“I am more concerned about churches that have moved away from a clear True Love Waits challenge every year… For the children of believers, the clear voices of parents, youth leaders and the congregation carry far more weight than secular programs.”

They may live in a sexually charged culture that essentially encourages them to have sex, but nearly 70 percent of high school-age teens are virgins, according to a new study of the nation’s sexual habits.

Published in the October issue of the Journal of Sexual Medicine, the study surveyed 820 adolescents nationwide via the Internet, a confidential method the researchers say is more likely to produce honest answers compared to a face-to-face or phone interview. Parents had to give consent.

The study found that 69.7 percent of boys and 68.4 percent of girls ages 16-17 have never had intercourse. Among 14-15-year-olds, the percentage is even higher — 90.1 percent for boys and 87.6 percent for girls.

Richard Ross, cofounder of the True Love Waits abstinence movement, told Baptist Press the study proves that abstinence messages can and do work.

“Less than a third of high schoolers have ever had sex. And that includes large numbers who only have had sex once,” said Ross, assistant professor of student ministry at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in Fort Worth, Texas.

“Also, consider that more than 60 percent of sexually experienced teenagers regret what they have done [according to data from the National Campaign to Prevent Teen Pregnancy]. Combining those figures reveals that only a small segment of American teenagers are committed to a sexual lifestyle.

[Editor’s note: This article is incomplete. The source for this document was originally published on bpnews.net—however, the original URL is no longer available.]