The Harvest USA Podcast

Church discipline is a painful subject. Yet it’s vital to the health of the church and the practice of discipleship. For the men and women who come to Harvest USA with sexual sin struggles, their experience with church discipline, or the lack of it, can be painful and complicated.In today’s episode, Yohan Huh Prudente appeals to church leaders to embrace the value and necessity of church discipline as part of their discipleship. He presents the historical reasons why church discipline should be regarded as an essential mark of the church and appeals to pastors and elders to know their sheep and practice church discipline in a spirit of love that reflects God the Father and Christ, the great Shepherd of His sheep.Read along: https://harvestusa.org/church-discipline-the-heart-of-discipleship-for-lost-sheep/

What is the most important thing for me to do to overcome sexual sin?While techniques that reduce sexually sinful behaviors such internet filters, getting rid of your smartphone, or meticulously planning your day to avoid temptation are essential, if you’re a Christian, the answer is clear: abide in Jesus Christ.Today’s episode from Mark Sanders shows Christians struggling with sexual sin why the life Christ offers through the means of grace are essential to our growth in sexual integrity.Read along here: https://harvestusa.org/techniques-dont-offer-life-christ-does/

Are women happier without men?For the modern woman, there are increasingly novel ways to describe attractions, but a relatively new one is the term “heteropessimism.”As the name suggests, heteropessimists have a pessimistic outlook on what they would call the unfortunate state of their heterosexual attractions. Attractions which condemn these women, in their view, to a destiny of disappointment and harm at the hands of the men with whom they must have romantic and sexual relationships.In today’s episode, Caitlin McCaffrey takes a look at the ways heteropessimism might be making it’s way into the church. She explores the roots of these ideas in the gender wars while pointing to the Bible’s solution to pessimism about members of the opposite gender.You can read along here: https://harvestusa.org/are-women-happier-without-men-the-bibles-solution-to-heteropessimism/

Asexuality, sometimes referred to as “ace”, is an increasingly popular identity marker that describes people who experience little or no sexual attraction to others. Within the context of a Christian worldview, where self-control over one’s sexual desire is a right aim, could it be a good thing for single men and women to identify as asexual?In today’s episode Caitlin McCaffrey helps pastors and church leaders think biblically about this question. She examines what the Bible has to say about identity and then offers a practical approach for church leaders to help men and women wrestling with whether or not to identify as asexual.You can read along here: https://harvestusa.org/understanding-asexuality-biblically-how-to-help/If you’re grappling with asexuality yourself, you can read Caitlin’s article on this topic titled “Am I Asexual?”: https://harvestusa.org/am-i-asexual-harvest-usa/

Have you ever fought to resist lust at the beach?The beach sounds like the perfect place to let our shoulders down and enjoy needed rest, but for Christians battling lust, the beach looks more like a war zone than a vacation. It requires discernment, alertness, self-control, and ruthless intentionality with our eyes and hearts to honor Christ at the beach.Today’s episode from Keith Seary helps you plan for a Christ-honoring beach trip. He offers heart searching reflections and practical exercises you can implement to prepare well. If you follow these instructions, your next trip could be marked by gratitude, holiness, and joy rather than sin, lust, and envy.You can read along with today’s episode here: https://harvestusa.org/how-to-resist-lust-at-the-beach-pursue-a-greater-pleasure/

Men are racing to objectify themselves.Whether they’re looking for affirmation, clout, sexual gratification, or an extra buck, young men see the opportunity to objectify themselves on social media or platforms like OnlyFans as too good to pass up.Today’s episode from Stephen Moss calls young men to understand the purpose and dignity of their bodies. After exploring the temptations of our cultural moment and the spiritual roots that drive it, Stephen calls young men to consider Christ’s purpose for their bodies and the wonder that Christ’s shed his precious blood to redeem their whole person, soul and body.You can read along as you listen here: https://harvestusa.org/your-body-is-not-for-sale-helping-young-men-resist-self-objectification/

Harvest USA is a unique place. The topics of discussion, the raw honesty of sharing, and the incredible sense of safety are not always what people experience walking into their local churches.If you’re struggling with sexual sin and looking to join a local church, what should you look for?Today’s episode from Mark Sanders offers five points to consider as you evaluate churches for their approach to caring for, discipling, and helping people struggling with sexual sin. No church is perfect, and any helpful discipleship in these areas will require initiative on our part, but churches that are faithfully displaying the qualities shared in today's episode can be great options to join as you pursue sexual integrity.You can read along as you listen to today’s episode here: https://harvestusa.org/what-should-you-look-for-in-a-local-church/

How do I talk to my kids about gender issues?On today’s episode of the podcast, we’re sharing session six of our video course titled “Parenting Boys and Girls in a Gender Confused World”.This course was designed to help parents like you disciple your children to think biblically about gender and grow in their ability to understand and courageously defend the goodness of our Creator’s intent.In today’s session, Ellen Mary Dykas continues her discussion about how to talk to your kids about gender issues. She shares how to speak about gender in light of the Bible's story of fall, redemption, and future glory, then concludes the session with a few ideas for preparing your kids to stand firm on God’s truth when they are opposed, made fun of, or forced to make costly choices because of the biblical foundation your family is standing on.You can watch the entire course for free by registering at https://harvestusa.org/courses/parenting-boys-and-girls-in-a-gender-confused-world/

How do I talk to my kids about gender issues?On today’s episode of the podcast, we’re sharing session five of our video course titled “Parenting Boys and Girls in a Gender Confused World”.This course was designed to help parents like you disciple your children to think biblically about gender and grow in their ability to understand and courageously defend the goodness of our Creator’s intent.In today’s session, Ellen Mary Dykas shares a practical guide for having conversations with your kids about gender, gender struggles, and what the Bible has to say about our gender. First she shares the different kinds of conversations you should have with your children, then she zooms in to share what you should specifically focus on in these conversations.If you want to equip yourself with biblical wisdom for parenting your kids in a gender confused world, register for the full course at https://harvestusa.org/courses/parenting-boys-and-girls-in-a-gender-confused-world/

On October 14, 2025, Matt Walsh posted on X, “Transgenderism is effectively over. We destroyed it. Clearest and most decisive cultural win that conservatives have ever achieved.” But does the data really show that young people are rapidly abandoning these labels and identities?On today’s episode Harvest USA President Mark Sanders takes a closer look at the cultural moment. He challenges us to look past cultural narratives to remember the suffering our brothers and sisters with loved ones embracing transgender identities are facing. Finally, he calls the church to stand fearlessly for God’s truth without losing our zeal to reach the lost, knowing that whatever opposition we face, we’ve been given a kingdom that cannot be shaken (Hebrews 12:28).Read along: https://harvestusa.org/the-transgender-trend-is-it-over/

Confessing sexual sin in a marriage is a frightening prospect for many spouses, and therefore, most avoid it. Yet, an ongoing commitment to confessing sexual sin to your spouse can help save your marriage.To give you a healthy approach to confessing your sins, Mark Sanders offers a framework we call “The 24-Hour Rule” in today’s episode. He describes how, when, and what you should share with your spouse, how to avoid unnecessary standards of confession, and why keeping your sin hidden can do far more damage to your relationship than bringing it into the light.If you’re struggling with sexual sin and not sure what or how you should confess to your spouse, this episode if for you.Read along: https://harvestusa.org/how-confessing-sexual-sin-can-help-save-your-marriage/

Do you find it challenging to help your kids understand the Bible’s teaching about gender and sexuality? Especially when your kids peers, teachers, guidance school counselors, along with online conversations, media, and more promote ideas about our bodies, identity, personhood, sex, or gender that don’t line up with biblical faith?On today’s episode of the podcast, we’re sharing session one of our video course titled “Parenting Boys and Girls in a Gender Confused World”.This course was designed to help parents like you disciple your children to think biblically about gender and grow in their ability to understand and courageously defend the goodness of our Creator’s intent.This session from Ellen Mary Dykas helps us the biblical roots of our current cultural moment. She walks us through several theological truths that give us a biblical perspective on how our secular culture’s ideas about sexuality, gender, and identity came to be, while encouraging us to stand firm in God’s eternal truth.Click here to register for free and watch the entire series: https://harvestusa.org/courses/parenting-boys-and-girls-in-a-gender-confused-world/

Can I share my husband’s sexual sin struggle and our marriage situation with others?Should I pursue separation or divorce?How do I rebuild trust in my husband after his sin?These are some of the questions that commonly swirl around in the heart of a wife after her husband’s sexual sin has come into the light. Since painful betrayal also brings shame and confusion along with it, most wives wrestle with these questions in isolation, not knowing if there’s anybody they can talk about these things with.On today’s episode of The Harvest USA Podcast we’re pleased to share a session titled Difficult Questions Facing Wives: Principles for the Journey Ahead from our free video series Hope in Your Heartbreak: First Steps for Sexually Betrayed Wives.In this session, Women’s Ministry Director Caitlin McCaffrey shares some of the common questions you might be asking if you’re facing sexual betrayal. She then offer five wisdom principles to help you start addressing these questions as you walk the road towards hope.We hope you find clarity hope, and strength for the journey as you listen to today’s episode.You can watch the entire six session series for free at https://harvestusa.org/courses/hope-in-your-heartbreak/

Where can I find peace when my son or daughter has come out as LGBTQ+?Many Christian parents in this situation wrestle with a torrent of emotions and questions. In such tumultuous waters, peace might feel impossible, especially when there’s no obvious path to “fixing” the situation ourselves.Yet the Bible offers an alternative path to peace. The tried and true habit of prayer before the face of God.Today’s episode from Joan McConnell explores why prayer is powerful to producing peace in the heart of a believer, even when their circumstances don’t change. She shares why prayer matters so much to God, what He is seeking to teach us through prayer, and how prayer not only produces peace, but also strength and comfort in the believer’s continued walk with the Lord.If you’re feeling anything but peace in your situation, this article will comfort, challenge, and encourage you.Read along → https://harvestusa.org/prayer-finding-peace/

Repentance and obedience is beautiful in God’s sight, but it’s often painful.You broke up with your unbelieving boyfriend or pressed pause on an unhealthy relationship.You confessed your porn addiction to your boss, and now you’re out of a job.You admitted your emotional affair, and not only is your spouse a tornado of emotions, but you’re in excruciating sadness from cutting ties with your “secret person.”Today’s episode from Ellen Mary Dykas offers comfort and hope for those feeling the pain of their repentance, reminding them that though God’s pruning mercy is pain, it leads to growth and good in our lives.Read along → https://harvestusa.org/the-pain-of-repentance-can-lead-you-to-jesus/

If you’re wrestling with your body image, AI tools along with a host of companies and products, offer you a powerful temptation: you can alter your appearance in ways that almost feel like magic, while still remaining and looking like you.How do we resist the temptation to sacrifice our real selves or health to achieve the impossible beauty we crave?Today’s episode from Stephen Moss explores the nearly magic-like power of AI beauty tools, how they’re temptation and power were illustrated in the writings of C.S. Lewis, and why beholding the beauty and glory of Christ frees us from self obsession and the temptation to pursue an unattainable standard of beauty.Read along → https://harvestusa.org/breaking-the-spell-of-ai-beauty-tools/

Are you caught in a friendship or relationship that feels like an unhealthy addiction?Intoxication, entrapment, love, hate, fear, romance, addiction—it’s a garbled mess that once felt wonderful, like life itself. But now this friendship, “bromance,” or “you’re my person” connection isn’t feeling so great. You’re neck-deep, attached, and dependent on someone’s affection, attention, touch, and need for you. You want out, yet you can’t let go. Maybe this relationship started with Jesus in the mix, but he’s not the one filling, fueling, or guiding it anymore.For those stuck in this kind of addictive relationship, today’s episode from Ellen Mary Dykas offers a prayer of encouragement and three very practical steps to help you wisely walk away from sinful dynamics in your relationships.Read along → https://harvestusa.org/help-god-im-addicted-to-a-person-and-cant-stop/

You’re discipling a young couple who hopes to be married. In conversations about their sexual past, you learn that while he’s faithfully saved himself for marriage, she has a messy history of pre-marital sex and other sexual sins. She’s repented and has been pursuing holiness in the power of the gospel for several years, yet he now wrestles with his conscience as he thinks about her sexual past and their prospect of a future together.How would you counsel this couple?Today’s episode from Keith Seary offers five principles for church leaders to consider as they disciple young couples thinking through the issue of virginity, each other’s sexual past, and the prospect of marriage. Keith will help you think through caring well for tender consciences and how to ground these conversations in the Bible.Considering that waiting until marriage has been declining even for Christians, this article will help you care for young dating couples in your church well.Read along → https://harvestusa.org/a-case-study-on-christian-conscience-navigating-convictions-about-marrying-a-virgin/

How do you see your sin?How do you see your salvation?The answer to these questions is critical to how we understand God, ourselves, and others.Today’s episode from Keith Seary contrasts the attitudes of Jonah and David as they were confronted with God’s mercy for sinners. He teaches us that refusing to bring our sin before God for grace opens us up to bitterness and judgment towards God and others. But when our own sin and God’s salvation are clearly seen, we are freed from these attitudes to become men and women who are filled with praise toward God, whose mercy is abundant for sinners.Read along → https://harvestusa.org/what-jonah-missed-how-to-stop-being-judgmental/

Is it okay to use AI tools to assist me in online dating? What is chatfishing? How should Christians think about these things?Today’s episode from Caitlin McCaffrey explores the potentially harmful ways AI tools are being used in the pursuit of online dating, including the trend known as “chatfishing”. She shares biblical principles to help you think practically about how to honor God and love your neighbor in your pursuit of online dating.If you’re tempted to use AI to enhance yourself as a dating prospect, this article will point you to a more solid foundation in Christ.Read along → https://harvestusa.org/ai-dating-and-chatfishing-are-you-dating-a-robot/

Certain sexual desires are explicitly forbidden in the Bible, but what if I don’t have any sexual desires at all? Is it okay for a Christian to identify as asexual?Today’s episode from Caitlin McCaffrey will help you think through potential causes of your lack of desires, whether the lack of these desires is sinful, and why sexual orientation labels like asexual can distract us from our true identity in Christ.Read along → https://harvestusa.org/am-i-asexual-harvest-usa/

How do I talk to my kids about infidelity?If you’re a parent who has experienced sexual sin in your marriage, you may already have experience with talking to your kids about infidelity. This may have gone okay, it may have been extremely painful, or you may be left with questions about whether it was enough, too much, or just plain confusing.To help you think through these difficult conversations, today’s episode from Catherine Krasinski offers general principles for talking to your kids with love, care, and appropriate language. She also offers age specific advice for conversations with young children (2-6), tweens (7-12), and teens (13-18).Read along → https://harvestusa.org/talking-to-kids-about-infidelity/

Have you ever enjoyed something pleasurable, only to find yourself indulging in it to the point that it starts to feel like something you need?The problem isn’t pleasure, even sexual pleasure, which is a good gift from God. The problem is our sinful hearts, which easily turn pleasurable experiences into idols.Today’s episode from Mark Sanders explores how cultivating a heart of thankfulness, pursuing pleasure as an act of worship, and engaging in fasting can help us reorient our desires and pursue legitimate pleasure in a way that pleases and honors God.Read along → https://harvestusa.org/betcha-cant-eat-just-one-redirecting-desire/

Illicit sex and death are close companions.Yet, it doesn’t always seem that way. Our hearts our deceitful, our pride continually whispers that we’re okay, and the immediate rush of sexual pleasure dampens our sense of danger. But over time, illicit sex brings deep ruin to one’s body and spirit. The internal chaos of spiritual decay will eventually be revealed in one’s demise.Today’s episode from Yohan Huh Prudente offers a sober warning and plea for repentance to those engaging in acts of illicit sex. He calls us to heed the warnings of Scripture that describe the danger and destination of our sin.Whether you’re engaging in sexual sin or walking with others, all of us are called to fear the Lord, plead His mercy, cling to His promises, and fix our gaze on Christ, who alone has the mercy and power to redeem us from death and lawlessness.Read along → https://harvestusa.org/illicit-sex-and-death-an-embodied-chaos-a-warning-and-a-plea-for-repentance/

If you’re a woman, I’m guessing you’ve been unhappy with your appearance at some point in your life. From wanting to lose a few pounds to feeling deep dissatisfaction and even disgust with how we look, body image issues bother many women like mosquitoes on a camping trip at best and can become utterly debilitating—even overlapping with and feeding sexual sin.Where can a woman go to find freedom from this nagging discontent?Our latest episode from Amy Tyson examines the self focus that’s often at the root of our struggle and turns our eyes to Jesus, who clothes us in his righteousness, freeing us to forget ourselves and live confident in our identity as beloved, chosen, and treasured daughters of God.Read along here → https://harvestusa.org/righting-the-warped-mirror-hope-for-women-with-body-image-issues/

Why do we find dating and commitment so hard?Even if you’re a Christian woman dating a Christian man, you love his friendship, respect his character, and find him attractive, fears and paralysis can set in as we weigh the future and the serious commitment that comes with marriage.Today’s episode from Amy Tyson will help you overcome the fear of commitment with a greater fear: the fear of the Lord. Amy shares how this fear overcomes our fears of commitment in the future along with five practical steps you can take to cultivate the fear of the Lord.Whether your dating relationship leads to marriage or not, you have everything you need in your Savior to face whatever comes.Read along here → https://harvestusa.org/dating-and-commitment-paralysis-hope-for-a-fearful-heart/

Pastors and other church leadership play a crucial role in their flock’s growth and sanctification, especially regarding their sexual sanctification.Today’s episode from Harvest USA founder John Freeman offers three crucial steps pastors can take to better care for their flock in this area. He emphasizes the importance for leaders to recognize the prevalence of the problem and lead the way to create an atmosphere of discipleship where church members help one another grow up into joyful, sexually faithful lives.Read along → https://harvestusa.org/what-should-a-pastors-perspective-be-on-sexual-sin-in-the-church/

The parents sitting before me had tears streaming down their faces. They knew the importance of remaining faithful, but their 22-year-old daughter was now married to another woman. “It’s not just the pain over our daughter that’s so difficult—it’s the fact that grandparents and many of our friends have embraced it all, they see us as the problem; we’re what’s wrong with the situation.”This couples’ fear is not unusual when a friend or family member identifies as LGBTQ+.Today’s episode from Harvest USA founder John Freeman offers six encouragements that enable Christians to remain humble and faithful to God’s Word as they navigate misunderstanding, tough conversations, and pressure to compromise God’s truth.Read along → https://harvestusa.org/remaining-faithful-when-others-embrace-lgbtq-theology/

“How can I find freedom from masturbation?”Feeling isolated, condemned, stuck, and without help is common for women struggling with masturbation. They’ve picked up on messages that masturbation is a man’s struggle and they’ve never heard women’s struggles discussed in a women’s gathering or small group.Freedom is possible! Today’s episode from Women’s Ministry Director Caitlin McCaffrey outlines practical steps to guide your pursuit of Christ and freedom from masturbation.Know and name your suffering.Believe freedom is possible.Know your pattern and develop a plan.Think rightly about yourself.Read along with today’s episode → https://harvestusa.org/im-a-woman-struggling-with-masturbation-how-do-i-find-freedom/

A lot of ink has been spilled about Gen Z. They’re one of the most open and curious generations the church has the opportunity to disciple, even though they face unique challenges as they navigate the world’s dogmas and teachings concerning sex and sexuality.How does the church disciple and care for this up-and-coming generation well?Today’s episode from Caitlin McCaffrey offers six practical considerations for discipling and declaring the beauty of the gospel and biblical sexuality to Gen Z.Read along with today’s episode → https://harvestusa.org/gen-z-sexuality-gender-and-the-beauty-of-christ/

If you’re a parent, you’ve likely read the biblical accounts of the patriarchs to your children. If they were paying attention, perhaps they asked you an awkward question that you didn’t know how to answer…“Mom, Dad, was God okay with Abraham and Jacob having more than one wife?”How do we understand polygamy in the Bible?On today’s episode, Mark Sanders makes a biblical case from the whole counsel of scripture that polygamy is sinful and fails to live up to God’s intention and design for marriage. He also addresses the thorny questions and situations modern Christian’s may need to navigate in context’s where polygamy is commonly practiced.Read along →https://harvestusa.org/polygamy-in-the-bible-is-it-allowed/

If we’re honest, more of our suffering than we’d prefer to admit is the result of our own unwise and sinful choices. While God surely uses suffering to sanctify us, 1 Peter 2:20 and 4:15 call us to avoid self-inflicted suffering because of unrighteous choices. Since suffering is a common context for sexual temptation, it’s important to examine the source and nature of our suffering.In today’s episode, Mark Sanders explores common causes of our unnecessary suffering such as lifestyle choices, boredom, and unbelief toward God as our generous heavenly Father. He offers simple steps to you can take reduce the amount of this suffering in your life.If your sexual temptations are marked by a desire to escape the suffering you experience, this article will help you identify the practical changes you can make while encouraging you to believe that are real blessings that come on the other side of obedience to God’s commands.Read along → https://harvestusa.org/avoid-unnecessary-suffering/

Today’s teenagers aren’t the first to desire real connection. But they are the first to hold technology that meets those desires without resistance.AI Chatbots offer teens the attention, affirmation, and emotional closeness they crave, delivered without interruption, awkwardness, or risk.The result? The illusion of human connection while quietly reshaping what teen’s expect real love to be.Today’s episode from Stephen Moss paints a vivid picture of this interaction between the desire for human connections and AI chatbot technologies while offering parents a vision for helping their teens that goes beyond merely guarding them from the technology.Read along → https://harvestusa.org/chatrooms-and-chatbots-longing-for-real-connection/

Does the battle against sexual sin ever get any easier?Have you ever asked this question? Perhaps you’ve been giving in to sexual sin for years. Failing over and over again to say no to temptation to the point that you’re now questioning whether victory is possible at all.The simple answer to this question is “Yes, the battle against sexual sin does get easier.” However, as Mark Sanders shows us in today’s episode, in order to understand what that really looks like, we need to wade through the complex depths of the human experience.Read along → https://harvestusa.org/does-the-battle-ever-get-any-easier/

Waiting on the Lord is hard. Especially when you watch year after year pass and your child or loved one is still making destructive choices against their Creator.“What I want for my wandering child is good Lord, why aren’t you bringing it about?” Have you felt this frustration?Yet, as today’s episode from Joan McConnell teaches us, God is more interested in timing than in time.And as we learn to trust our heavenly Father’s timing, we will find peace as we pray for our children and discover that seasons of waiting are often fruitful and useful gifts from God.Read along → https://harvestusa.org/thinking-through-the-time-vs-timing-tangle/

What if my son marries his partner?What if I’m the only one in the family who says this is wrong?What if my daughter decides to do hormones or surgery?God gave us the ability to be creative and imagine. The trouble is that we tend to misuse our creativity, twisted by our fallenness, to anxiously ask “what-if” as we attempt to gaze into the future. This can be all the more agonizing for parents and families of sexual strugglers.Today’s episode from Joan McConnell looks at this tendency to ask “what-if” from a biblical lens, examining the motivations that drive it while encouraging us toward faith in the sovereignty of God, the antidote for our worry and despair.Read along → https://harvestusa.org/escaping-from-the-land-of-what-if/

“Sorrows arise in my heart as I contemplate how sexual sin continues to destroy lives. So many seasons have passed, but no matter how often I seek your face for hope, lament after lament has followed my footsteps as I hear a knocking on the door of my office and know that a particular kind of pain will break the room’s quiet. I tried to fill this space with good books, well-sung melodies, and beautiful pictures that would remind me of you, hoping to find solace and to give each traveling soul a path to walk in the light. I tried to understand evil and how to lead people in repentance, hoping that the theology I master can be enough to quench the burning coals of sexual immorality. But this grief, often unspoken, is a burden that I still struggle to bear well in suffering. Why, Father, have you placed a broken man like me in a ministry where I am incapable?”On today’s episode, Yohan Huh Prudente offers a prayer of lament and hope to the Lord amid ministry to the sexually broken. If you’re walking with someone struggling with sexual sin and feeling the heaviness of that ministry, we encourage to pause, and seek the grace of your heavenly Father as you pray with Yohan.Read along → https://harvestusa.org/a-prayer-of-lament-and-hope-for-ministry-to-the-sexually-broken/

Husband, is your heart wounded because of your wife’s sexual betrayal?We hope that today’s episode from Yohan Huh Prudente will help you find hope as you face the pain of your situation. Yohan brings to remembrance the call of Hosea to marry an adulteress woman, a vivid picture of God’s love for his own wayward and idolatrous people, to demonstrate that God is well acquainted with your pain and is able to sympathize with you in your suffering.Read along here → https://harvestusa.org/betrayed-husband-christs-peace-given-for-you/

Have you ever felt so distant from God that you were convinced he could no longer hear your prayers?Feeling far from God is one of the most painful experiences in the Christian life, and it often intensifies during seasons of suffering. For those wrestling with broken relationships, unwanted desires, or sexual sin, this sense of distance can feel especially heavy.Today’s episode from Catherine Krasinski encourages believers who feel like they’ve been abandoned by God. She examines the common causes of this experience, why God allows us to feel his seeming absence, and why Jesus can sympathize with our experiences of feeling forsaken.“He is actually not far from each one of us, for ‘in him we live and move and have our being.’” - Acts 17:27-28Read along → https://harvestusa.org/when-god-feels-far-away-hope-for-struggling-believers/

The word “queer” has an interesting history. Initially used to describe something as strange, odd, or peculiar, since the 2000s, it’s become an umbrella term in LGBTQ+ vocabulary to refer to someone who does not experience sexual or romantic attraction to the opposite sex and/or does not identify with or accept the gender binary of male and female.In today’s episode, Ellen Mary Dykas points those wrestling with feelings or experiences that make them feel “other” or tempt them to embrace a queer identity to Jesus, whose gospel and cross offers us a better way to understanding our story and identity.Read along with today’s episode → https://harvestusa.org/jesus-and-queerness-the-cross-and-the-q-of-lgbtq/

Pastors, do you feel equipped to disciple and care for those struggling with same-sex attraction in your congregation?Today’s episode from Keith Seary presents four practical, biblical doctrines that pastors should keep in mind as they consider how to disciple someone struggling with same-sex attraction. At times, it can feel challenging to help someone if you haven’t experienced similar temptations. But Keith reminds us that our deepest battles as God’s children are common to man, and the answer we all need is found in One Savior, Jesus Christ.Read along here → https://harvestusa.org/help-for-pastors-caring-for-same-sex-strugglers-one-savior-common-challenges-and-helpful-doctrines/

As a parent, you’ve faithfully taught your children from a young age what God says about His design for sex. So what do you do when, on your daughter’s 18th birthday, she leaves home to live with her boyfriend?Today’s episode from Keith Seary helps parents prepare to offer godly, biblical direction to their adult children with gentleness and respect, even amidst their wandering. He calls parents to entrust their children to the Lord since there is always hope that he will begin a new work in their lives.Read along with today’s episode → https://harvestusa.org/help-my-adult-child-wont-listen-to-my-directions/

“It began as an innocent friendship—at least I thought so. I admired her: a strong kind, beautiful woman. I didn’t think of it as sexual; I just wanted closeness, to be wanted. My desires deepened, and the emotional boundaries blurred. I thought about her constantly, craved her attention, and was jealous when others were close to her. One day, a casual touch from her felt electrifying— and terrifying. What was this feeling? Was I physically attracted to her? It went no further physically, and I put some space between us, but I felt hooked . . . entangled emotionally in something unhealthy and dangerous. -A. C. (former women’s discipleship group member)”Today’s episode from Ellen Mary Dykas walks us through her experience of ministering to countless women who have wrestled with unhealthy and sinful same-sex attachments. She helpfully lays out a wide range of heart postures and behaviors that indicate when attachment has veered into sinful territory. She also clarifies what godly attachments involve, ending with a hope-filled way forward for repentance in God-honoring relationships.Read along with today’s article here → https://harvestusa.org/women-and-same-sex-attachments-longing-for-a-true-home/--📣 Giveaway! 📣During the month of February, we’re giving away five copies of Sex in a Broken World: How Christ Redeems What Sin Distorts by Paul David Tripp.Click here to enter for a chance to win this excellent title: https://gleam.io/MaynL/sex-in-a-broken-world-giveawayEntries close on February 28. Winners will be randomly drawn on March 2 and notified by email. You must be able to provide an address within the United States to be eligible to claim a prize if your name is drawn.

“She’s hot; she’s not.”“I hate his shoes.”“She has a pretty face, but she’s too tall.”“I don’t like his hobbies.”Have you had these thoughts as the glow of your phone illuminates your face late at night? Dating apps can be a means for bringing about Christ-centered marriages. But what are you sowing in your heart with your use of these apps?On today’s episode, Caitlin McCaffrey asks six diagnostic questions to help you discern if your use of dating apps is wise and intentional or veering your heart off track towards selfish and sinful desires.Read along with today’s episode: https://harvestusa.org/help-im-addicted-to-dating-apps/—📣 Giveaway! 📣During the month of February, we’re giving away five copies of Sex in a Broken World: How Christ Redeems What Sin Distorts by Paul David Tripp.Click here to enter for a chance to win this excellent title: https://gleam.io/MaynL/sex-in-a-broken-world-giveawayEntries close on February 28. Winners will be randomly drawn on March 2 and notified by email. You must be able to provide an address within the United States to be eligible to claim a prize if your name is drawn.

In the dialogue on gay desire in the broader church, two terms rise to the surface: attraction and orientation. Lack of definition has caused much confusion and debate among God’s people. The stakes are high, because gospel clarity is lost or found for sexual strugglers based on how we define these terms as pastors, counselors, and friends. This is a gospel discipleship issue for the church today; therefore, precision and compassion are paramount.On today’s episode, Caitlin McCaffrey dives deep into the importance of language. If the words we use to discuss these issues are not rooted in God’s Word, then we are building on a faulty foundation that will inevitably fail. She carefully walks us through how to think about two common, yet deeply misunderstood words.Read along with today’s episode: https://harvestusa.org/attraction-and-orientation-defining-our-terms/📣 Giveaway! 📣During the month of February, we’re giving away five copies of Sex in a Broken World: How Christ Redeems What Sin Distorts by Paul David Tripp.Click here to enter for a chance to win this excellent title: https://gleam.io/MaynL/sex-in-a-broken-world-giveawayEntries close on February 28. Winners will be randomly drawn on March 2 and notified by email. You must be able to provide an address within the United States to be eligible to claim a prize if your name is drawn.

Brothers and sisters in Christ who legally wed a same-sex partner, yet have come to realize that same-sex marriage is outside of God’s will, are faced with a costly path of repentance. Not to mention numerous practical questions as they sort our their newly invigorated faith and present circumstances, especially if children were brought into the same-sex partnership.On today’s episode, Ellen Mary Dykas shares three clear steps of faith for you to take while offering wisdom and counsel for tough decisions and grey areas you may face on the path of obedience. She ends the episode with a short exhortation to Christians to be ready to proactively love and care for those who have come out of same-sex partnerships and resolved to follow Christ.Read along with today’s episode: https://harvestusa.org/walking-in-repentance-after-same-sex-marriage/—📣 Giveaway! 📣During the month of February, we’re giving away five copies of Sex in a Broken World: How Christ Redeems What Sin Distorts by Paul David Tripp.Click to enter for a chance to win a copy: https://gleam.io/MaynL/sex-in-a-broken-world-giveawayEntries close on February 28. Winners will be randomly drawn on March 2 and notified by email. You must be able to provide an address within the United States to be eligible to claim a prize if your name is drawn.

Is it possible for someone who isn’t attracted to the opposite sex to have a truly fulfilling, beautiful, biblical marriage? If we’re honest, when we think of our brothers and sisters who battle against exclusive same-sex attraction, we often assume that marriage simply isn’t an option for them. We think they should probably just accept that God wants them to remain celibate. After all, “How can you marry someone you’re not attracted to?”But this reveals a very shallow understanding of attraction, marriage, and God’s work in the lives of his children.Today’s episode by Mark Sanders teaches us that attraction is much deeper than instinctual sexual desire and what makes for a truly beautiful marriage is not butterflies in your stomach, but a lifelong commitment to sacrificial love. Love that is only made possible through the liberty of first being loved by Christ.Click here to read along with today’s episode: https://harvestusa.org/same-sex-attraction-and-a-beautiful-marriage/

Why should you quit porn?Because Jesus is coming back!God designed our hearts to be motivated by future realities. As human beings, we’re wired to make sacrifices in the present in the hope of attaining some good in the future. We embrace the pain of diets and exercise now, hoping to achieve long term health down the road. Similarly, if you’re struggling with porn, the promise that Christ is coming again should be a powerful motivation to quit porn.On today’s episode, Mark Sanders shares five ways the promise of Christ’s return should motivate our present obedience.Click here to read along with today’s episode: https://harvestusa.org/dont-look-at-porn-because-jesus-is-coming-back/

“In the months following that first confession of my same-sex desires, with help from Jesus, I began the slow and messy process of disentangling those desires from the man he created me to be. When I made my desires and my self a package deal, I couldn’t fight one without feeling like I was fighting the other. Repenting of my same-sex desires felt like I was repenting of being emotional, or creative, or tall. But as I’m learning how to distinguish my sin from my self, the freedom that I’m finding has been truly transformational.” - Stephen MossToday’s episode from Stephen Moss shares his story of disentangling his self-conception from his battles with same-sex desires. He chronicles his journey from an identity based on stereotypes and tribalism to one of freedom in Christ as he learned who he truly is—a unique image bearer of God and a new-creation man, united to Christ.Click here to read along with today’s episode: https://harvestusa.org/disentangling-my-self-from-same-sex-desires/

Do you treat God like a mere tool to serve your own agenda?When life is comfortable, relationships are fulfilling, and ventures are successful, it might be easy to seek him. But when life gets tough and God isn’t delivering us from hardship, it becomes tempting to stop praying and find something else to fill our unmet desires.This heart posture is fertile ground for sexual sin to grow in.On today’s episode, Mark Sanders challenges us to avoid sexual sin by worshipping God, not for what he can do for us, but for who he is.Click here to read along with today’s episode: https://harvestusa.org/foxholes-field-goals-and-false-worship/