National Association of Evangelicals picks interim chief
Posted November 5, 2006
Leith Anderson named NAE Interim President
LEITH ANDERSON NAMED INTERIM PRESIDENT OF THE NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF EVANGELICALS
For Immediate Release: Contact Person: Richard Cizik
November 4, 2006 202-789-1011 (office); 202-253-6525 (cell)
Washington, D.C. -- Dr. Leith Anderson, a well-known pastor, author, seminary lecturer, and missions leader has been named Interim President of the National Association of Evangelicals (NAE).
A 15-member Executive Committee, led by L. Roy Taylor, Stated Clerk of the Presbyterian Church in America, made the selection during a November 3 conference call. After consultation with his Church elders and his wife Charleen, Anderson agreed to serve for an indefinite period in order to give the Association the time needed to seek and find a new President. The NAE Executive Committee also accepted the resignation of the Rev. Ted Haggard, who served from 2003 to 2006.
Leith Anderson is the senior Pastor of Wooddale Church in Eden Prairie, Minnesota, a mega-church affiliated with the Baptist General Conference, a position that he was first called to on January 1, 1977. During his tenure, the church has grown to 5,000 regular attendees and is known for its outreach overseas, including to victims of HIV/AIDS.
His education includes Moody Bible Institute, Chicago, Illinois; B.A., Sociology, Bradley University, Peoria, Illinois; Master of Divinity, Denver Seminary, Denver, Colorado; and Doctor of Ministry, Fuller Theological Seminary. He is the author of eight books and the radio voice of Faith Matters, which is heard on Christian stations across the United States.
"Dr. Anderson knows the evangelical world and is uniquely positioned to serve theNational Association of Evangelicals at this time," said L. Roy Taylor, NAE Chairman of the Board. "He's a man of great personal integrity and spiritual leadership who can step into the President's role without missing a beat."
Archived Comments
Well, isn't that the whole point of modern evangelical worship? To find the best "show" in town?
I mean, did you see the photographs on the internet of the lobby of Haggard's church? There he was, a big professionally done photograph of Haggard's head, as big as the Goodyear blimp, smiling out at everyone.
This whole new evangelical movement entices people into church by making every service a rock concert and a pep rally rolled into one. So, they need a leader who can pull that off.
Thankfully, I'm still an old fashioned Episcopalian in a denomination where we don't need worship leaders and wireless microphones and rock bands to worship the Lord in the way we've been doing it for 500 years . . .
The NAE seems to only look to pastors of megachurches. We all know that the NAE could never be led by a pastor from a small congregation.