Fall 2013 // fireproofministries.com
Special Issue
Re think, Rejoice, Relaun ch
Inside the NEW by Emma Anderton
As is usually the case, I get excited a lot. Let me explain: way back in 2002 when we first launched XXXchurch.com, I let my mouth run ahead of my brain. I often do this—though not as much as I used to—and it usually winds up meaning that I commit myself to making something happen before I know exactly how it’s going to happen. And that’s what transpired back in ’02, when I announced to a bunch of pastors how XXXchurch would eventually introduce a software program that would keep track of where you went online and reported any questionable sites to an accountability partner—and that it would be free. This led to a series of phone calls and emails with a developer and, eventually, to X3watch, the free accountability software I promised off the top of my head during that interview.
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It’s no secret—at least not around XXXchurch—that X3watch has become a cornerstone for much of the recovery this ministry offers. After all, over a million people have down-
When you get intentional about this type of stuff, you open up your world.
loaded the accountability software since it was introduced. And so that prompts the question: why tinker with something that is so phenomenally successful? X3watch project leader Ryan Russell explains. “Everyone online needs a strategy,” says Russell. “We all have strategies in other parts of our lives, that maybe we don’t always recognize—in our diet, or our workouts, or when we plan our workday.” The key, according to Russell, is implementing that strategic concept into our computer time. And that’s the thrust behind the relaunched X3watch—that it is not a preventive tool to keep you from doing something bad; instead it is a strategic tool that allows for intentionality to help people make healthy online choices. “The new X3watch was redesigned from the get-go to be all about championing online health and creating community connections among the people who use it,” explains Russell. “When you get intentional about this type of stuff, you open up your world.” Coninued page 5 >
I’m excited. Since then, X3watch has been downloaded more than a million times and has gained a global reach, keeping people accountable around the world. X3watch has grown from an idea to become greater than we ever imagined at the start. In other words, X3watch is growing up. And so we’re celebrating it by relaunching it. We took everything great about X3watch and enhanced it, then added a whole bunch of other new, great features that we couldn’t be more excited about. X3watch is now poised not only to offer accountability to exponentially more people, but also to create additional funding for XXXchurch and allow us to reach the audacious goals we’ve set for our ministry (just a reminder: you can keep up with those goals at X3goals.com).
So take a moment or a few to read through this issue as we introduce you to the completely new X3watch, redesigned from the ground up. You’ll learn why we felt the need to redo the software, what we’ve incorporated into this new product, and how useful it has been in the past—and how much more useful it will be in a future of ever-present internet devices. The world is going to get more accountable and more people are going to find the freedom that comes with living out in the open with a few other close friends. It’s going to be great, and we couldn’t be happier that X3watch is going to be part of it. Staying open,
Craig
Fall 2013 // fireproofministries.com
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Re t h i n k ,
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Re j o i c e ,
Re l a u n c h
I n s i de
the
new
x3watch
The goal is to cause people to rethink accountability... and realize the tremendous benefits that come from it. Speaking of getting intentional, one of the main reasons for relaunching a completely new version of X3watch was to get more intentional with the software itself. The original version of X3watch was cobbled together by multiple developers, with features tacked on as necessary. Eventually the software became unwieldy, so Russell has led a software team that has gone back to the beginning to think X3watch through holistically, from the ground up. “We really wanted to provide people with a growth tool, because that’s what accountability really is all about,” says Russell. “And so we had to go back to the beginning and think of ways we could do that, to frame X3watch for what it really is: a good thing.” Russell is quick to point out that most people automatically think of a word like “accountability” as being front-loaded with negative connotations, and a major part of the shift with the new version of X3watch is to help remove any negative stigma from a concept like accountability. Instead, the goal is to cause people to rethink accountability and realize the tremendous benefits that come from it. Coninued page 6 >
Fall 2013 // fireproofministries.com
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Re t h i n k ,
Re j o i c e ,
Re l a u n c h
It was this driving philosophy that led not only to X3watch,
What worked out was an audacious request that sailed
but an entirely new form of accountability in X3watch
through the halls at McAfee—an exit deal that allows
PREMIUM, a feature-rich, subscriber-based version of the
XXXchurch to retain all X3watch PRO subscribers.
software that promises to be a game-changer in the world of accountability—and for the ministry of XXXchurch. But the reasons for the relaunch also go beyond the philosophical. There were some practical considerations as well. Namely, licensing. The original free version of the software was its own entity, while the more benefit-heavy (and subscriber-based) X3watch PRO version was developed
How in the world did this happen? Russell has a theory: “God’s favor,” he says simply. Regardless of any divine implications, XXXchurch is taking full advantage of the opportunity afforded them, developing X3watch PREMIUM, the long-awaited, fully supported, robust, game-changing accountability software.
and packaged by a company called Internet Safety. The two
Included in X3watch PREMIUM are a host of new benefits,
versions sat side by side in the eyes of those who visited
including new parental controls, more stable technology,
X3watch.com, but in fact were mostly different entities.
synergy across multiple platforms (mobile and desktop will now work together), compatibility with the new iPhone 5
Included in X3watch Premium new parental controls more stable technology obile and desktop apps m work together ompatibility with the iPhone 5 c screen dimensions In-house customer support Universal administration
screen dimensions, and, to the rejoicing of many, in-house customer support. Also rejoicing: parents, who now have access to a version of X3watch that actively focuses on protecting their kids while online. Previous iterations have merely been about reporting, while X3watch PREMIUM is about filtering and making sure that kids don’t go where they shouldn’t, whether they’re getting there accidentally or intentionally. Other X3watch PREMIUM users will surely do cartwheels when they learn that the new software will have universal administration, meaning users can manage all their settings and devices across the board with one login. “We want to
Complications arose when Internet Safety was purchased by the software giant McAfee, who took on the ongoing
want accountability to be nothing but helpful.”
development and support for X3watch PRO. Unfortunately,
But most of all, X3watch is now completely in the hands of XXXchurch
McAfee had no vision for accountability as a software feature
once more, and the plans for the future are bright indeed.
and ultimately decided to end their efforts at continuing to develop and support X3watch PRO.
“We couldn’t be more excited about what X3watch means going forward,” says Russell. “Not only will X3watch
“That was actually kind of a win for us,” says Russell, looking
PREMIUM open up new avenues for us as a ministry, but it will
on the bright side. “We weren’t thrilled with the support they
exponentially increase our number-one goal: helping people.”
were offering our users, and so this worked out well.”
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make things easier and more beneficial,” says Russell. “We
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And that alone makes it worth the wait.
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age most kids see porn
13 in
women view porn
3 4
of porn is viewed by men
Platform Parenting by Adam Palmer
An Online Strategy for the Kevin Outland, a speaker who’s been working with XXXchurch.com for over ten years, often tells a sobering story about his niece, who, when she was eight years old, asked her mother if she could visit the website for a popular doll company called American Girl. The mother agreed, and off went the little girl to the computer to spend some time hanging out on the website of her favorite doll company. Except Outland’s niece didn’t quite understand yet how websites work and determined that she didn’t need to type out the entire company name. After all, the word “American” is pretty difficult for an eight-year-old to spell. And so she typed out something else in the computer’s web browser, then, after seeing what happened to come up on the screen, ran out of the room and to her mother, telling her the whole story. She’d typed in “Girls.com.” Cris Logan—another XXXchurch.com speaker and blogger, who has been working with kids and parents for many years—has a similar story, though it’s so new she hasn’t had much opportunity to tell it. Logan recently met with a family that was out to dinner, and they’d taken their toddler with them. Seeking to keep the little one quiet in the restaurant, one of the parents handed off their smartphone to play with. Within a few minutes, however, the toddler had opened an internet browser window, randomly typed a few letters and characters into the search bar, and pulled up several links to pornographic websites. A toddler. At random.
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Touchscreen Generation Outland’s and Logan’s separate stories give a crucial insight to the alwaysconnected, always-on world we now inhabit. Namely: it isn’t going away. “Whenever I’ve talked about this, the number one comment I’ve gotten from parents in the last ten years,” Outland says, “is ‘I was so naïve and I had no idea.’” According to Outland, most parents he encounters are floored when they find out the prevalence and availability of online pornography. “90% of kids between the ages of 8 and 16 have viewed porn
Fall 2013 // fireproofministries.com
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online,” he says, emphasizing that this exposure is often accidental or due to typos, like the situation with his niece. Logan agrees. “No kid is immune to getting caught up in this issue,” she says. “Every single parent who discovers their child has a porn problem was the type of parent who said, ‘I have good kids, smart kids, and they would never look for that type of content.’” The problem is that, all too often, that content finds them. And it’s only getting more complicated as we add devices and availability.
Enter X3watch PREMIUM “For a long time, we were talking about keeping the computer in the public area of the home,” says Logan. “but now, with laptops and smartphones or gaming devices, there are so many different platforms where people can access the internet. You have to realize it’s not enough to protect your [home] computer—you need a product [like X3watch] on… every single device that connects to the internet.” Outland offers a helpful analogy: “Would you ever let your kids stay home by themselves if every channel on your cable TV
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was available to them? If they could flip to any channel, would you leave your kids with the remote? Of course not! But you do that same thing when you let your kids access an unfiltered internet.” X3watch PREMIUM is very much like a parental control for your cable box, providing a way to “limit the channels,” so to speak, that your children can access, making sure they visit only ageappropriate sites. It’s also worth noting that both Outland and Logan make sure to use the generic terminology “kids,” because, while our culture often consider pornography addiction to be a “male” problem, that is no longer the case. “It’s not just a boys’ issue,” says Logan. “Girls are struggling as much with this [now] as boys do. You don’t just need [protection] for your sons, you need it for your daughters. Pornography targets both genders.” Ultimately, though, both Logan and Outland agree that the responsibility for keeping kids safe from pornography lies with their parents. “As parents, we’re the door,” Outland says. “We buy the internet access. We provide the devices, whether it’s a tablet or smartphone or laptop or computer. And because of that, we’re the ones responsible for it. We have to do something about that to make sure our kids are safe.”
50% of every dollar funds ministry projects
The Online Lifeline
by Elliott Lewis
Since we introduced X3watch, we’ve gotten countless stories from people around the world who have found freedom and integrity through online accountability. Originally conceived as a tool simply for computers, X3watch has undergone a remarkable transformation to become a lifeline for its users. As smartphones and other mobile products like iPads or the iPod Touch have made it possible to take porn with you wherever you go, X3watch has evolved right alongside, becoming an integral part in helping many stay spiritually strong, as well as helping families maintain an innocence that the porn world is all too happy to steal.
mentioning pornography that I had forgotten how to be real, open, honest, and how to ask for help,” he says. But no more. “[X3watch] has taken the awkwardness out of talking about pornography and lust,” says Kuest. “When I do stumble and fall, X3watch
I had forgotten how to be real, open, honest, and how to ask for help
“I use X3watch on all the electronic devices we have in our family,” says Eric Slagle, an X3watch user and member of one of our X3groups. “[The software] helps give peace of mind to those who care about you and [who want to] hold you accountable for your online actions.”
According to Slagle, X3watch has graduated from a novel necessity in his home to become a natural part of not just his routine, but also his entire family’s online mindset. “It’s great for accountability and also allows us to monitor our children’s web usage.” Kyle Kuest is not yet a husband or father, but as a young man he also understands the tremendous benefits of X3watch. “For so long I had experience shame when talking about or
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gives my Dad an email and lets him know that we need to chat and lets him know how he can be praying for me on a weekly basis.” This is exactly the kind of honesty and strength that men are finding through using X3watch, discovering that a software they initially associated with negative emotions can, in fact, become a lifeline of encouragement and discipleship. Kuest sums it up beautifully. “I am not perfect,” he says, “but… God continues to show me grace and have patience with me through everything.” And that’s the heart of X3watch.
Fall 2013 // fireproofministries.com
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Works on all your devices with one account, one report and one admin panel. Download on your Mac, PC, iPhone, iPad, iPod touch, Android phone and Android tablet.
Premium
Features
$6.99 or $64.99 per month per year save 20%
Works on all your devices with individual report, separate admin panel and device specific accountability management. Free to download on your Mac, PC, iPhone, iPad, iPod touch, Android phone and Android tablet.
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Monitors pornographic sites Send reports to accountability partners Works on a PC and a MAC Customer/Tech Support
Optionally blocks sites and P2P Clip-by-clip YouTube filtering option
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Works on 10 computers
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User-managed whitelists User-managed filtering strength Toggle blocking on/off Single report for all devices Choose reporting day Maintain 2 months of history report Send reports now Unlimited mobile devices Unlimited desktop Notify uninstalls Tech support Monthly/yearly payment options
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Safe-search option
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Beyond: Three Steps to Recovery by Jennifer Johnson & Adam Palmer
While we’ve been talking a lot in this issue about the vital nature of X3watch, it remains only one component of recovery from porn addiction. Since we exist to set people completely free from the bondage of pornography, we’d like to take a page to remind everyone of those three steps:
1 get
ACCOUNTABLE Start your recovery journey with this critical first step. You can’t deal with any addiction—whether that’s porn, gambling, substance abuse, you name it—if it remains a secret! And since most porn consumption is done online, it’s crucial to have great software to both monitor and filter any internet connection you have. Obviously, we recommend X3watch.
[ X3watch.com ]
2 get
3get
Informed
real
Addiction is not simple—many spiritual, psychological, and biological factors play into a person’s sexual dependence. This is why Fireproof Ministries developed the X3pure workshops, to provide information the recovering addict needs on issues surrounding pornography, sexual addiction, and the nature of sexual temptation. Groups are tailored to each person’s needs with sessions specifically designed for men, women, parents, and couples. Knowledge is power in the battle for sexual purity; X3pure is here to give you the weapons you need.
[ X3pure.com ]
No matter how much information you have, you can’t walk the road of recovery on your own. Healing is better together, so the third step in this journey is to connect with a supportive community to seek healing, find help, share struggles, and process emotions. X3groups were intentionally designed to do just that, providing community in a convenient, anonymous, and secure setting—a safe space where you can work through your struggles with a trained leader, and get practical next steps along the way.
[ X3groups.com ]
Check out the new
video from Tripp and Tyler called “iAccountable ”
Fall 2013 // fireproofministries.com
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Some Kind Words
Jon Kitna
former NFL quarterback
“If you don’t want to put this software on your computer then you are just a coward. You really don’t want to walk with God. You are not a real man in this area of pornography. Instead, you would rather keep that door open and right there for your moments of weakness.”
Allison Watson Mother of Four
“X3watch enables me to be a better mom and it’s fantastic. I love the peace of mind that comes from knowing x3watch protects my kids online while they are doing homework, playing games and searching for things that my kids love to learn about.”
Ryan Pickett Green Bay Packers
“X3watch works! This simple software helps me and my family, blocking all the sites on the internet we don’t want coming into our home.”
Shawn Case
Executive Pastor, SouthBrook Christian Church
“I’ve used X3watch software since it was first available for myself and for the students and staffs I’ve led. I love that there’s a relational element to it and it makes space for honest conversations. X3watch has given me several opportunities to bring grace into situations that could have just brought shame.”
Matt Hasselbeck Indianapolis Colts
“I think this software has also strengthened my marriage. Any site that I may go to, [my wife] sees… she is going to know what’s up and it gives her a lot of security.”
Josh McCown Chicago Bears
“[X3watch] enabled me to have some accountability, and it was a great moment of freedom for me.”
Jake Luhrs vocalist, August Burns Red
“X3Watch is for the man who knows he isn’t strong enough on his own, and for the man who knows accountability is what makes you strong.”
Ryan Meeks
Eastlake Community Church
“X3watch has been a part of my life and ministry for over 10 years. I have seen the freedom that comes to the lives of people when we all get open, honest, and accountable.”
Over 1M downloads of the free software
Dream Team
In order to secure the funds necessary to develop and launch the completely redesigned X3watch, we turned to our Board of Directors, as well as some of our most consistent and supportive donors and ministry partners. We could not have done this without their generosity and we are intensely grateful for their support. We called this group “The Dream Team” and we could not have done this without them.
Find out more about them at: X3watch.com/dreamteam
Pastors:
Download X3watch for all your online devices for free!
At Fireproof Ministries, we understand that temptation doesn’t stop when you get on church property, which is why we offer X3watch PREMIUM at bulk pricing rates for churches. Get accountability for your entire staff, as well as online security and protection for your church family. Head to X3watch.com/pastors to: • Download fliers for your congregation • Watch the new crazy video from Tripp and Tyler called “iAccountable ” • Find out more about X3watch PREMIUM • Get your free version of X3watch for all your online devices
Fall 2013 // fireproofministries.com
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Open•Open Available Now
Open: the new book from Craig Gross Find out how to become accountable
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