Blazing Grace Radio

Initial data from a $43 million dollar research initiative show that individuals living in developing countries score higher in having purpose and meaning. The Global Flourishing Study is surveying 200,000 participants from different countries over five years, looking at which ones score highest for human flourishing. The surveys are showing that people in developing countries have a sense of meaning and purpose, while in the States rampant materialism and the chase for more has left people with depression, anxiety, and other mental health problems. Mike and Rebekah look at the results of this survey and how the Bible commands us to be content.

In this broadcast, Mike and Rebekah look at a long list of porn and sex-related statistics in the church, and provide ideas on what you can do to make a difference. The following showing the beginning of the survey results they discussed:

* 75% percent of Christian men and 40% of Christian women are viewing pornography.

* 2022: A pastor of a church of 1,000 in Arizona reported that 80% of the men who attended their men’s retreat confessed to a current struggle with pornography.

* 2023: When a youth group of teenage girls were asked to raise their hands if they struggled with porn, every hand went up.

* After the outbreak of Covid-19 in 2020, Pornhub, the largest porn site in the world, reported that their worldwide traffic increased by 25%.

* A counseling pastor of a Colorado church of 5,000 reported that every marriage that came to him for help had pornography involved.

Oswald Chambers wrote: “If we are going to live as disciples of Jesus, we have to remember that all efforts of worth and excellence are difficult.  The Christian life is gloriously difficult, but its difficulty does not make us faint and cave in— it stirs us up to overcome.  Do we appreciate the miraculous salvation of Jesus Christ enough to be our utmost for His highest— our best for His glory?”

AI child porn is exploding, a Christian ministry leader is arrested or exposed every day in the US for sexual crimes/porn/affairs, adult film stars dying an early death, Gooning is exploding, 25% of youth believe that AI girlfriends/boyfriends have the potential to replace human relationships, AI sex robots… this is the world we live in today. Mike and Rebekah look at these issues and how critical it is to stay rooted deeply in God during these last days.

At the age of 12 Phylicia got her first exposure to an erotica novel with sexually explicit content – which is pornography in book form. This first exposure sparked a battle that would go on for years including after she became a believer. Phylicia discusses her journey to freedom and the prevalence of women addicted to Erotica – she estimates that upwards of 80% of women are hooked on it, in addition to those who are ensnared to visual pornography.

Brenda Kennison suffered through depression, alcohol addiction, a DWI, two suicide attempts, and the struggles that come with mind-altering prescription drugs. During her journey to recovery she went through an 18 month outpatient rehab program and a treatment plan that relied primarily on medications. Brenda’s story and how God rescued her provides hope for those struggling with mental health issues and the spiritual warfare that accompanies it.

Prayer is mentioned in the book of Acts 28 times. Prayer was a constant part of the early church, and included walls being shaken after praying for boldness, a woman brought back from the dead, and more. Mike begins by reading the verses when prayer is mentioned in the book of Acts, then discusses why we’re not praying in our modern churches with Rebekah, his daughter. At one point Rebekah stated that “praying together in church has become weird,” which shows how far we’ve drifted from being a Biblical church.

Mike discusses the long trail of wreckage caused by sexual sin in the church and those who have fallen from it, including Bill Hybels, Ravi Zacharias, Mike Bickle, Brian Houston, Robert Morris, a 2024 article with a list of pastors in Texas who have lost their position due to sexual sin, and more, and asks, “Have we had enough pain?” Are we at a place yet where we’re willing to talk about topics like sex, pornography, masturbation, sexting, and others in a no-holds barred manner from every pulpit and equip God’s people in these areas, including men, women, and youth? Or will we continue to watch as thousands of lives are destroyed while many churches do nothing?

Mike and Rebekah, his daughter, share their experiences over the years in the US and Europe at conferences and churches talking to Christians about sex and the porn epidemic. Some stories include getting a dirty look from a guy who walked into church and saw our table, talking with broken, hurting people, and the spiritual warfare involved with a ministry like this.

Recently, Brandon Lake, the Christian recording artist, said that having worship songs with too much theology, or “Christianese,” as he called them should be tapered down in church to avoid offending those who might not want to be there. Lake gave  ‘Holy, Holy, Holy is the Lord God Almighty’ as an example for going overboard. Mike and his daughter, Rebekah, discuss this and more, including what happened to the work ethic of our youth, pouring our lives out for that which is eternal, and the lack of challenge in some churches.