Statistics reveal that the increase in the amount and reach of pornography cannot be ignored. But it is not just a problem affecting men. Women, teenagers, and children are also being caught in the web of pornography at alarming rates.

Many Christians may assume that the church is immune. They see the smiling faces of the people who attend their church. Certainly such godly folks could not be viewing pornography.

But many studies and reports have come out over the last several years that show quite a disturbing picture. Not only has pornography invaded churches, but in many cases, the statistics show that Christians – and even church pastors – engage in viewing porn at almost the same rates as the secular population.

What The Numbers Show

The research studies, primarily by the Barna Group and Covenant Eyes, reveal that initial exposure to porn begins in childhood and progresses.

Access to porn is increasingly easy due to the wide variety of formats now available, such as printed materials, the internet, DVDs, television, and more.

Let’s look at some data to see the scope and effects of porn in society and the church.

Over 40 million Americans are regular visitors to porn sites. The average visit lasts 6 minutes and 29 seconds There are around 42 million porn websites, which totals around 370 million pages of porn. The porn industry’s annual revenue is more than the NFL, NBA, and MLB combined. It is also more than the combined revenues of ABC, CBS, and NBC. 47% of families in the United States reported that pornography is a problem in their home. Pornography use increases the marital infidelity rate by more than 300%. Eleven is the average age that a child is first exposed to porn, and 94% of children will see porn by the age of 14. 56% of American divorces involve one party having an “obsessive interest” in pornographic websites. 70% of Christian youth pastors report that they have had at least one teen come to them for help in dealing with pornography in the past 12 months. 68% of church-going men and over 50% of pastors view porn on a regular basis. Of young Christian adults 18-24 years old, 76% actively search for porn. 59% of pastors said that married men seek their help for porn use. 33% of women aged 25-and-under search for porn at least once per month. Only 13% of self identified Christian women say they never watch porn – 87% of Christian women have watched porn. 55% of married men and 25% of married women say they watch porn at least once a month. 57% of pastors say porn addiction is the most damaging issue in their congregation. And 69% say porn has adversely impacted the church. Only 7% of pastors say their church has a program to help people struggling with pornography.



So What Should We Do?

These statistics can be overwhelming. The fact that pornography has such a tight grip on our society does not mean the church is helpless to fight against it.

Instead, Christian leaders must stand up and lead their churches through the battle.

First, leaders must be willing to admit the problem exists in their churches. You can’t treat a disease until you know it’s there.

So realize that the disease of pornography is growing within your church’s body.

The next step is to put a program and process in place. A Barna study revealed that 93% of pastors see porn as an increasing problem in the church, but only 7% have any plan to deal with it.

Then the church leaders must start taking action. You may decide to bring up the subject in a sermon series. Or maybe starting small study groups for men would be more effective.

Whatever you choose, your plans will be worthless if they are not boldly started.

A Powerful Weapon Against Pornography

You do not need to go into battle against pornography on your own. The Conquer Series is a powerful cinematic study that was created to help men break free from porn addiction.

It has been helping over 1 million men worldwide defeat their porn usage and live a porn-free life.

The Conquers Series’ lessons engage men with exciting military scenes, challenging testimonies, and solid Biblical teaching.

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The interactive study guide will reinforce the lessons and help men keep a daily focus on their goal of defeating porn.

Some churches have even presented the Conquer Series to the entire congregation after a sermon series on pornography. It is a topic everyone needs to be informed about.

Get access to the Conquer Series today. Help your church set a new statistic of men delivered from porn bondage.