Daniel Herbster
reporting
I had the opportunity
to interview Rick Schatz, the President and CEO of the National Coalition for the Protection
of Children & Families, about his work protecting families. Here is my interview with Rick.
DH: What is the
mission of the National Coalition? Are
you primarily concerned with local or national issues?
RS: Our mission
at the National Coalition for the Protection of Children & Families is to move the people of God to embrace, live
out, preserve and advance the truth of biblical sexuality. We address and
are concerned about pornography, the sexualized messages of the culture,
premarital sex among teens and young adults, marriage and the redefinition of
marriage, and the homosexual political agenda.
We are concerned with both national and local issues. On the national level, we work with
denominations, major corporations, the Department of Justice, Federal
Communications Commission, and CTIA – The Wireless Association. Locally, we work with churches, Christian
schools, para-church ministries and individual believers and their families
through our regional offices located in Atlanta,
Charlotte, Columbus,
Kansas City, New England, Seattle,
St. Louis and here in Cincinnati where our corporate headquarters are located.
DH: How did it get started?
RS: Jerry Kirk was senior pastor of College Hill
Presbyterian Church in Cincinnati.
Through his counseling he recognized pornography and the sexualized culture
were having a devastating impact on marriages and especially young people. He formed the National Coalition in 1983 and
then left the pastorate at College Hill in 1986 to be full time with the National
Coalition.
DH: What are some of your greatest achievements
as an organization?
RS: From a national perspective, we have
encouraged the development, passage and implementation of some of the strongest
legislation in our nation’s history focused on illegal pornography and sex tourism. We have encouraged law enforcement efforts of
the Justice Department and FCC, and have challenged corporations such as
Abercrombie & Fitch, AT&T and General Motors to leave the pornography
business and reduce the sexual content of their marketing efforts.
We have developed some powerful materials, both written and
visual, educating pastors, Christian leaders, parents and young people about
the threat of pornography and the sexualized culture in which we live. In addition, we have brought together the
broadest range of the faith community in the history of our country to address
pornography by forming the Religious Alliance Against Pornography (RAAP) in
1986. RAAP has been used to meet with
two Presidents and five Attorneys General over the years and has played a major
role in educating the faith community in the United States.
Through our regional offices, we have worked with hundreds
of churches and Christian schools across the country through the distribution
of materials, speaking engagements, conferences and retreats. Our website and media and public relations
efforts have reached millions of Americans with the message of the National
Coalition and have encouraged parents to talk to their children about sexuality
and the threats of our culture.
DH: How can people make a difference in their
communities for families and against pornography? What are some practical steps they could take
to make their communities safer and cleaner?
RS: The first thing people can do is to make sure
their own lives are pure in terms of their thoughts and behavior. The challenge we face is not simply from
pornography but from the desensitization that has taken place through the
sexualized culture in which we live.
Beyond personal integrity and righteousness, people must focus on
strengthening their own marriages and talking with their children and
grandchildren about the issue of biblical sexuality, celebrating marriage and sexual
purity. Individuals can also gather
together to make a difference in a community-wide effort standing against
sexually oriented businesses and encouraging law enforcement officials to take
action to support and strengthen their communities. Working together they can also develop a
culture in which pornographic materials are not accepted.
DH: What kind of resources do you offer to help
those struggling with pornography or those who have been victimized by pornography
or the sex industry?
RS: We have a Confidential HelpLine which is (800)
583-2964 that individuals struggling with sexual addiction or their loved ones
can call to get free pastoral counseling, support and information. We also have
established a nationwide referral network of Christian counselors and
therapists who can help individuals. We also
have a program which helps pastors and church leaders set up support groups for
men and women who need counseling and support.
In addition to our restoration efforts, we have tremendous materials
that can help individuals stay free from the snare of sexual and pornography
addiction.
DH: How could our readers find out more about the
National Coalition and how could they support you in your efforts?
RS: Please visit our website, www.nationalcoalition.org, to
obtain more information about our work and the materials available. Readers can support us through their prayers,
personal financial support and by taking specific action steps to protect their
own lives, their marriages and their families from the destructive impact of
the sexualized culture.
DH: Are there any other resources you offer of
which our readers should be aware?
RS: I would encourage all those who are interested
in helping their families to purchase:
- Sex & Young America curriculum
- Sex & Young America: The Real Deal parent DVD
- Cultural Apologetics
booklet series
- What Every Parent Needs to Know About educational series
These resources, along with other materials such as our
newsletters and Counseling & Support booklets, can be very helpful in
directing God’s people to live lives of purity, righteousness and joy.
DH: Thanks for
taking the time to tell our readers about your organization. Keep up the great work.