just a taste. However, if you believe this is just a problem for men, consider the following:

• Fifty Shades of Grey has sold over 125 million copies worldwide with an estimated reach of nearly double that amount with libraries and book sharing. Millions of Christian women have been exposed to the BDSM lifestyle in its pages.
• Surveys range from 25-40% of women admitting a pornographic addiction.

Our culture is becoming increasingly sexualized and it’s influence is felt in the church. That’s why we are putting on the Sex, Porn, and Freedom Conference scheduled for May 14th of this year. We’ll be sharing the full statistics, how porn has influenced our culture, and, most importantly, how to break free from its clutches. We’ll be using personal testimonies, clinical methods, and the power of the Gospel to share freedom from sexual addictions.

Our speakers include Pstr. Mike Kerby, (Director of Jesus’ Outsider Ministries and program host), Kim Kerby (a survivor of the real BDSM lifestyle and Addiction specialist for Jesus’ Outsider Ministries), Kevin Sisco (D.MIN., LCPC, CSAT, CMAT, Antioch Group), and Rich Gerberding (Men of AIM).

In order to make this conference happen and help stem the tide of sexualization in the church, we need your help. We are looking for businesses, congregations and ministries who are willing to stand up to this evil and support our efforts.

Through sponsorships, direct donation, and congregational support, we need to have at least half of the projected cost (approximately $3000 of an expected $6000 cost) covered before we start selling tickets. We need to accomplish this before April 1st to ensure a venue has been booked and printed materials can be ordered. 

Sponsors with at least $75 will be featured on the conference site. Higher levels of sponsorship (at least $150) will be in the participant guide including a full color logo and a QR code to the sponsor’s website or Facebook page.

Please consider how you can help. More information and links to make contributions can be found on a special section of our site dedicated to the conference or you can contact me directly. My contact information is below.

In Christ,

Pstr. Mike Kerby

Director and Program Host

Jesus’ Outsider Ministries

mike@jesusoutsider.com

Office: (309) 670-0302

Moving Forward

As of right now, we are up and running at about 50% capacity. We have the use of an older machine that allows some of the older versions of software to run but videos are still out of the question. Producing new episodes of Jesus' Outsider may be possible but we haven't had time to test it yet. We're putting everything we have into laying the groundwork for the Sex, Porn, and Freedom Conference so we can get that ball rolling.

We have been able to make several key updates to the Jesus' Outsider website reflecting the shift from being a podcast page to a full media, evangelistic, and conference ministry. Preliminary team bios are on the page for the start of our core leadership team with more to be added soon. As soon as time allows, we will also be adding a resource page with an Amazon store and a separate store for apparel. Big things are coming but they take time.

The SP&F conference must go forward. The need is huge. We have dedicated an entire page of the new Jesus' Outsider Ministries site to the conference with more content to come. We've been teasing a little of what we intend but it's time to go farther. Even at our reduced capacity, we know we must do everything we can to make this happen.

That means we need your help. In order to book a venue, musical talent, and cover other starting expenses, we need some resources. There are a number of ways you can get involved in helping us get the initial boost in bringing this much needed conference to Peoria and, as the Lord allows, beyond.

1. Individual Donation: Any amount helps, even as little as $5. There is a special PayPal link on the SP&F page on the Jesus' Outsider site.
2. Business/Ministry Sponsorship: We are looking for ministries and businesses who understand the scourge of sexual sin in our community to sponsor the event. A rate sheet is available for anyone interested.
3. Church Offerings: Allow us to come and share the vision for the conference and overall ministry with your congregation or appropriate committee. We also can bring a straightforward Gospel message for an evangelistic event.
4. Spread The Word: If you are not in a position to make a financial contribution, help us to spread the word about the conference and ministry. Like our Facebook page and follow us on Twitter. Share as many of our posts as possible with as many people as possible. In many ways, this is at least as important as direct financial assistance.

We need your help to make this happen. Please email Pastor Mike with any additional questions.

Sex, Porn, and Freedom

What's so important that we need to be fully functional again? Sure, the podcast has listeners who will miss it, but there needs to be something more that's worth the work and supporting.

There is. We are planning our first conference and it's going to be a big one. (Go big or go home, right?) A few have already been briefed on what we're planning but, in light of current situations, we going public now. To catch anyone who missed the last few posts, we had been working on planting a church but the Lord hit us on the side of the head and asked us why we were doing that when He had already given us a part to play in His kingdom that we had been neglecting. That word, along with a reignition of passion at a Josh McDowell conference, put us where we are today.

Our first conference is Sex, Porn, and Freedom: Breaking the Bondage of Sexual Sin. I told you it was a big one. In the years of broadcasting Jesus' Outsider, this topic is one we hit often especially since it seems that few are actually addressing it. It's the giant elephant in the room that no one wants to talk about yet it's destroying the Body of Christ and our nation. Oh, and it's not just a men's problem.

We're building a great lineup that will be announced soon. We'll be sharing statistics, tips on web and mobile device safety, and a lot of what you'd expect in something like this. However, we're going a lot further than that. We'll give you the science of porn, how the industry has changed and its impact on the greater culture, how to break the chains, and a dose of prevention.

One piece will be of great interest. My lovely bride will be sharing her testimony publicly for the first time. It's not a pretty story. She lived the BDSM lifestyle that millions of women were introduced to in Fifty Shades of Grey. Despite the growing acceptance of this lifestyle, it has consequences. Come and hear some truth about how people get into it, how BDSM affects those involved, and how hard it is to get out. During the story, we'll use the words and writings of the advocates to demonstrate the reality of what she shares. It will be challenging for her, but you won't want to miss it.

Our purpose in doing this conference is more than just providing information. We are going to demonstrate how widespread the problem really is within the church with both genders. That's just the beginning. Our goal is to break the silence surrounding sexual sin so that the light of the Gospel can shine into the dark corners of all of our hearts. We want to see people set free from these chains. We're doing this for anyone who wants to be free, desires to minister to people trapped in these sins, or just wants the information.

Oh, there's much more. This is just a teaser. We are tentatively planning for May but that will be dependant upon fundraising efforts and how fast the response comes through. As soon as the studio is fully functional, the Jesus' Outsider site and our Facebook Page will have all the details as they develop and when tickets go on sale. We'll be posting here as well as the full speaker lineup is confirmed along with the music (courtesy of Be Loud Promotions). It's going to be a day you'll not soon forget.

Update on Getting Us Back on The Air

Thanks to all who have made offers and have given aid so far. We do have a long way to go to get there.

For those of you who may be unaware, the studio computer system is completely inoperable. It is beyond repair. This has taken us completely out of commission including knocking Jesus' Outsider off the air.

Just before the failure, we were in the final stages of preparation to greatly expand our ministry into more than just podcasts. We had been working in planting a church but discovered that the Lord's will was in developing what He had already given us rather than adding new. We are doing conferences, more media work including expanding the reach of our current program and doing more ministry videos on the hard subjects we've been called to tackle. There's more to the vision but that's a tiny little snapshot. Unfortunately, we are dead in the water without a fully functional studio computer.

When I first posted, I estimated the total financial cost at around $2500. I deliberately figured a little high to set a good target. My experience with fundraising has been to set the goal higher than what's actually needed to increase the odds of getting the real need met. I didn't pad much (only a couple hundred dollars) but there is some wiggle room in the amount. The original basis was a built around a projected price of $1300-$1500 for the tower.

In doing some price checking, I found a tower hundreds of dollars less than the least expensive one I speced out originally that is ideal for our purposes. It meets and exceeds the minimum requirements for the most demanding software we use. It's on Newegg and can be found here. Please take a look at it and prayerfully consider how you can help us get this system before the sale expires.

I have been asked how I came up with the amount for the fundraising effort to get us back on the air and expanding. $2500 seems like a lot of money for a computer and it is. However, the need is based upon making the tower fully operational and that requires more than just the hardware.

Because the old system had been pushed well beyond its normal useful life, the programs I used everyday on it were out of date but still worked on the older computer. However, while the age and reduced system requirements allowed us to keep going on the old system, it does mean that they will not work on a new one. Our versions of Adobe Creative Suite, Microsoft Office, and Quickbooks are so old that the manufacturers no longer support their installation. We will need to replace them and their price is included in what we are asking for in the campaign. For the Adobe Suite, I figured in three months of subscription to their cloud service which gives access to their entire product line. Considering the cost to purchase the entire suite freestanding was close to $3500, a monthly fee of $60 for a business or ministry is very reasonable.

We do have some additional hardware needs in the request but we should be able to get by with what we have until we can afford them. We do need to upgrade our printer to a higher capacity office model for quick print fliers, invitation cards, and other low quantity print jobs. The studio sound board works but, like the tower, has been pushed beyond its capacity and has a couple of dead channels. It does however, meet our requirements for now.

This is a serious attack from the enemy. Just as Jesus' Outsider Ministries and the related Deep Mystery Studio are about to break out and have a massive Kingdom impact, we're knocked out of the fight. I cannot believe that the Lord is opening up all these opportunities to make a monstrous difference and let us drop. The interest in the Sex, Porn, and Freedom Conference alone is even more that we ever could have anticipated. Without meeting this need, we cannot pull off this much needed seminar.

If you are able to help, please use the PayPal link on this page or on the Support tab on the Jesus' Outsider main page. If you prefer to mail us a check, please send us an email (mike@jesusoutsider.com) for the address and who to make the check out to in order for us to get back on the air and fulfill the vision the Lord has for us.

I am going of faith and am going to continue to work in the limited capacity I can under the assumption that the Lord is going to come through for us. There's not a lot I can do other than writing content until we have what we need to put it all together.

As a side note, some of our income was tied to this computer and we have lost that as well until we're back online. Please, share this need with as many people as you can. Pray for us while we see what the Lord has in mind as well as how you can help.

Blessings,
Pastor Mike

HELP! We're Out of Commission!

Yesterday morning (12/29), the studio computer assumed room temperature. The hard drive is corrupted, at least 25% of the RAM is out, and the motherboard is starting to have issues. Granted, I've nursed the old girl long past her useful life and pushed her beyond her limits. When I bought it back in '10, it was the state of the art. Now, not so much. It's bad enough that I'm not certain that I'll be able to recover the data on it. (Prayers really appreciated on that one)

The problem is that it was the only computer in the house. All the rest of our work and other sundry activities are done on tablets and phones. Everything for Jesus' Outsider production, videos, and design is on that machine. We are completely dead in the water without it. Nothing can move forward until the machine is replaced. That includes the Sex, Porn, and Freedom Conference. I can't even finish the updated Jesus' Outsider site reflecting the new direction and expansion.

If you've been following the last several posts and episodes, then you know that we have paused the work on planting Freedom Church and are putting everything into Jesus' Outsider Ministries. That includes expanding the reach of the program, moving into additional areas of media ministry, and conferences. In this modern age, all of that requires a functional, media production capable computer. Unfortunately, this isn't something we can purchase off the shelf at the local Best Buy.

In order to move forward, we need a machine capable of running the current versions of the software we use. We've been limping along on old, outdated versions of Adobe Creative Suite that isn't supported by Adobe anymore. Bare minimum needs for the computer, software updates, and other miscellaneous gear come up to close to $2500. That's way more than I found in the cushions of our couch.

Many of you are very interested in the program continuing and in our conferences, especially the Sex, Porn, and Freedom seminar. As I said, none of that can happen without a fully functional computer. I'm asking you to prayerfully consider supporting us in this hour of immediate need. There's a PayPal button on this page and on the Jesus' Outsider site under the "Support" tab. We tried Patreon but this isn't the kind of need that fits well into a site for supporting artists.

Please, prayerfully consider how you can help. We need everything we can get. As a bonus, everyone who donates $25 will receive a free ticket to the conference and a conference tee shirt (design pending).  Anything received above and beyond the immediate need will go to the conference costs.

Thanks you for supporting our efforts.