At LifeWay Research, we recognize that research is often a part of discussions and debates. That will always be the case.
However, it is important that the research be accurately cited. This week, on the Trinity Broadcasting Network, it was not.
Last week a program aired, which can be seen in its entirety here, including some inaccurate information regarding LifeWay Research's recent study on the issue of "speaking in tongues."
This statement, from Pastor Dwain Miller of Cross Life Church in El Doreado, Arkansas, is not accurate:
"LifeWay... this past summer... did a survey... and they reported that 51% of Southern Baptist pastors believe in speaking in tongues as one of the gifts... The truth is that there are more than half, I believe, of Southern Baptist pastors, anonymously surveyed... said they practice a private prayer language... but they were anonymous about it."
I am assuming that Pastor Miller has taken the percent answering the survey question about belief (see the actual question below) and confused it with a claim of practice.
They are not the same thing.
Here is the correct information (click here for the original article):
Private prayer language
The survey asked Protestant pastors, SBC pastors, and laity their beliefs about private prayer language using this question wording: "Do you believe that the Holy Spirit gives some people the gift of a special language to pray to God privately? Some people refer to this as a Private Prayer Language or the 'private use of tongues.'"
Fifty percent of Southern Baptist pastors answered "Yes," 43 percent said "No," and 7 percent responded "Don't know."
Non-SBC pastors are more likely to believe that the Holy Spirit gives some people a private prayer language than Southern Baptist pastors. Sixty-six percent of non-SBC pastors responded "Yes," 32 percent responded "No," and 3 percent responded "Don't know."
Protestant pastors (Southern Baptists and non-SBC) are more likely to believe the Holy Spirit gives some people a private prayer language (63 percent) than Protestant laity (51 percent).
Of the Protestant laity surveyed, 15 percent responded "Don't know" when asked if they believe in the gift of private prayer language. Of the Protestant pastors, only 3 percent are unsure.
Later today, I will be calling Pastor Dwain Miller of Cross Life Church in El Doreado, Arkansas to inform him that he has an incorrect perception of our research. As a brother in Christ, I know that he will want to know the correct information. Furthermore, I will be writing the program host and TBN leadership asking that they edit the incorrect information from the program so that people are not confused by the inaccurate statement.
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