It’s been a month and a half since the last piece of content was posted and emails are starting to trickle in asking what’s happening with The Fuel Project right now. So I thought it was time for an update!
The first thing to say is, don’t worry, all is well! In September, I took some time off for a vacation. I’d been at the grindstone since last Christmas and was starting to feel the strain. It was time to switch off the laptop for a while and refuel. It did the trick! I came back re-energised for the next project, and after some discussion with the ministry’s patrons, it was decided that project should be on the topics of masturbation and pornography.
I’ve received a lot of emails on these issues over the years, especially from young men. There’s a great deal of confusion, guilt and addiction plaguing the church in these areas. Now to be honest, even though I promised them I would do a series, and even though it seemed like now was the right time, I was still hesitant to broach it. This is why I sought the counsel of the patrons first, to make sure I wasn’t breaking any codes of propriety. However, with their overwhelming encouragement, it does seem like the right time to be brave, and finally tackle these very sensitive issues. Indeed, as I’ve worked on the book this past month, a sense of urgency has only grown. The latest surveys reveal that at best, one third of Christian men are currently addicted to pornography and compulsive masturbation. In reality, it’s probably more like 50%.
An early draft of the cover
Evidence suggests the church hasn’t really responded to this epidemic in the internet age so we do need to talk about it. Over the past month or so, I’ve been re-reading emails, listening, absorbing, researching and preparing a book that I hope will help anyone with questions. It’s called “The ‘M’ Word”, and since it’s nearing completion, I hope it will be available in November or December at the latest. You’ll soon start seeing changes to logos and banners that indicate its arrival is imminent.
The first question I usually get asked when I announce a book is, “will it be available as a video series too?” The answer is, “yes…I think so…it’s 95% likely. Unless everyone hates the book!” It’s looking like a 15 or 16 part series at this moment. There are also several videos lined up that aren’t connected to “The ‘M’ Word”, so either way, there will soon be regular YouTube posts again!
Thanks for the support,
Mark
PS - If you’d like to help support this one, you too can become a patron by clicking here. For other practical ways to help, you can volunteer by clicking here.