Christianity Today

We're working on a major initiative for next year that we're not ready to publicly announce yet, but I think it will have high visibility in terms of seeking peace in the world.

How do you galvanize evangelicals into giving their attention, money, and time to these issues?

There is no shortage of evangelicals that have passion about every topic in contemporary life. The challenge here is not to find people who are interested. There are plenty of people who are interested. It's, How do we unite evangelicals in understanding what the issues are and having a moral perspective in how we approach them?

It's not as if we're picking an issue and then trying to find someone to be interested in that issue. There are organizations that are very concerned about the oppression of the Dalits in India. What the NAE is able to do is draw broader attention in the community and beyond that is a passionate concern of some but needs to be a concern of more.

Is there anything else you want to say about the future of the NAE?

I'm hoping that in the future we are also going to be able to engage more on the issue of immigration in America. It's a pressing issue that the country needs to unite around. We need to have a biblical voice. We need to recognize this is a high concern for the Hispanic community, which has a large numbers of evangelicals within it. Hispanic churches are the fastest growing in the nation and immigration is a top priority. Up to this point, NAE has not made any formal statements on it. I just anticipate this will be a growing priority and concern which fits under the topic of justice.

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Related Elsewhere:

The NAE board unanimously elected Anderson president in mid-October.

Anderson is senior pastor of Wooddale Church.

Earlier Christianity Today articles about the NAE include:

Climate Change Is Here to Stay | Debate over global warming has only intensified since conservatives targeted Cizik. (March 30, 2007)

NAE Endorses Statement Against Torture | Declaration calls for churches and individuals to act on "non-negotiable" issue. (March 16, 2007)

Dobson, Others Seek Ouster of NAE Vice President | Interim president Leith Anderson says he supports Richard Cizik's work on creation care. (March 2, 2007)

Life After Haggard | Leaders praise new NAE chief, debate direction. (November 17, 2006)

National Association of Evangelicals Sifts Through Ashes of Haggard Scandal | Leaders are distancing group from its former president. (November 7, 2006)

'I Am Guilty of Sexual Immorality … a Deceiver and a Liar,' Haggard Confesses | Also: Leith Anderson again named NAE interim president. (November 5, 2006)

NAE Rights Its Ship | Outgoing president put the association back in the black (June 1, 2003)

NAE Plans Move to Washington, D.C. | "We are increasingly convinced that we can do a better job having everything here as it once was." (May 3, 2002)

NAE President Resigns in Wake of Financial Woes | "In the process of change, you also create friction," says Kevin Mannoia. (June 15, 2001)

What Are We For?| The president of the NAE argues that a new day has arrived for the movement. (May, 21, 2001)

Breaking Up Isn't Hard to Do | Religious broadcasters quietly cut historic link to National Association of Evangelicals. (Mar. 21, 2001)

NAE Mulls Move to Azusa (September 6, 1999)

NAE Selects New President (April 5, 1999)

NAE Rethinks Mission (April 27, 1998)