Come On

An online ministry disguises itself as a porn site to draw in those who need help

Crisis hotline Love Lines began taking out ads, disguised as phone sex come-ons, in the Twin Cities’ alternative newspaper. Callers looking to satisfy their lust heard instead testimonies about how former sex addicts came to Christ. They were then referred to a counseling hotline.

The Minneapolis-based ministry is now online, faking a porn site (www.lovelines.org/sex/) that really delivers information about pornography addiction. “We don’t want to close down the porn sites, we just want all their customers,” says director Dan Morstad.

Copyright © 2001 Christianity Today. Click for reprint information.

Related Elsewhere:

The Love Lines site includes personal stories, a self-test, and contact information for the ministry’s 24 hour counseling center.

Christianity Today’sTangled in the Worst of the Web” examined what Internet porn did to one pastor, his wife, his ministry, their life.

Also see Christianity Today’sResources for the Ensared | Christ-centered help for those struggling with Internet pornography and sexual addiction.”

Other articles and resources about battling lust and pornography from Christianity Today include:

We’ve Got Porn | Online smut is taking its toll on Christians. What is the church doing about it? (July 5, 2000)

Internet Pornography Use Common in many Libraries, Report Says | Librarian-researcher claims American Library Association thwarted study. (March 20 , 2000)

Christian Singer Shares Struggles with Pornography | Secret sin of Clay Crosse’s youth reappears in midst of ministry (Feb. 7, 2000)

Amazon.com Pulls Book Targeted as ‘Kiddie Porn’ | But critics say other pedophilia books are still offered. (Jan. 24 , 2000)

Smut Magazine Publishers Convert | (April 26, 1999)

Curbing Smut Legally | Tough ordinances shut down porn outlets. (Feb. 8, 1999)

Christian Leaders Target Cyberporn | (Jan. 6, 1997)

Advice and experience from Leadership magazine:

Hooked | First he turned on the computer, then the computer turned on him. (Winter 2001)

Alone with my lust | Until my pastor held me accountable. (Summer 1996)

The War Within Continues | An update on a Christian leader’s struggle with lust.(Fall 1988)

Battle Strategy: Some Practical Advice | An update on a Christian leader’s struggle with lust.(Fall 1982)

Help with temptation and sex from Marriage Partnership:

Cybersex Temptation | Porn is as close as your home computer—and it’s hooking Christians. (Fall 2000)

Real Sex | By Louis and Melissa McBurney (Fall 1996)

Also in this issue

Bush's Defining Moment: The President, facing a grief-stricken nation under attack, finds his voice and his mission.

Cover Story

Bush's Defining Moment

Over Enlarged Territory

Rally Round the Flag

Editorial

Blame Game

Love & Marriage

High Court Injustice

Has God Played Fair?

Grounded

A Storyteller's Apologetic

Power Punch Praise

Wake-up Call

Rising to the Top

Something to Talk About

Return of Kevin Max

Australia: 'Shooting Gallery' Draws Opposition

Quotation Marks

Potter's Field

Manuskipped

Readying for Takeoff

Briefs: North America

Briefs: The World

Columbia: Missing Missionaries Declared Dead

Under The Sun- First Page

Under The Sun-Second Page

Andy Crouch

'Be Fruitful and Multiply'

News

Extreme Days for Megiddo

News

Lord of the Megaplex

Wire Story

Moscow Bans Salvation Army

Young Men Gone West

Review

Something to Talk About

Review

Power Punch Praise

Review

Rising to the Top

Review

Return of Kevin Max

Blood, Sweat, and Prayers

Make Love and Babies

News

Go Figure

The Truth About Sex

Catching Up with Hispanics

meetingGod@beliefnet.com

Congress: Justice Delayed

Vouchers: High Court to Take Up Vouchers

RU-486: Doctors Slow to Prescribe Abortion Pill

Medical Cost Sharing: Medical Cost-Sharing Ministry Is Recovering

Small Churches: Empty Pulpit Crisis

Evangelism: Adaptable Alpha Course Draws Praise and Worry

Pakistan: Christians Fear Muslim Backlash

Afghanistan: Caught in the Crossfire

View issue

Our Latest

The Russell Moore Show

The Mysteries and Beauty of Music

Randall Goodgame finds meaning in songs—from the silly to the Scriptural.

News

Died: Bill Pannell, Black Evangelical Who Raised the Issue of Racism

He wanted white believers to reckon with “cultural captivity,” but saw them become “more and more American and less and less Christian.”

The Bulletin

Stop. Look. Listen. | Voting Third Party

The Bulletin’s Stop. Look. Listen. miniseries, part one: Why Matt Martens is voting third party.

Where Ya From?

Winning with Justice with Maya Moore Irons

 Hear basketball legend Maya Moore Irons’s remarkable story of faith, love, and justice.

News

How Messianic Jews Are Serving Israelis Displaced by Hamas and Hezbollah

In Israel’s only communal village of believers in Jesus, three women reflect on loving their neighbors—and their enemies—in the midst of war.

My Friend, Bill Pannell

A reflection on the trailblazing Black theologian and his influence on American evangelicalism.

What Are Parents For?

Scripture has a clear vision for parents as stewards of our children. It’s not an instruction manual for modern parenting spats.

News

When the Elder Calls—From Outer Space

Two sick church members in their 90s got a pastoral “visit” from a friend—an astronaut stuck on the International Space Station.

Apple PodcastsDown ArrowDown ArrowDown Arrowarrow_left_altLeft ArrowLeft ArrowRight ArrowRight ArrowRight Arrowarrow_up_altUp ArrowUp ArrowAvailable at Amazoncaret-downCloseCloseEmailEmailExpandExpandExternalExternalFacebookfacebook-squareGiftGiftGooglegoogleGoogle KeephamburgerInstagraminstagram-squareLinkLinklinkedin-squareListenListenListenChristianity TodayCT Creative Studio Logologo_orgMegaphoneMenuMenupausePinterestPlayPlayPocketPodcastRSSRSSSaveSaveSaveSearchSearchsearchSpotifyStitcherTelegramTable of ContentsTable of Contentstwitter-squareWhatsAppXYouTubeYouTube