Porn Recovery

Church’s Dirty Little Secret: Set Free Summit Statistics

An empty church sanctuary with light falling across rows of pews, representing the statistics on porn and the church.
Jeremy Wiles
Jeremy Wiles
Founder, Soul Refiner
Published May 4, 20162 min read
Quick Answer

How many Christians are watching porn?

Barna's report The Porn Phenomenon, presented at the 2016 Set Free Summit, found 76 percent of Christian young adults aged 18 to 24 actively seek out porn, and 49 percent of young adults say most of their friends view it regularly. It is not only a male issue: 33 percent of females aged 13 to 24 use porn regularly. Only 7 percent of pastors have a program.

Some of the most shocking statistics on porn and the church were released by the Barna Group at the Set Free Summit in Greensboro, NC in 2016

For leaders wondering where to begin, start a Conquer Group at your church is a good resource.

The existing statistics were daunting enough, stating that 68% of church going men viewed Porn on a regular basis.

The Barna Group’s latest statistics, available in a report called The Porn Phenomenon, reveal that the porn epidemic is escalating.

Related Article: 15 Mind-Blowing Statistics About Porn And The Church

The Porn Phenomenon

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.

Porn isn’t just created by the porn industry anymore.

Related Article: What The Porn Industry Doesn’t Want You To Find Out

  • 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.

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  • 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 porn.

Related Article: This Is How To Deal With Porn In Your Church (VIDEO)

The Conquer Series

The good news is that there is a cinematic video series where over one million men are learning to conquer porn and walk in freedom.

The Conquer Series has become “ground zero” for the movement to help men overcome porn.

Related Article: Changing The Future Of Men's Small Groups

Related Article: The Church’s Typical Response To Porn Isn’t Working

Related Article: 5 Reasons You Should Use The Conquer Series This Fall

Related Article: Are You Attending The Set Free Summit

If you’re at one of the 91% of churches that does not have a program for men, find out more about the Conquer Series today.

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Jeremy Wiles
Jeremy Wiles
Founder, Soul Refiner

Writing at the intersection of faith and neuroscience to help men and women break destructive cycles and walk in lasting freedom.

More articles by Jeremy Wiles →

Frequently Asked Questions

What is The Porn Phenomenon report?

The Porn Phenomenon is research from the Barna Group, released at the Set Free Summit in Greensboro, North Carolina in 2016. It showed the porn epidemic escalating rather than easing, reaching young adults, teenagers and women, and landing squarely inside the church. Josh McDowell, who commissioned the research, reported: "Of young adults 18-24 years old, 76 percent actively – and these are Christians – actively seek out porn."

How many church-going men view porn?

Sixty-eight percent of church-going men view porn on a regular basis. That is roughly two out of three men in the pews on any given Sunday. It is not a fringe problem or a few weak men at the back. It is the guy leading worship, the guy in the small group, the guy who hates it and has prayed about it for years and still cannot stop.

Are teenagers sending and receiving nude images?

Yes, at a scale most parents have not reckoned with. Sixty-two percent of teens say they have received a nude image, and 40 percent say they have sent one, usually to a boyfriend or girlfriend. This is not an abstract future risk. It is happening on the phones in your house, and it is shaping what a generation believes intimacy is.

Where do people get porn now?

The internet has taken over from the pornographic magazines, DVDs and VCRs, and most people now access porn through online video. The bigger shift is who makes it. Porn is not only created by the porn industry anymore. Ordinary people produce and trade it themselves, which is exactly why teen sexting and the commercial industry can no longer be treated as separate problems.

What is the Conquer Series?

The Conquer Series is a cinematic video series where over one million men are learning to conquer porn and walk in freedom. It has become ground zero for the movement to help men overcome pornography, taught in small groups rather than watched alone. If your church is among the 91 percent with no program for men, this is where to start.

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