The Intersection of Leadership and Addictive Disorders with a Focus on Pornography

The Case of a Faith Leader

Pastor Mark has a beautiful family and ministry. He is highly respected by his colleagues as a faith leader of influence. His wife and teenage children have been supportive of him and his ministry throughout the years. However, his wife has noticed a change in his behavior lately. He seems more preoccupied with issues at work, is emotionally distant, and devotes minimal time to nurturing their intimacy. He has developed a routine of working late hours and spending more time on his computer. One late night, his wife finds him using pornography in the home office. She is shocked! Why would he do this? The discovery adds a strain on their marriage. Pastor Mark dismisses it as an isolated instance and feels ashamed to disclose that, in spite of asking God for help, the drive to use pornography has only grown stronger in the last months. He feels guilty and unworthy to preach. More spiritual struggles and marriage troubles follow. Where can he find help for his compulsive addiction to pornography? He wonders whether there is hope for his marriage and if he should quit ministry altogether.

Identifying Addictive Disorders

Many see addictive disorders as a moral failure or a character flaw, especially within religious groups. However, studies evaluating the impact and role of the brain in the addictive process have concluded that addiction is a chronic illness characterized by impairments in health, social function, and voluntary control over the use of a substance or behavior (American Psychiatric Association, 2013). People struggling with an addictive disorder have an uncontrollable urge and compulsion to use dangerous substances or engage in harmful behaviors—despite experiencing negative consequences. They are often physically or mentally unable to stop the behavior on their own, no matter how hard they try. Without adequate treatment, addictions can negatively impact relationships, bring financial and/or legal problems, create chaos at work, and negatively impact those in leadership positions.

Prevalence of Addictive Disorders

According to the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime World Drug Report (UNODC, 2022), 284 million people aged 15–64 used drugs worldwide in 2020, a 26% increase over the previous decade. In the United States, the 2020 National Survey on Drug Use and Health reported that 40.3 million Americans aged 12 or older had a substance use disorder in the past year, such as prescription painkillers, illicit substances, nicotine, or alcohol use (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, n.d.). In this case, the word “substances” refers to drugs that have addiction potential by activating the reward centers of the brain. Using these substances can lead to substance use disorders. Addiction is the most severe form of a substance abuse disorder (American Psychiatric Association, 2013).

In addition to substances, behavioral addiction can occur with any activity capable of stimulating the brain’s reward system, such as exercising or dieting, gambling, having sex or viewing pornography, shopping, working, video gaming, and using social media or the internet (Cleveland Clinic, n.d.). Unfortunately, the prevalence of some addictive behaviors and substance use disorders have only increased worldwide since the COVID-19 pandemic (Avena, Simkus, Lewandowski, Gold, & Potenza, 2021; United Nations, 2021). Those in spiritual leadership positions are not immune from this trend.

Addiction and Faith Leaders

The demands of leadership can push leaders into a vulnerable mental or emotional state that may lead them to compulsively use substances or engage in unhealthy behaviors to cope with their stress or modify their mood. This is especially true among faith leaders. Members of faith communities seek out faith leaders such as ministers, priests, imams, rabbis, and other clergies for messages of hope in trying times. These leaders often overwork themselves to meet expectations; in many cases, healthy boundaries are non-existent. They serve multiple roles, face exhaustion, and have an increased risk for anxiety and depression. After the COVID-19 pandemic stress and the deep divisions in society, many clergy became burned out. In a survey conducted by Barna Group (2022), 510 Protestant senior pastors were asked whether they would give serious consideration to leaving the ministry. Nearly half (42%) said yes. Sadly, spiritual leaders, like other people, seek to minimize or numb their stress or emotional turmoil through addictive behaviors like pornography, food, internet/social media, or using substances.

It is well documented that pornography seems to be one of the most common addictions among pastors. Sadly, there is evidence that this prevalence is growing. Christianity Today (2001) reported that 42% of pastors had used a pornographic site, and one-third had done so the previous year. More recently, Barna (2016) published a report describing the prevalence of pornography use among 3,000 Christians in the United States. Among them, 432 were senior pastors and 388 youth pastors. About two-thirds (64%) felt that porn use is a major or significant problem for them, and about 79% felt burnout was an even greater problem (Barna, 2016, p. 80). In the surveys, 21% of youth pastors and 14% of senior pastors admitted to currently using porn. Half of them reported using it as frequently as a few times per month. However, 43% of each group also stated they had struggled with pornography in the past. These numbers point to the addictive nature of pornography use and its increasing prevalence over the years. More than 56% of youth pastors and 33% of senior pastors who use porn believe they are addicted (p. 81). The vast majority feel guilt or shame when they use pornography and have spiritual struggles as a result.

Effects of Pornography on Spiritual Leaders

The negative effects of pornography use are felt by both youth and senior pastors (Barna, 2016). Fifty-nine percent of senior pastors and 62% of youth pastors who use pornography stated they felt a great sense of shame about the use of pornography, with 94% of youth pastors experiencing a sense of guilt versus 86% of senior pastors (p. 82). In addition, they reported that pornography use hurt their relationships (41% of youth pastors; 35% of senior pastors), negatively affected their sex life (45% of youth pastors; 38% of senior pastors), and hurt their productivity (30% of youth pastors; 21% of senior pastors). When asked whether pornography use negatively impacted their ministry, 75% of youth pastors and 64% of senior pastors agreed. They also reported living in fear of being discovered (56% of youth pastors; 53% of senior pastors) (p. 83).

Such negative outcomes can worsen spiritual leaders’ emotional and mental health, increasing their vulnerability and keeping them in a spiraling cycle of addiction. As a result, many reported that they tried to stop using pornography (83% of youth pastors; 71% of senior pastors), that they tried and relapsed, or that they have been unable to stop (68% of youth pastors and 54% of senior pastors) (Barna, 2016, p. 82).

Kenneth Pargament, a widely published psychologist and researcher whose work focuses on spirituality and health, has counseled many faith leaders struggling with sex and pornography addiction. He and his colleagues found that the spiritual struggles resulting from a perceived addiction were associated with lower self-esteem, more anger, and more anger directed toward God (Wilt, Cooper, Grubbs, Exline, & Pargament, 2016). These findings demonstrate the negative impact that guilt and the resulting spiritual struggles can have on the person’s emotional regulation and relationship with God. When faith leaders find themselves in this situation, they may feel far from God and alone. Some consider leaving the ministry behind as a way to deal with their guilt.

Mark Laaser has also researched spiritual leaders and their struggles with pornography for decades. He agrees that the nature of their role can increase the vulnerability of spiritual leaders to addiction (Laaser & Gregoire, 2003). But to understand how this vulnerability occurs, it is important to understand the neurobiology behind addictive patterns and the disturbance it brings to the brain’s pleasure centers.

The Cycle of Addiction

As with other illnesses, specific brain regions are impacted by an addictive disorder. Substance use disorders and behavioral addictions form short-term reward responses that can produce an urge to persist in the behavior with diminished control over that behavior. Both involve specific brain regions, creating a three-stage cycle described in the United States Surgeon General’s report entitled Addictions in America (2016) as binge/intoxication, withdrawal, and preoccupation/anticipation.

1. Binge/intoxication is when the individual consumes an intoxicating sub-stance or engages in a behavior and experiences a feeling of reward. In this stage, tolerance is built up, and the person needs to continue increasing the dose of the substance or behavior in order to obtain comparable pleasurable effects.

2. Withdrawal/negative effect follows. In this stage, an individual experiences highly uncomfortable feelings and enters into a negative emotional state in the absence of the substance or the behavior.

3. Preoccupation/anticipation is the stage during which the individual seeks the substance or behavior again after a period of abstinence. There is an obsession with focusing attention on the behavior and also a preoccupation with planning on how to engage in it again. This takes much time and attention away from other meaningful things in life.

These stages continue in a cycle, and people cannot seem to stop despite adverse consequences unless there is outside help. Recognizing the signs and symptoms noted in these cycles can be helpful in identifying red flags while the individual still has control to stop it. Once the behavior turns into an addiction and psychological and physiological dependence sets in, seeking interventions from health professionals and a support group becomes imperative.

Risk Factors and Characteristics of Spiritual Leaders Struggling with Addictions

According to Laaser and Gregoire (2003), several characteristics are noted among pastors struggling with cybersex and pornography addictions (pp. 397–401):

1. Role: The respect and admiration that the pastoral role generates may be appealing to those who are otherwise insecure and in need of approval. Having a form of pastoral codependency, they may sacrifice themselves and their family for the sake of others without setting healthy boundaries. This may be done more for approval than for the love of others. As they feel stressed and pressed for time, the internet becomes an accessible, affordable, and anonymous way to use pornography as a (poor) coping mechanism (Laaser & Gregoire, 2003, p. 397).
2. Vocational Consequences: Fear of being dismissed from the ministry can lead pastors to keep silent and avoid seeking help. This can take them further into the addiction cycle as tolerance, negative affect, and psychological dependency increase.
3. Isolation: Pastors addicted to pornography become isolated and lonely as a result of their addiction. They may have an intimacy disorder due to childhood trauma or abuse, and they may feel safer relating to a fantasy or imaginary figure online rather than to other real-life people.
4. Narcissism: Early trauma or abuse can lead to narcissistic traits, where the pastor may violate sexual boundaries with others. They may gravitate to people who may find them charismatic and attractive. They thrive in receiving praise and attention. Accessibility to online pornography gives them a sense of control, turning it on and off any time they wish to see what they want.
5. Spiritual Maturity: Spiritual leaders who use pornography often present as spiritually immature, having black and white thinking, blaming others for their behaviors, or believing that God understands their needs as they have a special status with God.
6. Entitlement: These pastors may have a sense of entitlement to have their needs met.
7. Anger: They often have repressed anger toward God or others.
8. Accountability: They often have difficulty submitting to authority or accepting accountability.
9. Relationships: They may struggle with relationships, particularly marriage, and may blame their spouse for their addiction.
10. Presence of other addictions: Studies found that those struggling with sexual addiction often experienced other addictions such as alcohol, food, the internet, and work.

In essence, these factors place spiritual leaders at great risk and demand that they be intentional in seeking preventive strategies to protect them from falling into compulsive addictive behaviors. At the same time, leaders must do a self-evaluation to assess whether they have become dependent on a compulsive habit and need a recovery program.

As noted above, the nature of a spiritual leadership role increases vulnerability to addiction and adds unique challenges to treatment. Laaser and Earle (2012) found that spiritual leaders are often uneducated about healthy sexuality and boundaries in ministry. In addition, traumatic childhood experiences, like domestic violence experienced or witnessed, are associated with greater risks for substance use and other forms of addiction (Reinert, Campbell, Bandeen-Roche, Szanton, & Lee, 2016). Growing up in a home where substance use and codependence were common can contribute to attachment issues, low self-esteem, and/or codependency. These are common risk factors for addictive behaviors. Seeking to understand these risks and paying attention to the red flags in their lives can help leaders identify early signs of disturbances in the neurobiological reward cycle and stop the compulsive behavior before it becomes an addiction. Thus, a careful inventory of one’s life and personal risk factors is an important strategy for successful prevention and recovery.

Role of Faith Community in Prevention and Recovery

It is widely recognized that there are gaps in access to quality prevention and recovery programs. In some cases, such programs are expensive or not easily accessible in every town. In answer to this issue, the World Health Organization (WHO) has included among its 17 sustainable development goals, a goal (section 3.5) that aims at strengthening the prevention and treatment of substance abuse, including narcotic drug abuse and harmful use of alcohol, hoping to achieve better outcomes by 2030 and improve accessibility.

Faith communities are well positioned to play a critical role in this regard by assisting their members, as well as the community, in accessing effective preventive and recovery programs. In the United States, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Substance Abuse and Mental Health Administration (SAMHSA) recognizes faith communities as partners in prevention and recovery. Since 1992, SAMHSA has supported faith-based organizations involved in substance use and mental health services by providing training and funding for more than 800 faith-based community partners among its grantees through the Community Substance Abuse Prevention Partnership Program (SAMHSA, n.d.). But still, around the world, not many denominations have been proactive in fighting the stigma surrounding addictions and offering prevention and recovery programs that are effective and widely accessible. Faith leaders can do more to extend Christ’s healing ministry through faith-based programs targeting addiction prevention and recovery.

The Christian faith recognizes Christ as the highest power that can help someone find meaning and purpose in life, an identity, a positive sense of self, and healing for past emotional hurts. These are protective factors for prevention and successful recovery from addictive behaviors. Some denominations offer a Christ-centered 12-step recovery program, such as the Journey to Wholeness program from Adventist Recovery Ministries and the Celebrate Recovery 12-step program. However, significant stigma, shame, and lack of knowledge still exists and are among the barriers that prevent members and religious leaders from recognizing their own need for recovery and accessing adequate recovery programs. There is a need to educate church members and spiritual leaders about the recovery journey. For effective programs to take root in faith communities, faith leaders must recognize it as a priority. A first step for leaders is to evaluate their own need for recovery from codependence, compulsive behaviors, and addictions. Once the recovery journey begins, the leader is more likely to include such a program in church ministry.

Christ-Centered Steps for Recovery

There is hope in Christ for recovery from all addictions and for everyone. At the same time, Christ can only help those who seek His help. All recovery programs start with being honest about one’s compulsions and recognizing that one has no power over that behavior or addiction. Secondly, it is key to recognize that a greater power (God) can help restore sanity when life has become unmanageable. One must recognize this reality to oneself, to God, and to others. This means taking full responsibility for the addiction and the recovery journey and committing to do whatever it takes to find restoration. Part of this process is identifying triggers and danger zones that can make one more vulnerable and seeking strategies to prevent exposure to addictive behavior. It also means seeking emotional healing for past hurts and working through the forgiveness process. Speaking with a mental health counselor is imperative in this process. In addition, having a 12-step Christ-centered support group provides structure, a safe space, and an accepting community that facilitates the recovery process. In the Seventh-day Adventist Church, the Journey to Wholeness support groups sponsored by Adventist Recovery Ministries follow this model, welcoming people with addictions, compulsions, or character flaws and helping them find recovery in Christ.

In the case of pornography recovery specifically, Integrity Restored—a Christian program that focuses on recovery from pornography but can be applied to other addictions—suggests seven steps:

1. Honesty, self-knowledge, and commitment. The decision to seek recovery must come from the person who is struggling.
2. Purifying one’s life. This involves throwing away the addictive product or removing access.
3. Support and accountability. One cannot do this alone. The support group and an accountability partner (sponsor) are critical.
4. Counseling. A mental health counselor is key to resolving emotional traumas and scars.
5. Spiritual Plan. A God-centered recovery plan, such as the 12-step program, unconditional love, and acceptance are critical aspects of recovery.
6. Education. Learning about healthy biblical sexuality will be important in recovery.
7. Virtue. Growing in relationship with God will be reflected in personal growth. A healthy life and new purpose will result.

The essence of these steps is central to Gateway to Wholeness, a program developed by the Seventh-day Adventist Church in collaboration with Dr. Kenneth Pargament, researcher and emeritus professor at Bowling Green University. As an evidence-based online program, Gateway to Wholeness is free and provides the first steps in the journey of recovery from pornography.

It is important to remember that treatment for clergy must be sensitive to the challenges among spiritual leaders, particularly in assessing the ability to remain in or return to the practice of ministry. An ongoing accountability plan will be essential in allowing church authorities to feel confident about the ministerial practice of those who suffer from addictions. Religious administrators must help faith leaders access recovery programs that can offer clinical and psychological support, as well as spiritual support. In addition, people struggling with addictive disorders need to seek treatment as seriously as they would for any physical illness, such as diabetes or hypertension.

Recovery and Leadership Development

Recovery is not an event; it is a process that takes time. It is about progress, not perfection. Still, recovery is possible, and spiritual leaders who have experienced the recovery journey will not only be able to minister more effectively to those with similar struggles but also mature and grow into more effective leaders.

One of the well-known programs associated with successful recovery from addictions is the 12-step program, which originally focused on alcohol, named Alcoholics Anonymous (AA). A review of studies evaluating the efficacy of AA demonstrated that in randomized controlled trials, comparing AA to other clinical interventions such as cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), AA improved rates of continuous abstinence at 12 months, and this result was consistent at 24 and 36 months (Kelly, Humphreys, & Ferri, 2020). The researchers concluded that there is robust evidence that the 12-step program of AA is more effective than some known treatments, such as CBT, for increasing abstinence and may perform as well as other established treatments for other alcohol-related outcomes with a cost-effective benefit (Kelly et al., 2020). Today the 12-step program is used for all forms of addictions.

In one published report about a faith leader’s participation in a 12-step program, Friedman (2016) reported:

My participation in a 12-step addiction program based on the principles and traditions of Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) has been critical for my leadership development. As I worked to refrain from addictive behaviors and practiced 12-step principles, I experienced a shift from individualistic, self-centered leadership towards a servant leader orientation. I thus consider the 12-step recovery process . . . a leadership formative experience (LFE) as it had the greatest influence on my subsequent development. My experience of thinking about and rethinking my life in reference to leadership and followership lends itself to a personal inquiry. It draws on work on the 12 steps. (p. 15)

Friedman is not alone in his experience. Other effective faith leaders have also increased in leadership skills and influence after starting a journey of recovery, such as Bernie Anderson—an Adventist pastor who went public about his struggle with pornography addiction (Anderson, 2007). Naturally, individuals would benefit from the search and introspection on prior experience for shaping their leadership development. As Friedman (2016) concludes, leadership has many faces and the changing world consistently brings new challenges and demands that bring new opportunities for leadership development through methods not explored before. Future leaders must consider the possibilities of how personal vulnerabilities and recovery in their life stories may become a vitalizing force for positive leadership impact and influence.

Hope for Faith Leaders

Pastor Mark has come a long way. He spoke to a trusted spiritual mentor and was introduced to a recovery edition of the book Steps to Christ (White, 2019). He has read the book and fallen in love with Jesus all over again. He sought a mental health professional with expertise in pornography addiction and is now in individual and couple’s therapy with his wife. He has dealt with emotional scars dating back to his childhood and feels his marriage is now stronger. He started attending a 12-step Journey to Wholeness recovery group and found great support for his recovery journey. Working through the 12 steps takes effort, but he recognizes his powerlessness over compulsions and total reliance on God to overcome them one day at a time. Though he still struggles at times, he knows his recovery depends on his daily walk with God.

This experience has also changed Pastor Mark’s perspective and his ministry. He realized that some of his church members are dealing with powerful addictions and compulsions, and they need help. He envisions his church as a center for recovery so others struggling with brokenness in their lives can find healing in Christ and a supportive community. He helped to start a Journey to Wholeness group in his church and became a participant, sharing with others about some of his character flaws and how God is working on his life. At first, he was afraid he would lose influence as a leader and the respect of church members for being honest about his vulnerabilities. Instead, he found they listen and respect him more than before. His influence as a spiritual leader has grown.

Conclusion

The Bible reveals in its many accounts the stories of powerful leaders. Interestingly, God inspired writers to include in that account not only their successes but their vulnerabilities and struggles. Paul describes his struggle of wanting to act right but inevitably failing to do so. He declared, “there is another power within me that is at war with my mind. This power makes me a slave to the sin that is still within me” (Rom. 7:23, NLT). This struggle is at the root of the vulnerabilities against compulsive habits and addictive behaviors that many leaders experience. However, just as addictions and compulsions are real for everyone, including faith leaders, so is the promise of recovery and restoration. Paul concluded that Christ was the answer to his dilemma (Rom. 7:25). As the biblical leaders humbly recognized their struggles and relied on God, He not only transformed them but increased their influence and impact as leaders in the process. May today’s faith leaders seek to experience the same healing and leadership impact in their ministry.

Katia Garcia Reinert, PhD, RN, FNP-BC, PHCNS-BC, is an associate director for Adventist Health Ministries at the General Conference, coordinating the Adventist Recovery Ministries Global and Youth Alive programs. She is an adjunct professor in the Doctoral of Ministry program at Andrews University Theological Seminary and also practices internal medicine as a family nurse practitioner at Shepherd’s Clinic in Baltimore, MD.

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