At the Altar of Sexual Idolatry

Can a Christian man really maintain a pure heart in America’s sexually charged culture? Can he truly honor God with his thought life? The answer is resoundingly YES! And the At the Altar of Sexual Idolatry 20th Anniversary Edition goes right to the heart and proves it.

Put an end to the mystery of lust and step into a life of freedom with the proven biblical answers that have helped thousands.

Something new for men at every level of the struggle:

• Fresh insights from 20 years of counseling in every chapter.
• Goes deeper than its predecessor in unearthing the roots of sexual sin.
• Two new chapters address Internet porn, the eroding morality of America and deeply examine a man’s inner life.

Endorsements

“The reason I am writing this foreword for Steve is that he has based everything in this book on God’s Word. It is foundational, inspirational, confrontational—just what you need. This is your book. Put the Bible and this book side by side—reading them—and let the Word do the work. Thank God for a man like Steve Gallagher, who will tell the truth and let the truth make us free. Live Free!”
The Late Dr. Edwin Louis Cole, Founder of Christian Men’s Network

“At the Altar of Sexual Idolatry is one of the best books out there on this topic. I recommend that you get this book.”
Beverly LaHaye, Concerned Women for America

“I do a lot of counseling of men struggling with sexual addiction. Far more than any book I have encountered, Sexual Idolatry cuts right to the heart of the problem. Steve Gallagher has finally given the evangelical world a book that uses the Word of God to deal with this terrible epidemic.”
Dr. Robert K. Wetmore, Professor of Theology at Toccoa Falls College

“Steve Gallagher has nailed the roots of sexual addiction by naming it an idolatry. This kind of spiritual aggression against God has but one cure at its foundation—brokenness, repentance, and walking daily in the power of the Holy Spirit. God’s transforming way is revealed in this book.”
Dr. Tim Clinton, President of American Association of Christian Counselors

“Evangelical Christianity is indebted to Steve Gallagher for turning the pain of his past into a path toward purity for those in bondage to sexual idolatry.”
Richard Dobbins, Executive Director of Emerge Ministries

Could the Apostasy Be Upon Us?

By: Steve Gallagher | Download

Although he is better known for his role on The Love Boat, Gavin MacLeod cited his supporting performance in the 2003 film Time Changer as “the most important thing” he had ever done. It’s hard to disagree with him.

The storyline occurs in 1890 and revolves around Bible professor Russell Carlisle, who is unwittingly transported by a time machine into modern-day America. For five days, he finds himself trapped in a wicked world to which you and I have become shamefully accustomed.

In his day, the term, “Gay Nineties,” referred to the nation’s innocence, not to the filthy and lewd behavior reflected in our past decade. Men married their wives for life, with divorce rates hovering around a microscopic 5%. Teenage promiscuity, marital infidelity and abortion were almost nonexistent. Pornography—even if you could find it—was typically an artist’s rendering of a topless woman.

Christian filmmaker Rich Christiano’s character, Russell Carlisle, is an awkward and unlikely hero who is thrust into the America of our day. This results in the inevitable scenes of him marveling over modern technology and dodging speeding cars. More important, though, are his reactions to the stark contrast in morality between the two eras.

At one point, he is seen watching television. His horrified expression betrays the fact that he is witnessing the kind of blatant immorality which has become standard fare for many of us. But perhaps the most poignant scene occurs when he is invited by some Christians to attend a movie with them. Suddenly, he is shown running out of the theater screaming at the employees, “You have to stop this movie! That actor took the Lord’s name in vain! He blasphemed God!”

If you or I witnessed a fellow believer acting this way, we would quickly distance ourselves from him. And yet this scenario provokes a few pointed questions Christians should ask themselves. Why aren’t we more outraged when we hear actors take the Lord’s name in vain? How can we look upon scantily-clad girls on television without blushing? Why do we permit TV to indoctrinate our children with the world’s values? The Church is obviously backslidden. The greater question it provokes is: Could we be in the Great Apostasy and not be aware of it?

After having spent the last two years studying this subject in Scripture, I was forced to acknowledge that two of my long-held assumptions regarding it have been wrong.

First, I came to realize that this falling away would not primarily be an obvious, outward renunciation of Christianity; it would be much more an issue of what is occurring in people’s hearts (e.g., Matt. 24:12).

My second erroneous notion was that the greatest problem in the Church today is that pastors are too busy to effectively disciple their flocks. I thought the sin and carnality running rampant in our midst was the result of harried pastors not holding churchgoers accountable to actually live what they are learning. I now believe that the larger issue is that pastors are burning themselves out trying to lead unconverted people into living the Christian life.

In the end, I arrived at the devastating conclusion that a large segment of the Post-Modern Church—that which has been the subject of our love and efforts—fits all the criteria predicted by Scripture of the Apostate Church. This issue of Unchained! Magazine will highlight a handful of those characteristics.

Yes, I believe that if “Russell Carlisle” stepped into our Christian world today, he would immediately come to the conclusion that we are indeed in the midst of the Great Apostasy. May God help us to discern the times in which we live!

Steve Gallagher is the founder and president of Pure Life Ministries. He has dedicated his life to helping men find freedom from sexual sin and the abundant life in God that comes through deep repentance.