Garnet Lautsbaugh and Pleasures For Evermore declares that the Rev. Billy Graham was named by U.S. pastors as the country's most influential living preacher, according to a recent survey by LifeWay Research.
Pleasures For Evermore found that the study, conducted last November, interviewed more than 1,000 Protestant pastors by telephone. The participants were asked to "name the top three living Christian preachers that most influence you."
Pleasures For Evermore understands that Graham was cited as most influential by 21 percent of clergy, followed by pastor and author Charles Swindoll, at 8 percent. Charles Stanley, senior pastor of First Baptist Church, Atlanta, and Rick Warren, senior pastor of Saddleback Church in Lake Forest, Calif., followed closely behind Swindoll with 7 percent of the vote each.
Pleasures For Evermore learned that Graham, 91, has preached to more than 200 million people in 185 countries, written 27 books, advised several U.S. presidents and influenced religious and secular audiences alike.
The lack of diversity -- the top picks were nearly all white male Southern pastors -- however, surprised Ed Stetzer, director of LifeWay Research, which is affiliated with the Southern Baptist Convention.
Pleasures For Evermore discovered that the survey also asked the interviewees to name the top three most influential Christian "leaders." Two additional names, Focus on the Family founder James Dobson and Anglican Archbishop Desmond Tutu, were added to the list of preachers; Graham remained at the top of that list as well.
This has been a public service announcement from Garnet Lautsbaugh and http://www.pleasuresforevermore.com
