out of balance can lead to inappropriate emotional relationships that can become 
It is crucial to provide a comprehensive and systemic approach to intervention, treatment, and ongoing care for leaders. At the same time, it is essential to be proactive and forthright in broadly addressing this issue within the Church. Sexuality is an area that the Church tends to downplay, yet it is a vital part of the human condition. Forty-four percent of churchgoers want to hear more scriptural teaching from their pastors on the subject of sex, and 22 percent of pastors feel they should spend more time on the topic (Moeller, 2005). Yet, very little time is spent on the topic in seminary training for clergy. Support and care groups for parishioners in the Church often deal with almost every area of life except this one.
Education of clergy and congregations alike on issues related to transference and countertransference is vital. Transference occurs when one person transfers onto another deeply held feelings for significant others in his or her past. These feelings may be positive or negative, but they are powerful and the end result is the person is not able to see and relate to the other person realistically; to feel love for the transference object—a love that is often sexualized in fantasy or fact. Countertransference is the feelings the other person has when a transference is made to him or her. People such as doctors, psychologists, and counselors who are in positions of care or authority often are objects of transference. Pastors direct parishioners in one of the most intimate areas of their lives, spirituality, and they care for parishioners during the most intimate moments of their lives—sacramental moments, birth, marriage, new life, and death. If the pastor does not understand the love feelings from the members of his congregation for what they are, he is at risk to think the feelings are about him and, if he is in a vulnerable position, might possibly develop counter feelings of his own and act on them. Doctors, psychologists, and counselors are intentionally trained to recognize and deal with patient-client transference and their own countertransference. Amazingly, there is rarely if ever any training for pastors on this issue and it is essential. The issue of the abuse of power (Garland, 2011) in the pastorate, in most cases, stems directly from a lack of understanding of the relational dynamics of transference and countertransference on the part of the pastor. The Church tends to live a life based around family dynamics (the household of the faith); therefore, this issue is especially relevant in Church life. Both the seminary and the Church must train their pastors in this dynamic, and it is in the best interests of the Church at large that all parishioners be trained to recognize this dynamic (Thoburn & Whitman, 2004).
In a more open and supportive environment, the shame that propels problematic sexual behavior can be dispelled (John 8:32). It is important to establish education and support formats to address and monitor the risk for sexual addiction. It is equally, if not more significantly, a necessity to have educational formats and resources to cultivate sexual integrity and healthy intimacy for individuals, couples, and families in the Church (see chapters 12 and 13 for more information). Integrating these priorities into the mission of the Church is the best intervention for problematic sexual behavior and its devastation. This approach significantly redirects God’s gift of sexuality to enable a healthy and resilient Church for the long term.
References
Carnes, P. (1991). Don’t call it love: Recovery from sexual addiction. New York: Bantam Books.
Carnes, P. (2005). Facing the shadow: Starting sexual and relationship recovery. Carefree, AZ: Gentle Path Press.
Davies, M. (2003). Clergy sexual addiction: A systemic preventative model. Sexual Addiction & Compulsivity, 10: 99–109.
Garland, D. (2011). Clergy sexual misconduct: Awareness and prevention. http://www.baylor.edu/clergysexualmisconduct/.
Joy, D. (1997). Bonding: Relationships in the image of God. Nappance, IN: Evangel Publishing House.
Laaser, M. and Gregoire, L. J., (2003). Pastors and cybersex addiction. Sexual and Relationship Therapy, 18, 3, 395-404.
Moeller, B. (2005). Christians and Sex, Leadership journal survey. Leadership Journal.
Ruth, K. S., & McClintock, K. A. (2007). Healthy disclosure: Solving communication quandaries in congregations. Herndon, VA: The Alban Institute.
Roberts, T. (2008). The restoration of the soul of a church: A proposed plan for the restoration of pastoral leadership after moral failure. (Unpublished manuscript)
Thoburn, J. W. (1991). Predictive factors regarding extra-marital sexual activity among male Protestant clergy (Doctoral dissertation). Fuller Theological Seminary. Dissertation Abstracts International, 52 (9), 4962B.
Thoburn, J. W., & Balswick, J. O. (1998). Demographic data on extra-marital sexual behavior in ministry. Journal of Pastoral Psychology, 42, 447–457.
Thoburn, J. W., & Whitman, D. M. (2004). Clergy affairs: Emotional investment, longevity of relationship and affair partners. Journal of Pastoral Psychology, 52 (4), 491–506.
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