May 30, 2025

Taboo Topics in Church: Pastor Mike Novotny on Porn, Grace & Confession

11 minutes

In this episode of The Covenant Eyes Podcast, hosts Karen Potter and Rob Stoddard sit down with Pastor Mike Novotny, lead speaker for Time of Grace and author of Taboo: Topics Christians Should Be Talking About, But Don’t.

Pastor Mike shares his personal journey with pornography, the vital role of confession, and how shame and silence often prevent healing. He discusses how churches can break the cycle by speaking openly and biblically about tough topics—from pornography and sexual intimacy in marriage to race, politics, abuse, and mental health.

🔥 Key takeaways from this episode:

1) The transformative power of confession and community
2) Why churches must start the hard conversations first
3) Tools and scripture to combat temptation and shame
4) Encouragement for anyone feeling alone in their struggle

📘 Get Pastor Mike’s book “Taboo”:
https://www.amazon.com/Taboo-Topics-Christians-Should-Talking/dp/1957616555

🌐 Connect with Time of Grace:
https://timeofgrace.org/

👀 Learn How Covenant Eyes Works:
https://cvnteyes.co/4gb6xme

👉 Don't forget to like, subscribe, and share to help spread the message of grace and freedom.

#PornAddiction #ChristianPodcast #PastorMikeNovotny #CovenantEyes #TimeOfGrace #TabooTopics #Confession #ChurchLeadership #MentalHealth #FreedomInChrist #Accountability

CHAPTERS:
00:00 - Intro with Karen Potter and Rob Stoddard
00:23 - Meet Pastor Mike Novotny: Family, Ministry, and Media
01:00 - About the book “Taboo”
01:36 - Pastor Mike’s personal story with pornography
02:20 - Why managing sin alone doesn't work
03:09 - The three-step framework to healing
04:15 - The power of gospel-centered support
05:10 - Identifying triggers and patterns
06:06 - Community, accountability, and spiritual strategy
06:35 - Finding a trusted ally
07:25 - How churches can talk about pornography
08:19 - The importance of pastoral honesty
09:06 - Preaching hard truths with grace
09:54 - How to connect with Pastor Mike and get “Taboo”
10:15 - Closing encouragement: God's love never fails