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NRB contends that the two groups are headed in different directions. The breakaway in part was sparked when NAE supported the licensing of low-powered fm stations for local community groups. William Kennard, while chairman of the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), sought last year to offer community groups licenses to operate low-powered radio stations.

Larger broadcasters, including NRB members, strongly opposed the concept, saying the new stations would interfere with the signals of established outlets. In December the FCC awarded just 255 licenses to community groups. More than 1,200 had applied for licenses in 20 states.

Richard Cizik of NAE's Washington office downplayed the licensing issue as a reason for the breakup, saying both groups hold that licenses should not be granted if there is radio interference. "It's not like anybody from NRB has called and made the connection," Cizik said. "Ultimately we agreed with them."

Wayne Pederson, NRB chairman, said there were several reasons for the split, including the reality that NRB has grown much larger than NAE and the organizations serve different constituencies. NAE is a coalition of 50 Protestant member denominations that promotes fellowship among 43,000 evangelical congregations. NRB links 1,300 Christian television and radio broadcasters.

NAE's support of low-powered stations "got us thinking that we should go our separate ways and wish each other well," Pederson said in an interview with CT.

Very few members of the record crowd of 5,500 knew the break had happened. No stories about the change appeared in the convention newspaper. NRB spokesman Karl Stoll said leaders wanted to handle the issue in-house and not make a big deal of it.

"Our two organizations seemed to be heading in different directions politically and, perhaps to some degree, theologically," Stoll said. "There were some who felt the NAE was getting too close to the National Council of Churches" (NCC).

NAE, founded in 1942 as an alternative to the NCC, joined other groups last year—initially including the NCC—in adopting—"A Christian Declaration on Marriage." Robert Edgar, general secretary of the NCC, later removed his name from the document (CT, Feb. 5, p. 15).

Kevin Mannoia, NAE president, expressed disappointment with NRB's decision. "At this time in the life of the church in America, there is an increased need for unity and coming together for the sake of the gospel," he said. "It is a backward step."

Mannoia said Gustavson had told him by telephone of concerns about discussions with the NCC and some other issues. Mannoia emphatically denied any liberal trend in his association, pointing out that NAE stood by the marriage declaration, which implicitly opposed homosexual marriage.

"We are just a different thing, and the child has grown larger than the mother," Clark said. "Our membership is becoming broader than NAE's. We now admit Seventh-day Adventists, for example. We just felt that we were so much bigger, so much more diverse, and so focused on broadcasting that it was a good time to go our separate ways."

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April 2 2001, Vol. 45, No. 5