The latest statistics on pornography and the church were released by the Barna Group at the Set Free Summit in Greensboro, NC earlier this year. The existing statistics were daunting enough, stating that 68% of church going men viewed Porn on a regular basis.
The latest stats, available in a report called The Porn Phenomenon, reveal that the porn epidemic is escalating.
Earlier in the year, Josh McDowell who commissioned the research revealed that “Of young adults 18-24 years old, 76 percent actively – and these are Christians – actively seek out porn.”
Additionally, when asked about a friend’s porn use, 49% of young adults say that all or most of their friends view porn regularly.
As you would probably assume the Internet has taken over from the pornographic magazines, DVDs and VCRs, with most people accessing porn through online video.
Pornography isn’t just created by the porn industry anymore, with 62% of teens saying they have received nude images, while 40% have sent a nude image, usually to a boyfriend or girlfriend.
Porn is now not just a male issue, with 33% of females aged 13-24 using porn regularly.
The church is currently ill equipped to deal with this epidemic. Only 9% of church goers and 7% of Pastors say that they have a program at their church to help those struggling with pornography.
Film Director and CEO of KingdomWorks Studios, Jeremy Wiles, first heard the stats on pornography and the church several years ago and was stirred by the Holy Spirit to make a film series for men on sexual integrity.
And so the Conquer Series was born, a Cinematic DVD series where over 350,000 men are now learning to conquer Porn and walk in freedom. The series features former Marine Fighter Pilot, Dr. Ted Robert who is a Pastor and Founder of Pure Desire Ministries. Dr. Ted has counselled countless men, including many church leaders who have struggled with porn.
During the Conquer Series, Dr. Ted discusses why so many people in the church can’t stop viewing porn. Churches often treat this issue as a moral one, but fail to recognize it’s mainly a brain problem, “We tell men to try harder, pray harder, love Jesus more.” Dr. Roberts adds, “But, what starts off as a moral problem, quickly becomes a brain problem. Telling a man to try harder is only tightening the ‘noose’ of bondage.”
Today, science sheds new light on biblical truth regarding strongholds of the mind and how a person becomes enslaved to sin.
When a mother is breastfeeding her child, her brain releases neurochemicals that bond her to her child. When you watch porn, these same powerful neurochemicals such as dopamine are released, which bond you to those images. This is why Satan attacks our sexuality so much, because in attacking human sexuality it actually interferes with human bonding. According to neuropsychologist, Dr. Tim Jennings, “Any type of repetitive behavior will create trails in our brain that are going to fire on an automatic sequence.” The result is years of bondage.
Thankfully, the Conquer Series has become “ground zero” for the movement to help men overcome pornography. Churches typically run the series over five weeks as part of their men’s ministry or as a small group study.
The Ministry that commissioned the latest research into pornography and the church also calls for churches to use the Conquer Series, “Josh McDowell Ministry highly recommends this curriculum for individuals, men’s small group studies and churches.”
“We are hearing stories every week from guys who have a newfound sense of freedom in their lives because of what God is doing through the Conquer Series,” says Director, Jeremy Wiles.
“If you would have told me this film series put together by our small team was going to impact hundreds of thousands of men in the church, I wouldn’t have believed you. All we’ve done is given men a battle plan for freedom and shown them that God’s unrelenting love is what sets them free.”
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