Jan 23
2024
Porn & Sex are Women's Issues Too!
Host Garry Ingraham talks with guest Laura Leigh Stanlake.
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Inquiring of the Lord
In this milestone message marking First Stone Ministries' fiftieth year, Executive Director Laura Leigh Stanlake reflects on God's sustained faithfulness and calls the ministry to seek His direction with intentionality and humility. Drawing on the cautionary examples of Israel's covenant with the Gibeonites and Rehoboam's ill-fated counsel, she emphasizes the importance of prayer, wise counsel, and patient discernment over quick decisions. As First Stone looks ahead, the ministry's desire remains simple — to depend on the Lord and follow where He leads.
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What is Changing, and Why
Marking 50 years of ministry, First Stone Ministries announces a thoughtful evolution in how it communicates and ministers. While remaining firmly grounded in biblical conviction and the belief that healing is found in Jesus Christ alone, the ministry is adopting warmer, more accessible language, refreshing its website, and shifting internally toward Scripture-based identity formation rather than self-assessment. The goal is clear — to meet people where they are, welcome their whole story, and walk with them patiently toward freedom and wholeness in Christ.
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Holding Love and Truth When It’s Challenging
In this thoughtful article from First Stone Ministries, the author — a parent personally navigating a child's gender identity questions — examines how cultural pressure has redefined empathy as agreement rather than understanding. Drawing on Romans 1, 1 Corinthians 13, and the cautionary example of Aaron, the piece calls believers to hold love and truth together without yielding to coercive demands. True empathy, the author concludes, does not affirm what is contrary to God's will — it points people to Jesus.
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2026 Spring Newsletter
The Spring 2026 issue of First Stone Ministries' newsletter marks the organization's 50th anniversary with a theme of prayerful, Spirit-led change. Laura Leigh Stanlake reflects on the danger of moving without inquiring of the Lord, while Jim Farrington addresses the cultural redefinition of empathy and the pressure families face to affirm LGBTQ+ identities. The newsletter also announces a refreshed website, updated ministry language, and a renewed internal focus on Scripture-based identity formation — all grounded in the unchanging truth of Jesus Christ.
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Breaking Free from the Fear of Man
“Breaking Free from the Fear of Man” defines the fear of man as an approval addiction that shapes decisions, emotions, and even obedience to God. Using Proverbs 29:25 and biblical examples like Saul and Aaron, the article shows how people-pleasing derails leaders and everyday believers alike. Stanlake traces roots in childhood messages, social pressure, personality, and pain, then outlines steps toward freedom: preferring God, knowing identity in Christ, recognizing triggers, inviting accountability, and growing in community that fears the Lord together.
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The Problem with Unforgiveness
“The Problem with Unforgiveness” warns that refusing to forgive carries severe spiritual consequences, as Jesus teaches in Matthew 6:14–15. Unforgiveness blocks prayer, fosters spiritual dryness, opens doors to the enemy, and reflects a graceless heart. Drawing from Acts 8:22–23 and June Hunt’s Forgiveness, the article details harmful traits—bitterness, pride, judgment, vengefulness—that poison relationships with God and others. By contrast, forgiveness reflects God’s nature, breaks captivity to sin, and restores freedom, intimacy, and spiritual vitality in the believer’s life.
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The Great Pronoun Debate: Should I Use Someone’s Preferred Pronouns?
Laura Smalts argues that using preferred pronouns contrary to biological sex conflicts with God’s intentional design of male and female in creation. She highlights purposes for sex distinctions—fruitfulness, complementary gifting, and whole‑body sexual differentiation—alongside research on the brain’s rapid recognition of sex. Smalts contends affirming cross‑sex identity harms truth and obscures God’s glory reflected differently in men and women. Practically, she advises kindness, restraint with pronouns, using given names cautiously, asking questions like Jesus, and prioritizing respectful, gospel‑centered conversations.
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Testimonies on YouTube
Curated testimonies on our YouTube channel. We hope you are blessed by these.
Keep Reading Porn & Sex are Women's Issues Too!
Host Garry Ingraham talks with guest Laura Leigh Stanlake.
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The 5 Streams: Differing Responses to LGBTQ
“The 5 Streams: Differing Responses to LGBTQ” by Linda Seiler, PhD, analyzes five major Christian perspectives—Condemnation, Affirmation, Accommodation, Mortification, and Transformation—on same-sex attraction and gender identity. Each stream is explained with its theological premise, understanding of sexual orientation’s origin, and practical pastoral care. The guide clarifies why views diverge, highlights representative ministries and authors, and contrasts outcomes for individuals seeking change. This resource empowers churches and readers to discern biblical truth and offer informed, compassionate support for those wrestling with LGBTQ questions.
Keep ReadingJan 2
2024
Doesn't God Hate Me If I'm a Porn Addict?
Episode 40 of the First Stone Ministries podcast features Joseph Thiessen and guest Garry Ingraham of Love & Truth Network addressing one of the most painful questions a person struggling with pornography addiction can ask — whether God hates them for their sin. Both men bring personal experience with sexual brokenness to the conversation, offering biblically grounded reassurance that God's love is not conditional on freedom from addiction, and that genuine healing and freedom are possible through Christ.
This article provides practical, biblically grounded advice for students battling pornography. Key strategies include seeking God and trusted friends for support, taking a digital detox to reset habits, using an alarm clock to break phone dependency, and employing the 15-minute rule to redirect temptation. The guide stresses the value of confession, repentance, and enjoying life as God designed it, aiming to help students build lifelong habits of purity and find satisfaction beyond fleeting temptations.
“Hope for the Homosexual” outlines First Stone Ministries’ approach to helping individuals overcome homosexuality and sexual struggles through faith, counseling, and support groups. Featuring the story of Stephen Black, a former homosexual transformed by his relationship with Christ, the article emphasizes that change is possible with biblical guidance and community. It documents the ministry’s origins, its compassionate approach to sexual brokenness, and testimonies of lives changed, ultimately offering hope and practical help rooted in Christian conviction.
“Teens, Porn and Solo Sex: Sex Talk in a Sex-Crazed Society” warns of the dangers of early exposure to pornography and masturbation, highlighting their deep, long-term impact. The article tackles the misconceptions and shame surrounding these topics in Christian communities, urging honest conversation, biblical understanding, and accountability. Teens are encouraged to seek genuine intimacy with God and others, recognizing that fulfillment is found in Christ—not in false intimacy or secret habits. The piece offers hope for healing and purity.
Jan 25
2001
A Letter of Victorious Living
In this January 2001 letter, Traci Brown writes to Stephen Black of First Stone Ministries to express gratitude for his role in her husband Clay's transformation from pornography addiction. Though initially cautious when Clay disclosed his past, Traci found no trace of the old struggle after three years of marriage. She credits First Stone's discipleship and the healing power of Jesus Christ for giving her a godly husband, a thriving marriage, and a growing family.
Dec 20
2000
A Battle Plan Against Porn That Works
“A Battle Plan Against Porn That Works” presents Bill Berry’s personal journey from bondage to pornography to freedom through Christ. The article outlines a proven, step-by-step battle plan rooted in Christian faith, beginning with surrender to Jesus, confession, and repentance. Readers are equipped with Scripture-based techniques—like memorizing and reciting key verses, seeking God’s strength, and staying spiritually vigilant—to resist temptation. The testimony demonstrates that genuine deliverance and enduring victory are possible for anyone willing to trust and follow God completely.
Jan 23
1999
Marriage and the Power of Porn
“Marriage and the Power of Porn” reveals how pornography undermines Christian marriage by damaging intimacy, distorting perceptions, and fostering secrecy. The article discusses why sexual sin is enslaving, progressive, and difficult to defeat alone, emphasizing the necessity of confession, accountability, and biblical counsel for recovery. Practical advice encourages spouses to foster honest dialogue and resist blame-shifting. Ultimately, the hope of the gospel is highlighted: true restoration, reconciliation, and victory over bondage are available in Christ for struggling couples.