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Joel Hunter walks the walk of spirituality and faith with scars that have tested his devotion to a higher power in this universe… Tragedies can either break a man and his faith, or make it stronger. Joel Hunter has chosen…
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The City of Sanford Planning and Zoning Commission approved the project on September 6, clearing the way for construction to begin in December. The project, called Warley Park, will be an 85-unit multifamily affordable housing community for homeless
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Hunter left Northland last year, the church he built into one of the largest in Central Florida, to become a full-time volunteer helping homeless families in Central Florida. …His goal: “to knit together an entire community response to effectively help those who are needy and homeless.”
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In 2007, the Rev. Joel Hunter formed a creation care team at his Northland evangelical megachurch in central Florida. “Creation care” describes a movement within the U.S. Christian community to better steward God’s creation, aka the Earth—it is, in short, environmentalism for the faithful. Many embraced Hunter’s initiative. Many did not.
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“The Children’s Trust is not an effort to discredit the millions of dollars Orange County currently spends on our children,” said Dr. Joel Hunter, former Senior Pastor at Northland Church and current Chairman of the Community Resource Network.
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Central Florida tackles homelessness: Onward, and upward, homeward
Shelley W. Lauten was tapped to be chief executive officer of the Central Florida Commission on Homelessness in October 2016. The Orlando Sentinel Editorial Board recently reached out to Lauten to ask about the rewards and frustrations of her tenure. Q: Looking back, what was your greatest challenge?
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Faith and Nonprofits: Can you create a partnership?
Dr. Joel Hunter of the Community Resource Network explains how nonprofit leaders can partner with the faith community.
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Life after Northland Church
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Church network seeks to guide homeless families to self-sufficiency
When homeless people come to Altamonte Chapel, the congregation welcomes them to worship and offers the help it can: a meal, a ride, maybe some new clothes. But the small church doesn't have the resources to get them off the streets permanently.
Dr. Joel C. Hunter is the Pastor of Community Benefit at Action Church, a multi-site congregation based in Winter Park and his one-minute daily devotionals can be heard worldwide on Z88 radio. He is the Chairman of the Central Florida Pledge campaign; a call to action for residents of Central Florida who are tired of hateful discourse and want to create a safe and inclusive community for all. The pledge asks residents to commit to treating all people with kindness and respect, especially those with whom they disagree. To learn more: https://www.centralfloridapledge.com/
He is a nationally and internationally known advocate for the poor, the marginalized, and those dealing with disabilities. He served a three-year term as the Chairman of Central Florida’s Commission on Homelessness. And, after 32 years as the senior pastor of Longwood, Florida’s Northland Church’s congregation of 20,000, he spent five years leading a non-profit in networking with churches and local charities to locate available resources and benefit the struggling in our community. Orlando Magazine highlighted his efforts naming him as the #1 most powerful voice for philanthropy and community engagement. And listed him among “Orlando’s 50 Most Powerful” six years in a row.
Approaching today’s challenges in a biblical and balanced manner, Dr. Hunter is neither partisan nor politically oriented, but often relates to public officials in a pastoral role; he served as a spiritual advisor to President Obama during his eight years in office.
Dr. Hunter has served in leadership roles of the World Evangelical Alliance, serving more than 600 million evangelicals, and the National Association of Evangelicals, serving more than 40 denominations and thousands of churches.
Married in 1972 to his wife, Becky, he is the father of three sons, grandfather of seven, and great-grandfather of two.
April 19, 2026 Dr. Hunter will be preaching all four worship services (8:30AM, 10AM, 11:30AM and 5:30PM) at Action Church (1485 Grand Rd., Winter Park, FL 32792) His sermon will be shared by video at Action’s additional sites: Hagerty High School (3225 Lockwood Blvd., Oviedo, FL 32765) at 9:30AM and 11AM; Action Church Sanford (650 E. Airport Blvd., Sanford, Florida 32773) at 8:30AM, 10AM and 11:30AM. *ASL Interpretation Available at the 10AM Service; Choices in Learning (1100 E State Rd 434, Winter Springs, FL 32708) 8:30AM, 10AM and 11:30AM.; Spanish translation is available at all services at all sites.
