Porn Use in Church Continues to Escalate

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." ...

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Oh dear Lord have mercy...I knew it was bad but not this bad. And now we know why there is no presence of God in church services across America. How can there be when almost 8 out of 10 men sitting in these congegrations are living a lifestyle of secret habitual sin.

One solution to dealing with this in the church is to return to preaching the Word...reprove, rebuke, exhort, with great patience and instruction. Those of you who know my testimony know that this "snake" was wrapped around me for a very long time and had snuffed all life out of me. But God in His grace rescued me and used the preaching of brother Zac Poonen to awaken me from my sleep.

This has to be dealt with head on and called out for what it is, SIN. But that does not happen because most preachers today consider that "preaching law" rather than grace. We have tossed the baby out with the bathwater and no longer warn and instruct church goers of the danger they are in. Consequently they are lulled to sleep and unaware that their very souls hang in the balance. The American church needs a mighty wake up and this can happen if preachers return to preaching the Word instead of coddling sinning church attenders.

Hi brother Tim,
I absolutely agree. Being accountable to one another is the new testament norm. But that takes trust because many men will simply not open up, even in a group setting. I have seen men open up to me because I openly share my testimony wherever I go. There is nothing you could tell me that would shock me. In other words, I am not so foolish to think that this wretched and besetting sin has not touched even the most godly of men. Who knows? There is also so much shame associated with this sin. Especially if you are looked up to in the Church today. So a cycle begins where leaders hide their sin and no longer discuss the matter with others. And so the rest of the church also gets no help.

I have not looked at porn since the Lord delivered me 5 1/2 years ago. All Glory be unto His name. I have been tempted many times and I am not so foolish to think that I could not fall again. I do not know how it works but God put such a "fear" in me and a hatred for this sin that I dread the feeling so much that I would rather cut my hand off than go back to the vomit cycle of slavery to sin again.

I do not say any of this to boast but to let others know that this is what God wants for them too and He will do it in them if they are desperate enough and ask Him in faith. But if they gloss over their sin and shrug it off as no big deal, they will NEVER GET VICTORY....NEVER!!!

I cannot think of anything worse for a believer to endure than such a life of slavery to sin. And I cannot think of anything worse than a hypocrite who somehow believes that they have Gods life when in fact they are DEAD within and ruled by the powers of darkness. Perhaps some of them lurk on these forums? Perhaps some of them are frequent posters here? If so why are you posting and trying to show the world how spiritual you are when in fact you are the complete opposite?

Until you are sick and tired of the way you are God will simply leave you alone. It is time for you to stop playing games and deal the death blow to porn in your life.

One solution to dealing with this in the church is to return to preaching the Word...reprove, rebuke, exhort, with great patience and instruction. Those of you who know my testimony know that this "snake" was wrapped around me for a very long time and had snuffed all life out of me. But God in His grace rescued me and used the preaching of brother Zac Poonen to awaken me from my sleep.

As mark has shared very few preachers and church pulpits are speaking against this sin or sin in general. We need strong preaching anointed by the Holy Spirit and also the conviction of sin in church assemblies.

If God is not there and present then people can walk in an out of a meeting of saints who are compromised and there will be no conviction of sin. I believer Carter Conlon calls this a "table of devils."

How many saints here on SI who are using the discussion forums with godly conversations are habitually watching pornography online? I believe some could be. May God have grace and allow SermonIndex to be a place where people cannot be content with their sins.

Of course there needs to be graceful restoration and helping brothers and sisters be restored after such failings but if we do not warn and rebuke the sin will lie uncovered.