APPLE VALLEY, Minn. (www.WCCO.com) ― The topic of pornography is something hard to imagine discussing in church. But a growing number of congregations are doing just that in a very dramatic way through a ministry called “Every Man’s Battle for Sexual Purity.”

“I think it’s a huge problem with men in general,” said River Valley Church Pastor Rob Ketterling [pictured].

For the past five years, a Minnesota minister has fought to help men overcome the desire to watch porn. It’s a purity boot camp.

“I think a guy that says he doesn’t have an issue with lust in not being honest,” said Ketterling. “It used to be you had to go somewhere to get pornography and even be of age or you’d have to sneak.”

But now, anyone with a computer, iPod or cell phone can download porn in private, with just a click of a button.

Pastor Dr. Irv Woolf knows first hand just how easy it is.

“I’ve been through sexual sin in my own life. I’ve been through sexual addiction,” said Woolf, who is the director of the National Coalition for Purity.

So Woolf made it his mission to help other men fight their reliance on pornography.

“In 2002, I put it out for the whole church and said any guy that wants to come we’re going to do a big event. We’re going to do the battle,” said Woolf.

The event is called Every Man’s Battle for Sexual Purity.

“Every guy struggles with lust,” said Ketterling.

The battle begins with guys wearing camouflage and dog tags.

“It may look corny but it’s very effective, it’s really cool,” said Ketterling.

The military theme is deliberate.

“It’s high on discipline. We live in a very undisciplined age,” said Woolf.

The war recently waged at River Valley Church in Apple Valley uses scripture and real life testimonials to steer average viewers away from porn.

“Continually confronted with temptation, I occasionally crossed the line, renting movies, buying magazines. I just could not say no, I was ashamed every time,” said participant Gene Fredrickson.

This army is enlisting more than 300 soldiers during this particular event.

“It’s really every man’s battle for purity when it comes to lust,” said Ketterling.

At the end of the battle, the men make an emotional, symbolic surrender.

“It wraps up with a call for every guy at the very end to say ‘Are you going to finally take it serious, live pure?'” said Ketterling.

“Confess your sins, then go over to the foot of the cross and plant your white flag of surrender on purity hill,” said Woolf. “It’s time for you to declare yourself liberated. It’s time for the Lord Jesus Christ to set the captives free.”

Organizers say tests they give after the 16-week purity platoons and boot camp show 92 percent of men participating kick their porn viewing habit. Church leaders also say couples they tested showed a significant increase in marital satisfaction.

For more information on the National Coalition for Purity click on the link below.