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Lust Free Living Ministry
Study Groups Thrive on Bethel Campus
In a culture where sexual sin wreaks havoc even
in the church, it’s
encouraging that a number of Bethel alumni have close ties to an emerging ministry
dedicated to teaching men and women to pursue sexual purity so they may freely
serve God.
Lust Free Living (LFL) began as a course written in 1998 by youth pastor Lowell
Seashore, now director of Timber Bay/Youth Investment. He developed lessons
for the young men in his church who had given their lives to Christ, but were
struggling with sexual issues.
“They needed to know their true identity, God’s plan for them sexually,
how to fight spiritually, Christ’s forgiveness, and authentic accountability,” says
Seashore. The lessons, based on Neil Anderson’s Steps to Freedom
in Christ to break spiritual strongholds, helped Seashore’s students
move into lives of purity.
The Leaders of Lust Free Living (left to right): Jamie Book '01, Lowell Seashore, Tim Adair '04, Andrew Lund '04, Paul Johnson '88, and Andrew Strutzenberg '05. Now, Lust Free Living is a full-fledged ministry organization, with curriculum
used by small groups at about 15 colleges and universities across the nation,
both Christian and secular. About 150 Bethel men have studied LFL materials
together during the last two years—a larger contingent by far than at
any other campus. Women’s groups are developing this year, too.
LFL’s first connection to Bethel started in 2000 when two alumni, Kenny
Kraft ’74 and Paul Johnson ’88, Seashore’s coworkers, came
to the conclusion that they had never adequately dealt with their own issues.
“I had tried self-control and it didn’t work,” says Johnson. “It
really just left me a white-washed tomb. I never had adequate teaching. It
intrigued me when Lowell talked about the guys he was ministering to, so I
decided to take a chance and actually do what James 5:16 says: ‘…confess
my sin to a brother.’”
When Kraft experienced the joy of victory in this area, he had to share
it with other men. First was Bethel freshman Eric Boal ’04, a student
volunteer with Timber Bay/Youth Investment. Boal soon wanted his roommates
in on the study: Andrew Lund ’04, Tim Adair ’04, and Zach Johnson ’04.
The young men moved through their years on campus putting LFL’s principles
to work in their dating relationships: confessing and renouncing sin and temptation,
and revealing the enemy’s lies, accusations, and strongholds.
“Most universities
have not yet dealt effectively with training in purity.”All
four young men now have a staff or volunteer role with LFL. Adair and
Lund, who worked full time for a year getting the organization going,
now serve as small group leaders and trainers. Paul
Johnson joined the staff in the summer of 2005 to focus on bringing the
LFL program to men in churches. Andrew Strutzenberg ’05 is raising
funds to join LFL staff, planning to advance ministries at Bethel and
other schools. Adair created LFL’s website, and Johnson has produced
videos for the organization.
Recognizing a prevalent need among women as well, Bethel alumna Jamie (Gravier)
Book ’99 has used her communication major at Bethel to revise the LFL
curriculum for women. She also leads small groups and ministers one-on-one
to young women. “I’d love to work more hours,” says
Book, who like other LFL staff raises her entire support.
Senior
Corey Hawkinson (far left) leads an LFL study group Thursday evenings on the
first floor of Edgren Hall.“I was a girlfriend of a guy who was being changed by this ministry,” says
Book, whose boyfriend (now husband) went through LFL at the University of Wisconsin-Stout. “After
several years of trying to control and conquer our unhealthy patterns of lust
in our dating relationship, I saw him growing strong in a new way,” says
Book. “At first I was threatened and frustrated, but I then decided to
seek this out for myself.”
“LFL is still at a grassroots level,” says Seashore. Even
so, he says there are many churches around the country, including some in the
Baptist General Conference, that are using LFL, mostly in small group settings. “It
also has been used in Brazil, Guatemala, Iraq, Kazakhstan, Australia, and England,” said
Seashore.
On Bethel’s campus, the LFL movement has largely been student-led,
under the direction of the Office of Campus Ministries. Strutzenberg is available
to train student leaders, and Book is available to lead women’s groups
until more leaders emerge.
“LFL acknowledges the need to be under authority, and it is refreshing
to see the boldness that [Pastor of Spiritual Formation] Sherry [Mortenson]
and the campus ministries staff have regarding this issue,” says Strutzenberg. “Most
universities have not yet dealt effectively with training in purity, and Bethel
just might be leading the way,” says Seashore.
For more information on Lust Free Living, visit www.lustfreeliving.org.