Every second, 28,258 people are watching pornography. It’s a global pandemic that shows no signs of waning — one that is destroying millions of marriages and families.
But there is help and there is hope.
In the Pure Victory Podcast, Braden Hafner (FamilyLife Canada’s Regional Director for Alberta) and Matt Cline (Director of Restored Ministries) speak firsthand of the freedom and hope they have found from their pornography addictions.
As hosts, they engage in faith-based discussions about finding lasting freedom from porn and what God’s design is for healthy sexuality. They share their own experiences as well as invite guests onto the show to talk about specific issues and struggles.
Several years ago, Matt and Braden, both from Edmonton, ran two in-person conferences together in 2018 and 2019, but when COVID-19 hit, they were forced to rethink their strategy.
Braden’s wife, Kristen, had already been telling them for about a year to do a podcast, so they figured that when they couldn’t do anything else, it was finally the right time. Starting with just seven downloads in April of 2020, the Pure Victory Podcast now gets more than 4500 downloads a month.
The vision for Pure Victory is simple: that people get closer to Jesus and find lasting freedom from porn addiction. Matt and Braden’s desire is to see Jesus break down whatever is in the way of people fully knowing Him and receiving His love. This is their ultimate goal, what they pray happens in the lives of their listeners. Through honest, shame-free conversations, they create an atmosphere where no one is disqualified from receiving the grace of God.
For years, so many people have suffered in silence. In the past, the Christian answer to having a porn addiction was often, “Just pray more.” The Pure Victory Podcast has a way of normalizing and de-stigmatizing the issues and gives practical tools for how to get porn out of your life.
If you’ve never listened to an episode before, Braden and Matt recommend starting with episodes two and three, which feature their personal stories.
Another episode they highly recommend is #138, which is also their most listened-to episode: “Breaking Free From The Cycles of Porn Use.”
If you are married to someone who struggles with porn, consider listening to episode 142: “Help! My Husband is Looking at Porn.”
People from 124 countries are tuning in to the podcast, with over 47,000 downloads in 2023. But Matt and Braden say the best part is hearing how God is changing people’s lives through it. Often, when listeners first come across Pure Victory, they’re so full of shame they can’t reach out or even admit the full extent of their struggle. But then gradually many do get in contact and ask for help.
A man from Europe recently let Matt and Braden know that after he came across the podcast, he binge-listened to all the episodes. It was a major factor in getting clean after so many years of struggling. He wrote, “Just wanted to reach out and thank you for the Pure Victory Podcast. It has been very important for me in my recovery and healing…. My wife encouraged me to reach out to you, and tell you that what you’re doing is making a difference.”
The Pure Victory Podcast isn’t just for those who have an active porn addiction. It’s for parents and grandparents who want to better understand our current cultural climate. It’s for married people to understand how to protect their marriage. It’s for singles to know what it means to have sexual wellness when they’re not in a relationship. Everyone has a sex drive; we could all use some wisdom to live healthier in our sexuality.
If you are struggling with a porn addiction — or are the partner of someone who is — here are some additional resources to help you in your journey. There is help and hope and light, even when it feels so dark.
Restored Ministries | Try Matt's Course: Overcoming Porn and Healing Your Marriage
(get 10% off with promo code — restored)
sherecovery.com (porn addiction recovery for women)
hopeafterbetrayal.com (for women wounded by sexual betrayal)
Hope Restored (marriage intensive hosted by Focus on the Family Canada)