USA TODAY: The Truth About Evangelicals

In 1976, skeptical Jews in the Northeast and on the West Coast had to be convinced by their Southern cousins that Jimmy Carter, a “born-again” Georgia Baptist, was not too strange to support as the Democratic nominee for president. For a time, Jews made their peace with this growing American phenomenon called evangelical Christianity.

A good deal has changed since then, especially after conservative evangelicals amassed unprecedented access and influence under President George W. Bush and a Republican Congress, pushing a political and cultural agenda most Jews found uncomfortable.

As a result, beginning in 2006 and every two years since in the run-up to the presidential and off-year congressional elections, books and articles suddenly appear — often written by Jews — about the menace and weirdness of evangelical Christianity.

Though some of the writers hail from Brooklyn or Washington, D.C., the tone is what I’d call “Upper West Side hysteric,” a reference to the fabled New York City neighborhood. The thrust of the writing is that these exotic wackos — some escaped from a theological and ideological freak show — are coming to take our rights and freedom.

Connecting the dots

Chief among these are books such as Michelle Goldberg’s Kingdom Coming: The Rise of Christian Nationalism, Rabbi James Rudin’s The Baptizing of America, and several titles by Sara Diamond.

These days, it’s hard to turn to liberal websites, public radio or MSNBC without encountering some “investigation” or “exposé” of a splinter, marginal figure, such as David Barton or John Haggee, from the evangelical world — followed by some tenuous if not tortured connect-the-dots link to a presidential or congressional candidate. Most recently, Rachel Tabachnick’s Web piece on the New Apostolic Reformation has generated ink and air.

I’m as left wing a Democrat as they come, and I have lived among and reported on evangelicals for nearly 20 years. Let me tell you, this sensational, misleading mishegas has got to stop.

The truth is, the political center of gravity of American evangelicals is in the Sun Belt suburbs, not in rural Iowa, much less Wasilla, Alaska. Think Central Florida’s vaunted ‘I-4 Corridor,’ critical to carrying this swing state, where the last GOP presidential debate was held in Tampa and the next one will take place this week here in Orlando. These evangelicals are, by and large, middle-class, college-educated and corporate or entrepreneurial.

Yes, they tend to vote Republican and oppose gay marriage — although there is a growing generation gap on these issues among younger evangelicals, according to recent Pew Center studies.

“We evangelicals cringe like everyone else at the prominence given to marginal groups labeled with our name,” says the Rev. Joel Hunter, an influential megachurch pastor in Orlando and an ideological centrist. “We know their numbers are small and their influence is grossly exaggerated, but we are not surprised that the majority of common-sense believers are not given equal attention in a society fascinated by extremes.”

Most evangelicals accept some form of evolution and do not subscribe to arcane doctrines, such as “Christian Reconstructionism” and “Dominionism,” that Christians need to rule the world in order to bring about the Second Coming of Jesus. And, contrary to recent writing by some progressive Jews, most evangelicals are comfortable with the notion of theological tolerance and religious pluralism. “The media have been too eager to feature a simpleton image of evangelicals,” says Hunter. “Our part of the faith community is, on the whole, intelligent, accepting of diversity, and wanting the best practical solutions for the common good.

“When a majority of evangelicals hear about some of these theological oddities, it’s like our crazy Uncle Harry got out of the home and ran into city hall wearing a shirt with the family name,” the pastor. “We love him, but he misrepresents us.”

Not so sure Hunter is right? In 2008, analysis suggests enough evangelicals voted for Obama — or stayed home — for the Democrats to carry key swing states such as Florida, North Carolina and Virginia. They are as likely to vote for Republican women as liberals will vote for Democratic women. Evangelicals may be more likely to accept women in the pulpit of large congregations than those in mainline denominations.

Turning the tables

Ironically, the Jewish left is not alone in its self-serving myopia when it comes to evangelicals. Politically conservative, single-issue Jews embrace unquestioning evangelical support for Israel, brushing aside differences over reproductive and gay rights, stem cell research, and especially the separation of church and state. On the incendiary issue of evangelical support of Messianic Jews whose goal is converting the rest of us, including those in Israel, right-wing Jews put their fingers in their ears and shout, “LA-LA-LA!”

If, as Jews, we replace the old caricature of hayseed fundamentalist mobs carrying torches and pitchforks with one of dark conspirators trying to worm their way back into political power at the highest levels, we run the risk of accusing them of doing to others what we are doing to them: demonizing. We didn’t like it when people said we had horns and tails, ate the blood of Christian children and poisoned the wells of Europe with plague, much less conspired to rule the world through our Protocols.

“Evangelicals in the main want the same kind of common-sense solutions and moral integrity as other Americans,” Hunter says. “We do not want to use political means for our faith’s advancement; we just want to vote our values and leave it at that.”

Mark I. Pinsky, former religion writer for the Orlando Sentinel and Los Angeles Times, is author of A Jew Among the Evangelicals: A Guide for the Perplexed.

READ THIS ARTICLE HERE: http://www.usatoday.com/news/opinion/forum/story/2011-09-18/evangelical-christians-republicans/50457192/1

FAITH IN THE PUBLIC SQUARE: INTERFAITH COOPERATION

Part 8 in a series of teachings from Dr. Joel C. Hunter about how to approach today’s issues biblically, respectfully and effectively.

50 Most Powerful People in Orlando

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Florida Pastor Joel C. Hunter of Northland Church was named one of the “50 Most Powerful People in Orlando” on Orlando Magazine’s eighth annual list, released in the July issue.

Hunter, who has made the list two other times, is 43rd on the list of Orlando residents, who are selected for their success in the areas of politics, philanthropy, business, and community involvement, said the magazine’s Editor In Chief Mike Boslet.

Serving as one of President Barack Obama’s spiritual advisers certainly helped Hunter, 63, solidify his place on the list, Boslet told The Christian Post.

“[Hunter] has a lot of influence on his church, which is the one of the largest in the area, and the church reaches in influence beyond the confines of the church property,” Boslet said. “Of course, there’s the White House connection he has, too.”

Orlando Magazine's editor also said the church, which has three locations in Central Florida and 15,000 members, is noted for helping in times of disaster outside the community. Northland (also called Northland, a Church Distributed) recently sent a disaster relief team to Pleasant Grove, Ala., to help those ravaged by a tornado.

Hunter told The Christian Post that being selected for the list was a reflection of his church and not an accolade that should be considered as giving him sole credit.

“Anytime that a religious leader can be among those that have an impact on a community it basically says that the pastor’s church is playing a role that is being evaluated by all of society as being valuable,” Hunter commented. “It gives some value to the church that’s beyond just the church’s religiosity.”

Hunter and his church have been involved in the Homeless Services Network of Central Florida, providing food, clothing, and shelter. The pastor’s service on the board and the community action taken in Seminole County by church members to fight homelessness were other reasons for the magazine’s selection.

“The county commissioners and the head of the school system came to us and said that we each of have a role, and the faith community has a significant role to play here,” he said. Hunter is asking for the participation of up to 200 churches of all faiths to combat the problem of school children who are homeless, an issue recently highlighted on CBS’ “60 Minutes.”

Also, impressing the magazine’s selection committee was the church’s use of the Internet and social media. The church has more than 7,200 fans on Facebook and more than 3,100 followers on Twitter. Church services are broadcast live on Facebook.

A link to the magazine’s “50 Most Powerful” list on the church’s Facebook page had several church members giving the pastor kudos.

"And as if we Northlanders didn't already know this – all joking aside, congratulations and God bless," commented Rick Davis, 61.

When asked about his impressions of the pastor beyond his recent notariety, Davis said he is one of “the most sincere, down-to-earth ministers I've ever had the pleasure to listen to. He certainly is a believer in the word, preaches the word, but is not one to condemn or speak out harshly about a person and/or group of people.”

Alex Murashko Christian Post Reporter

FIND THIS ARTICLE AT: http://www.christianpost.com/news/pastor-joel-hunter-named-one-of-50-most-powerful-people-in-orlando-52154/

Pastor Joel C. Hunter Named to Orlando Magazine's "50 Most Powerful"

The magazine says of Dr. Hunter: "You won’t get any fiery sermons out of this pastor. Hunter has a way of reaching people with a message delivered in a plainspoken manner, which may help explain why he has remained a spiritual adviser to President Obama. His high-tech, Internet-wired mega-church also reaches people outside of the area, and not just for preaching. Northland recently dispatched a disaster response team to Pleasant Grove, Ala., to help victims of a killer tornado."

SEE THE ENTIRE LIST HERE: http://www.orlandomagazine.com/Orlando-Magazine/July-2011/50-Most-Powerful/

Political Standoff Over U.S. Debt Ceiling Begins: "National Debt Is A Moral Threat to the U.S.," Say Christian Leaders

President Barack Obama has invited congressional Republicans to the White House for negotiations Wednesday following the defeat of a bill to raise the U.S. debt ceiling. While the House will likely raise the government’s borrowing ability sooner or later, it may not come without deep spending cuts and budget revisions.

Strangely, but not surprisingly, Tuesday’s bill seeking a raise in the debt limit by $2.4 trillion was sponsored by the Republicans who have a majority in the House. The bill’s chief sponsor, Ways and Means Chairman Dave Camp, was quoted by the media as saying, “This vote, a vote based on legislation I have introduced, will and must fail.” It failed on a vote of 318 to 97 – far below the two-thirds majority required for passage.

The vote was held to tell Obama that the House will not increase the debt limit unconditionally. Representative Chris Van Hollen of Maryland, senior Democrat on the Budget Committee, termed the move as a “political stunt,” The New York Times reported. Other Congressional Democrats warned this could rattle financial markets at home and abroad.

Soon after the government hit the $14.29 trillion debt ceiling on May 16, Politico suggested that Congressional Republicans were planning to use the debt limit as a “negotiating chip to extract deeper spending cuts and long-term fiscal reforms” from the White House.

While Republicans want the government to slash its spending before seeking to raise the borrowing limit, Democrats intend to hike tax, especially for wealthier Americans, to shield funding entitlements such as Medicare or Social Security. But the timing of the crisis is in Republicans’ favor, as the strain on the U.S. Treasury – due to the war against terror and the depression – reached a saturation point during Obama’s presidency.

The face-off may continue well into the summer, thinks New York Times reporter Jackie Calmes. Consequences will be for both parties and, potentially, for the economy and Wall Street, where the bond market in particular is watching the standoff closely, she said in an article Tuesday.

But Calmes played down the possibility of a major crisis coming out of it. “Yet for all the talk of crisis should Congress fail to raise the debt ceiling by Aug. 2, when the Treasury Department says it will run out of room to meet all the government’s obligations without further borrowing, the financial markets are likely to yawn at yesterday’s proceedings.”

However, some analysts are worried. JPMorgan Chase head Jamie Dimon fears a delay in raising the debt limit could do a significant harm to the U.S. economy leading to uncertainty in the bond market and hike interest rates, according to The Wall Street Journal. It could raise capital costs for struggling U.S. businesses and cash-strapped homebuyers and rising interest rates might divert future taxpayer money away from much-needed capital investments such as infrastructure, education and healthcare, according to Jonathan Masters at Council on Foreign Relations.

Earlier this year, a group of Christian leaders echoed what House Speaker John Boehner has said – that the national debt is a moral threat to the U.S. and that fixing it is a moral priority.

The group, which includes leaders such as Fuller Theological Seminary President Richard Mouw, Sojourners' Jim Wallis and Northland Church pastor the Rev. Joel Hunter, offered a Christian proposal to take on the federal debt while being mindful of the poor. They called for cuts to wasteful corporate and agricultural subsidies, the defense budget and salary increases to federal employees. They also called for reforms to social security and for lawmakers to control health care-related expenses rather than just trimming government budgets.

Anugrah Kumar Christian Post Contributor

FIND THIS ARTICLE AT: http://www.christianpost.com/news/political-standoff-over-us-debt-ceiling-begins-50716/

Bin Laden's Death Brings Healing To Old Wounds

Bin Laden's death brings healing to old wounds

(CNN) -- The hijacked jet planes that roared out of a clear blue sky one sunny September morning ten years ago killed nearly 3,000 people, but the hurt they did spread far beyond the immediate death and destruction at the World Trade Center and the Pentagon.

The harm was mental, psychological, even spiritual.

And the death of Osama bin Laden at the hands of U.S. special forces may help to start some healing, one of America's top pastors said Monday.

"There is a sense that justice has been done," said Joel Hunter, senior pastor of the 12,000-member Northland Church in Orlando, Florida and a spiritual advisor to President Barack Obama.

"There is a Scripture (verse), Genesis 9:6, that says 'He who sheds man's blood, by man his blood be shed.' There is a certain kind of sense of relief that that has been accomplished," Hunter said.

"This man was symbolic of much that threatened our country and our way of life," the pastor said.

Hunter also cited the verse promising that "those who mourn will be comforted," saying they might "find some sort of solace in this event."

Those verses are much more relevant than Jesus' admonition to "turn the other cheek," he said.

"That particular Scripture has to do with insult and not with self-defense," he said.

The terror attacks that bin Laden authorized are "not even in the category of forgiveness," so killing him "really is in a category that, for 99.9% of Americans, would be beyond question... the right thing."

Diana Massaroli, whose husband died in the World Trade Center, certainly has no questions about it.

Michael Massaroli, 38, with a 6-year-old son, was working for Cantor Fitzgerald on the 101st floor on September 11, 2001, when a jet plane slammed into the building below him.

His body was never found.

His widow has been grieving ever since.

But early Monday, at ground zero where the towers once stood, she said she was finally experiencing some catharsis.

"I'm missing him, but I feel that justice has been done," she said, holding a picture of Michael.

"I feel some overall calm that I haven't felt in 10 years. I never thought it would happen... never thought it would give me a feeling of closure," she said. Now, she added, "I feel better... like I can start a new chapter in my life."

Relatives of the victims are not the only Americans feeling relief Monday morning -- American Muslims also hope the death of bin Laden will open a new chapter in history.

The 2001 attacks opened a "wound has never quite healed," said Imam Feisal Abdul Rauf of the controversial Park51 Muslim community center planned for lower Manhattan, not far from the former site of the twin towers.

"The killing of Osama bin Laden is a major milestone," he said. "It expresses the sense that there is a sense of healing beginning to take place."

Far from New York City, American Muslim lawyer Asma Hasan agrees that Osama bin Laden wounded the country's Muslims, but is not sure his death with heal anything.

"The 9/11 attacks changed my life forever in a very challenging way," said Hasan, who lives in Denver, Colorado. "It's 10 years later and people still question us" American Muslims.

"We have all had to become ambassadors for our religion, we have had to condemn every terrorist attack or be labelled a supporter of terrorism," she said.

"None of us can be a quiet person that just goes to our jobs, we have all had to become multifaith activists who reach out," said Hasan, the author of "Red, White and Muslim."

"I don't think the death of Osama will change that," she said.

Steve Bernstein, whose older brother, Billy, worked in the World Trade Center, said he was "very elated" at the news bin Laden was dead.

"We have been waiting for this for a long time," he said. "I felt that it was just a great moment for the country."

He said the scenes of jubilation across the United States should not be seen as people celebrating somebody's death, but as a recognition that "everyone feels that capturing bin Laden or killing bin Laden was something that needed to be done."

Bernstein had another brother who also worked in the World Trade Center but left the building to go to the bank just before the first plane hit.

"He said as soon as he saw it, he knew" Billy was dead, Bernstein said. Unlike some others in the towers, Billy Bernstein did not call to say goodbye, Steve Bernstein said.

"We never heard from him," he said.

Hunting down bin Laden at last "shows the strength of America, shows we're not going to put up with it," he said, adding it would "make the terrorists think twice."

Bernstein was "a little surprised" bin Laden was buried at sea immediately after his death, he said, fearing it would fuel conspiracy theories.

But in the final analysis, he said, "the world can feel a little bit safer right now."

Another 9/11 widow, Kristen Breitweiser, said the death of bin Laden would change the world.

"My 12-year-old daughter will wake tomorrow to a safer world, hopefully a more peaceful world. And that brings me a rare sense of relief," she said in a statement, adding that she was "enormously grateful for the tireless effort and incredible courage and bravery of our counter-terrorism agents.

There were also more raucous celebrations going on at ground zero, including groups of young local men waving flags and chanting "USA! USA!"

"It took 10 years, but the fact that it happened today, we're all rejoicing," one of them told CNN, adding that "everybody in America" was celebrating the death of bin Laden.

Far away in Oxford, Ohio, Miami University student Mike Chase celebrated by shaving a friend's hair into the letters "USA" with two red stars.

"The announcement means that when we set out to accomplish something we follow through. It's a great milestone on the fight against terrorism," the 21-year-old said.

The Federal Law Enforcement Officers Association hailed the "annihilation" of bin Laden as "triumphant news."

"I would say, 'May God have mercy on his hideous soul,' but I don't think he had one," the organization's president, Jon Adler, said. "As we draw near September 11 and mourn the loss of our loved ones, let this victory remind all that the indomitable American will stands strong and eternal."

CNN's Eric Marrapodi, Jason Carroll and Ali Velshi contributed to this report.

Find this article at:

http://www.cnn.com/2011/WORLD/asiapcf/05/02/bin.laden.catharsis

(CNN) -- The hijacked jet planes that roared out of a clear blue sky one sunny September morning ten years ago killed nearly 3,000 people, but the hurt they did spread far beyond the immediate death and destruction at the World Trade Center and the Pentagon.

The harm was mental, psychological, even spiritual.

And the death of Osama bin Laden at the hands of U.S. special forces may help to start some healing, one of America's top pastors said Monday.

"There is a sense that justice has been done," said Joel Hunter, senior pastor of the 12,000-member Northland Church in Orlando, Florida and a spiritual advisor to President Barack Obama.

"There is a Scripture (verse), Genesis 9:6, that says 'He who sheds man's blood, by man his blood be shed.' There is a certain kind of sense of relief that that has been accomplished," Hunter said.

"This man was symbolic of much that threatened our country and our way of life," the pastor said.

Hunter also cited the verse promising that "those who mourn will be comforted," saying they might "find some sort of solace in this event."

Those verses are much more relevant than Jesus' admonition to "turn the other cheek," he said.

"That particular Scripture has to do with insult and not with self-defense," he said.

The terror attacks that bin Laden authorized are "not even in the category of forgiveness," so killing him "really is in a category that, for 99.9% of Americans, would be beyond question... the right thing."

Diana Massaroli, whose husband died in the World Trade Center, certainly has no questions about it.

Michael Massaroli, 38, with a 6-year-old son, was working for Cantor Fitzgerald on the 101st floor on September 11, 2001, when a jet plane slammed into the building below him.

His body was never found.

His widow has been grieving ever since.

But early Monday, at ground zero where the towers once stood, she said she was finally experiencing some catharsis.

"I'm missing him, but I feel that justice has been done," she said, holding a picture of Michael.

"I feel some overall calm that I haven't felt in 10 years. I never thought it would happen... never thought it would give me a feeling of closure," she said. Now, she added, "I feel better... like I can start a new chapter in my life."

Relatives of the victims are not the only Americans feeling relief Monday morning -- American Muslims also hope the death of bin Laden will open a new chapter in history.

The 2001 attacks opened a "wound has never quite healed," said Imam Feisal Abdul Rauf of the controversial Park51 Muslim community center planned for lower Manhattan, not far from the former site of the twin towers.

"The killing of Osama bin Laden is a major milestone," he said. "It expresses the sense that there is a sense of healing beginning to take place."

Far from New York City, American Muslim lawyer Asma Hasan agrees that Osama bin Laden wounded the country's Muslims, but is not sure his death with heal anything.

"The 9/11 attacks changed my life forever in a very challenging way," said Hasan, who lives in Denver, Colorado. "It's 10 years later and people still question us" American Muslims.

"We have all had to become ambassadors for our religion, we have had to condemn every terrorist attack or be labelled a supporter of terrorism," she said.

"None of us can be a quiet person that just goes to our jobs, we have all had to become multifaith activists who reach out," said Hasan, the author of "Red, White and Muslim."

"I don't think the death of Osama will change that," she said.

Steve Bernstein, whose older brother, Billy, worked in the World Trade Center, said he was "very elated" at the news bin Laden was dead.

"We have been waiting for this for a long time," he said. "I felt that it was just a great moment for the country."

He said the scenes of jubilation across the United States should not be seen as people celebrating somebody's death, but as a recognition that "everyone feels that capturing bin Laden or killing bin Laden was something that needed to be done."

Bernstein had another brother who also worked in the World Trade Center but left the building to go to the bank just before the first plane hit.

"He said as soon as he saw it, he knew" Billy was dead, Bernstein said. Unlike some others in the towers, Billy Bernstein did not call to say goodbye, Steve Bernstein said.

"We never heard from him," he said.

Hunting down bin Laden at last "shows the strength of America, shows we're not going to put up with it," he said, adding it would "make the terrorists think twice."

Bernstein was "a little surprised" bin Laden was buried at sea immediately after his death, he said, fearing it would fuel conspiracy theories.

But in the final analysis, he said, "the world can feel a little bit safer right now."

Another 9/11 widow, Kristen Breitweiser, said the death of bin Laden would change the world.

"My 12-year-old daughter will wake tomorrow to a safer world, hopefully a more peaceful world. And that brings me a rare sense of relief," she said in a statement, adding that she was "enormously grateful for the tireless effort and incredible courage and bravery of our counter-terrorism agents.

There were also more raucous celebrations going on at ground zero, including groups of young local men waving flags and chanting "USA! USA!"

"It took 10 years, but the fact that it happened today, we're all rejoicing," one of them told CNN, adding that "everybody in America" was celebrating the death of bin Laden.

Far away in Oxford, Ohio, Miami University student Mike Chase celebrated by shaving a friend's hair into the letters "USA" with two red stars.

"The announcement means that when we set out to accomplish something we follow through. It's a great milestone on the fight against terrorism," the 21-year-old said.

The Federal Law Enforcement Officers Association hailed the "annihilation" of bin Laden as "triumphant news."

"I would say, 'May God have mercy on his hideous soul,' but I don't think he had one," the organization's president, Jon Adler, said. "As we draw near September 11 and mourn the loss of our loved ones, let this victory remind all that the indomitable American will stands strong and eternal."

CNN's Eric Marrapodi, Jason Carroll and Ali Velshi contributed to this report.

Find this article at: http://www.cnn.com/2011/WORLD/asiapcf/05/02/bin.laden.catharsis

President Offers Prayers, Thoughts to Tornado Victims at Easter Prayer Breakfast

By Eric Marrapodi, CNN Belief Blog Co-Editor

Washington (CNN) – President Barack Obama offered his thoughts and prayers Tuesday to victims of weekend storms that spawned dozens of tornadoes that cut a swath through the South, killing more than 40 people.

"Our thoughts and prayers are with the families that have been affected down there," the president said during an Easter prayer breakfast at the White House.

The twisters hit 12 states in the South, cutting a path of destruction from Oklahoma to Maryland between Thursday and Saturday. At least 45 people were killed, including 22 from hard-hit North Carolina.

Politics were not on the menu during the prayer breakfast. It was the second year the president has held such an Easter prayer event.

The president used the breakfast to call for prayer and reflection to mark the start of the Easter season. He was joined by about 130 clergy and faith leaders from a wide range of backgrounds including Protestant, Catholic and Orthodox clergy.

He said Easter served as a reminder that during "these national critical debates" that "we must always make sure we are keeping things in perspective."

"I pray that our time here this morning will strengthen us both individually as believers and as Americans," the president said.

Among the clergy in attendance were Bishop T.D. Jakes, pastor of the Potter's House in Dallas, Texas; Joel Hunter pastor of Northland Church outside of Orlando, Florida; and Tim Keller, pastor of Redeemer Presbyterian Church in Manhattan.

For Keller, a prominent Presbyterian pastor and author, it was his first trip to the Obama White House, his office said.

"It's a time of great togetherness where we can focus on the one person we have in common," Hunter told CNN before the breakfast. "That's Jesus Christ, not the president," he clarified with a chuckle.

Hunter said he always enjoys getting together with other Christian leaders and wanted to be supportive of the president's event.

Hunter said he is still sending a weekly devotion via email to the president through Joshua DuBois, the head of the White House Office of Faith-Based and Neighborhood Partnerships.

"We're going through the sayings of Jesus in the Gospel of Luke." Hunter said. "I call it reading the red," he said referring to the red text which some biblical translations mark the words of Jesus.

Hunter said politics were not a topic he and the president have discussed often during their time together.

"My role with him is as a pastor," he said. While some policy issues arise like care for the poor, he said, "we don't discuss politics or policy per se. My role is to help him get closer to God."

The Easter prayer event was held Tuesday so pastors can return to their home parishes and churches to conduct their own Holy Week celebrations.

The president has struggled to convince some segments of the American public he is a Christian. He has repeatedly affirmed his faith and speaks of it often in public.

A survey by the Pew Forum found nearly one in five Americans believe the president is a Muslim while just 34% correctly identified him as a Christian.

FIND THIS ARTICLE AT: http://religion.blogs.cnn.com/2011/04/19/president-to-hold-easter-prayer-breakfast/

FULL SPEECH: President Obama at the Easter Prayer Breakfast

Joel C. Hunter Named to Commission on Accountability and Policy for Religious Organizations

WINCHESTER, Va. – Fifteen members have been named to the Commission on Accountability and Policy for Religious Organizations, ECFA (Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability) has announced.

This commission was formed following a staff report issued in January by U.S. Sen. Charles Grassley that focused on the financial practices of high-profile religious organizations. After releasing the findings of his three-year inquiry of six media-based Christian ministries, the senator asked ECFA to spearhead an independent national effort to review and provide input on major accountability and policy issues affecting such organizations.

“These 14 individuals are proven and highly respected leaders with great wisdom and insight,” said Michael Batts, the commission’s chair. “It is our hope and prayer that the tremendous leadership experience they bring will allow us to develop recommendations that are good for the religious sector and good for our country. Robust and meaningful input from a variety of faith groups and others in the nonprofit sector will be critically important in achieving that result.”

Batts, a CPA, is the managing shareholder of Batts, Morrison, Wales & Lee of Orlando, Fla. He is a member of the ECFA board, former board chair and current chair of ECFA’s Standards Committee.

Other commission members are as follows:

Dan Busby, president of ECFA, is a noted author and speaker on church and nonprofit issues.

Rev. Luis Cortes, founder of Esperanza, Philadelphia, Pa., one of the largest Hispanic evangelical networks in the nation. Esperanza has provided technical assistance and training to over 450 Hispanic nonprofits. Cortes is a national leader of Hispanic concerns and community development.

Rev. Mark Davis, chief financial officer of Calvary Chapel, Ft. Lauderdale, Fla., one of the 10 largest churches in America. The church has grown to more than 25,000 people worshiping at the main campus in Ft. Lauderdale and satellite locations in Boca Raton, Plantation, Hollywood and the Keys.

Dr. Stephen Douglass, president, Campus Crusade for Christ, Orlando, Fla. Crusade is an evangelism ministry with a presence in 191 countries founded in 1951 by Bill and Vonette Bright on the UCLA campus.

Richard Hammar, attorney and CPA, general counsel for the Assemblies of God, Springfield, Mo., recognized among top church attorneys in the U.S. and is a noted speaker and author.

Mark Holbrook, president and CEO of Evangelical Christian Credit Union (ECCU), Brea, Calif. ECCU serves ministry members across the country from its headquarters and regional office in Colorado Springs, Colo.

Dr. Joel Hunter, senior pastor of Northland, A Church Distributed, Longwood, Fla. Northland is an interdenominational congregation of 12,000 that worships at several physical sites throughout Central Florida and hundreds of virtual sites worldwide via the Internet.

Lauren Libby, president, TWR, Cary, N.C. TWR is the world’s most far-reaching Christian radio network, with broadcasts reaching millions in over 160 countries each day.

Dr. Jo Anne Lyon, general superintendent in The Wesleyan Church, Indianapolis, Ind. She previously was the founder and CEO of World Hope International, Alexandria, Va.

Dr. Mark Rutland, president, Oral Roberts University (ORU), Tulsa, Okla. The third president of ORU, he is a distinguished educator, leader, business man and a nationally recognized figure in Christian higher education.

Rev. William Townes Jr., CPA, vice president of the Southern Baptist Convention’s (SBC) convention finance executive committee. The SBC executive committee is comprised of representatives chosen from states and regions, and acts on behalf of the SBC between sessions.

Bishop Kenneth Ulmer, senior pastor-teacher of Faithful Central Bible Church, Inglewood, Calif. Faithful Central is a congregation of 13,000 that worships at the Great Western Forum. Ulmer is a nationally recognized speaker and author.

Dr. Dolphus Weary, president of the Rural Education and Leadership (R.E.A.L.) Christian Foundation, Jackson, Miss. A noted author and speaker, the foundation he leads supports rural Christian ministries in Mississippi with technical assistance and capacity-building.

David Wills, president, National Christian Foundation (NCF), Alpharetta, Ga. NCF has helped thousands of givers send more than $2 billion to over 18,000 charities.

Commission work began with a teleconference on April 11. Its first meeting, May 19, will be followed by quarterly meetings for up to three years.

Issues the commission will address include whether churches should file the same highly detailed annual information return that other nonprofits must file (Form 990); whether legislation is needed to curb abuses of the clergy housing allowance exclusion; whether the current prohibition against political campaign intervention by churches and other nonprofits should be repealed or modified; and whether legislation is needed to clarify tax rules covering “love offerings” received by some clergy.

The commission’s members, ECFA staff and retained legal counsel will receive input from Grassley’s staff; the IRS and Treasury Department; panels of legal experts; religious and nonprofit sector representatives; position papers; and an ECFA member survey. The commission, in turn, will give periodic updates to Grassley, the ECFA board and the public.

The panel of religious sector representatives will include individuals who represent various religious faiths, including, but not necessarily limited to, Protestant Christianity, Roman Catholicism, Judaism and Islam. Special emphasis will be placed on engaging leaders who represent large segments of their respective faith groups.

ECFA, founded in 1979, provides accreditation to over 1,500 leading Christian nonprofit organizations with budgets in excess of $15 billion that faithfully demonstrate compliance with the ECFA standards pertaining to financial accountability, fundraising and board governance. For more information about ECFA, including information about accreditation and a listing of ECFA-accredited members, visit www.ecfa.org or call 1-800-323-9473.

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To schedule an interview with Michael Batts or Dan Busby, please contact Ty Mays at 770-256-8710 or tmays@inchristcommunications.com.

PBS Features Northland Church in Piece “Religion and Social Media”

Many religious groups are using social media to connect with their members and reach out to new audiences. Some question what the impact may be on beliefs, practices, and religious leadership, but many say there’s no going back.