Talking to Students
Presented by Clay Olsen, Michael Leahy, and Dr. Sean McDowell
Children in their teens and early twenties live in a culture that has accepted pornography as a normal part of life, so how do we help these young adults turn toward wholesome sexuality? Clay Olsen, Michael Leahy, and Dr. Sean McDowell share a few main thoughts:
Millennials are motivated by activism and social change more than money, said Olsen. They trust science. Fortunately, science has caught up with truth on pornography. College students across the country are changing people’s perceptions on pornography. They’re spreading the message that #PornKillsLove.
Leahy’s research shows that students on college campuses will stop watching porn if there is accountability, zero-tolerance in the workplace, or if they have to pay for it.
The secret to success is discipleship, not a single conversation. Students want authenticity. McDowell expressed that a mentor’s greatest gift is the love he or she gives to those they are mentoring. It’s authentic love that helps address a person’s deep-rooted relational issues and truly sets us free. If our relational needs aren’t met by our family and friends, we look for counterfeits, which includes pornography.
- Millennials react better to a positive message. Rather than “don’t watch porn,” we should be telling people “fight for love.”
- Have consistent conversations with your children about sexual purity.
- We are relational beings. We were made to know and love God and people.
Question: Is it okay for a man and a woman to watch pornography with each other?
Answer: Pornography has damaging consequences to a relationship. God intended for sex to be between one man and one woman in a marriage relationship. It does not improve relationships.
Clay Olsen is a passionate filmmaker, marketer, and entrepreneur born and raised in Northern Utah. He has been a part of starting several successful companies over the years. He finds the most fulfillment in helping others which is why he left a growing company he started to co-found Fight the New Drug with a few likeminded friends. Since then they’ve been featured on ABC Nightline, ABC News, NPR, Al-Jazeera, CNN, The Dr. Drew Show, and many more. Clay has presented to over 300 schools and tens of thousands of teens all over the country. He passionately feels that education is the most powerful weapon to combat the influence of pornography in our society.
Michael is the founder and CEO of BraveHearts, a mentoring-centric ministry that’s helping men find freedom from habitual sexual sin. He has appeared on ABC’s 20/20, Good Morning America, The View, CNN, CNBC, Fox News, and other national and local media. Michael is the founder of BraveHearts, a ministry dedicated to equipping parents and ministry leaders with the tools and training they need to help build and restore sexual integrity in their families, the church, and culture.
Dr. Sean McDowell, an Assistant Professor in the Christian Apologetics program at Biola University, is a gifted communicator with a passion for equipping the church, and in particular young people, to make the case for the Christian faith. He has spoken for organizations including Focus on the Family, the Chuck Colson Center for Christian Worldview, Backyard Skeptics, Cru, Youth Specialties, Hume Lake Christian Camps, Fellowship of Christian Athletes and the Association of Christian Schools International. He is also the author, coauthor or editor of over 18 books.
