Evangelism Group Defends Duggar Family as Molestation Fallout Continues

Evangelism Explosion International President John B. Sorensen issued the following statement of support  for the family of Jim Bob and Michelle Duggar:

“Evangelism Explosion fully supports the family of Jim Bob and Michelle Duggar. Our thoughts and heartfelt prayers are with this wonderful family as they are forced to relive a dark and difficult episode from 12 years ago. 

“Having met the Duggar family and been in their home, I have great admiration and appreciation for how Jim Bob and Michelle instilled Christian values in the lives of each of their children. They are a model family but not, as they will quickly tell you, a perfect family. And that, of course, is true for all of us. We have all sinned—violated the moral law of God—in thought, word and deed.

“Josh Duggar’s actions 12 years ago as a young teenager were wrong and reprehensible. But he acknowledged and abandoned his wrong conduct. His parents addressed it in his life and in the lives of his victims—providing correction for him and supportive counseling for them. He has not hidden or denied his immoral actions but openly acknowledged what he did—even telling his wife Anna and her family long before the two were even engaged.

“What happened in his life—sin, confession and redemption—is the story of each and every believer in Jesus Christ for 2,000 years. Every saint has a past and, because of Jesus, every sinner who repents and believes has a glorious future. That’s the amazing grace of the gospel.”

Evangelism Explosion (EE) is a ministry that trains people to share their faith in Christ in more than 200 nations. EE trained more than 1 million people worldwide to effectively share the gospel in 2014. In addition, more than 8.4 million people professed faith in Christ through the witness of EE-trained believers last year.