Estimated that at least 400 church leaders on Ashley Madison list
How did he arrive at that number?
It drives me nuts to see good guys like Ed Stetzer make unsupported, off-the-cuff remarks like “400 pastors are going to resign” based on what? His gut? His experience? His intuition? Did the number “400” mysteriously appear on a piece of his toast?
In recent years, Josh McDowell, Ken Hamm and others have made shocking claims about the percentage of Christian Young People who completely leave the faith. However, if you dig down, the numbers are extremely subjective and selective.
My personal favorite is how 50% of all Christian marriages end in divorce. No even 50% of ALL marriages end in divorce.
If we’re going to throw around statistics, let’s at least make sure that they hold some water. It really harms our credibility. Before repeating a stat…at least take the time to figure out where it came from and if it is valid.
It drives me nuts to see good guys like Ed Stetzer make unsupported, off-the-cuff remarks like “400 pastors are going to resign” based on what? His gut? His experience? His intuition? Did the number “400” mysteriously appear on a piece of his toast?
Ed didn’t say 400 pastors would resign. He said he estimated that “at least 400 church leaders (pastors, elders, staff, deacons, etc.).” That’s a considerably broader section of people than simply pastors. And as the article said, he didn’t pull it out of thin air. He estimated that based on conversations with denominational leaders from the US and Canada.
Ed is pretty good with numbers and is hard on people who aren’t. He is constantly debunking myths like divorce is worse in the church than outside, whose leaving the church, etc. I tend to believe he’s not just making that up, and including all those groups, that doesn’t seem unreasonable.
Pastors & leaders should know this … “be sure your sin will find you out” (Numbers 32:23)
There’s something much worse than a website hack - God knows!:
O Lord, You have searched me and known me.
2 You know my sitting down and my rising up;
You understand my thought afar off.
3 You comprehend my path and my lying down,
And are acquainted with all my ways.
4 For there is not a word on my tongue,
But behold, O Lord, You know it altogether.
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