The church can become a place of refuge again.
Addressing the silent struggle with clarity, compassion, and courage.
The Refuge Movement is being developed for pastors who want to engage sexual brokenness with greater clarity, compassion, and courage—both in their own lives and within the churches they lead.
The next pastors gathering is September 16.Join us at CityBridge Community Church for Called to Care, a practical workshop for pastors and ministry leaders.
The church should not have to wait for a crisis to begin creating safety.
Most churches respond to sexual brokenness when it surfaces. Few have created the conditions for healing before it does.
Our hope is not simply that churches respond well after pornography, unwanted sexual behavior, betrayal trauma, or hidden shame comes into the light. We want to help churches become places where people can step out of hiding, be fully known and loved, receive wise care, and walk a clear pathway toward freedom and restoration.
That work begins with pastors who have a safe place to be honest, receive support, and lead from growing health rather than isolation.
Care for the pastor. Equip the church.
The Refuge Movement holds together two realities that are often separated: pastors need meaningful care in their own journeys, and churches need intentional pathways for caring for others.
A place for pastors to be known
Pastors carry the weight of other people’s stories while often lacking a trusted place for their own. The cohort creates room for honest connection, personal reflection, spiritual care, and healing without performance or isolation.
A pathway for churches to respond wisely
Pastors will gain language, frameworks, and practical next steps for building safer and more redemptive pathways of care for individuals, spouses, families, and leaders impacted by sexual brokenness.
More than a single gathering
This is a recurring pastoral space designed to deepen honest relationships and move churches from reactive care toward thoughtful, sustainable ministry.
Honest connection
Meaningful conversation with pastors who understand the weight and complexity of ministry.
Clearer understanding
Biblically grounded and clinically informed insight into sexual brokenness, shame, and recovery.
Practical pathways
Frameworks for moving from crisis response to intentional care, recovery, and restoration.
Sustainable leadership
Next steps that honor each church’s context, capacity, and responsibility of care.
What the cohort will help pastors explore
The final sequence will be shaped with participating pastors, while remaining centered on the realities churches encounter most often.
Be the first to receive the details.
The dates, location, format, and participation details for the next cohort are still being finalized.
Complete the brief interest form to let us know you would like to be included. We will contact you when the cohort takes shape so you can review the details and decide whether it is the right fit.
Helping pastors lead with clarity, compassion, and courage
Joel Warneking
Executive Director, Men’s Ministry, 423 Communities
Ben Williams
Youth & Family Director, 423 Communities
Joel Warneking and Ben Williams lead a growing national recovery movement at 423 Communities. As PSAPs—Pastoral Sex Addiction Professionals—they serve pastors, churches, families, and individuals navigating the realities of sexual brokenness, betrayal, addiction, shame, and recovery.
423 Communities provides recovery groups, leadership development, pastoral training, resources, and recovery initiatives for men, women, betrayed spouses, teens, parents, and church leaders.
423 Communities exists to strengthen the local church by helping leaders build safer, wiser, and more redemptive pathways of care for those impacted by unwanted sexual behavior, pornography, betrayal trauma, and hidden shame.
You do not have to lead this conversation alone.
Join the interest list for the upcoming pastoral cohort and help the church become a place of refuge again.
Submitting the form expresses interest only. There is no commitment until the final cohort details are announced.