The leaders of America’s top evangelical aid groups and denominations urged Congress today to reject proposed cuts to foreign aid in a letter signed by more than 100 prominent Christians, including 2 of the 6 clergy who prayed at President Donald Trump’s inauguration.
National Hispanic Christian Leadership Conference president Samuel Rodriguez and Cardinal Timothy Dolan joined the many leaders on the list, which includes InterVarsity Christian Fellowship’s Tom Lin and Alec Hill and the presidents of Fuller, Gordon-Conwell, Denver, and Princeton seminaries. Michael W. Smith, Amy Grant, and Third Day also signed [full list below].
The Trump administration released its budget blueprint Thursday, which outlines the anticipated cutbacks to international aid programs. The plan reduces the State Department and US Agency for International Development (USAID) budget by 28 percent.
“As followers of Christ, it is our moral responsibility to urge you to support and protect the International Affairs Budget, and avoid disproportionate cuts to these vital programs that ensure that our country continues to be the ‘shining city upon a hill,’” they stated. Currently, foreign assistance—America’s contribution to health care and development efforts abroad—represents a fraction of 1 percent of the nation’s budget.
Signatories include leaders from humanitarian aid groups including World Vision USA, World Relief, Compassion International, Living Water International, Food for the Hungry, as well as denominational leaders from the Southern Baptist Convention, Assemblies of God, Wesleyan Church, Church of Nazarene, the Anglican Church in North America, the Christian Reformed Church in North America, and the National Association of Evangelicals. Catholic Relief Services and several Catholic dioceses also signed the letter.
These groups are major players in international development and poverty relief; World Vision’s president, Rich Stearns, wrote for CT a few years ago that its $2.8 billion budget ranks among the countries with the 15 biggest economies in the world for overseas assistance.
The 100-plus Christian leaders want America to maintain the international programs they consider “instrumental in saving lives, safeguarding religious liberties, and keeping America safe and secure.” Because of their involvement with such outreach, they have seen firsthand the impact of America’s generous support—and just how far its assistance can go.
“For more than 50 years, World Vision has worked alongside US government partners to address the needs of vulnerable children and families living in poverty around the world,” stated Stearns. “While World Vision proudly raises millions of dollars from the American people each year, government funding enables us to expand our programs and increase their sustainability.”
The letter sent to Congress emphasizes the Christian perspective that America cannot turn away from “those in desperate need” when it has been “blessed” with resources. Stearns went on to suggest cutting programs could halt or even undo the advancements made to eradicate diseases, reduce poverty, and improve education. “We risk losing the hard-won progress against poverty, wasting billions of dollars and decades of efforts,” he said.
The president intentionally focused on domestic concerns, including defense and homeland security, at the expense of the State Department allotment. “It is time to prioritize the security and well-being of Americans, and to ask the rest of the world to step up and pay its fair share,” Trump said.
Following his election, white evangelicals ranked healthcare, immigration, and the economy as the top priorities for the new president—the same top three as American voters overall, the Pew Research Center found.
During the previous administration, a majority of evangelicals favored cutting US assistance to the world’s poor—their top choice for spending reductions. Other popular areas for decreases were government assistance for the unemployed (40%) and environmental protection (38%).
Earlier this month, former Senate majority leader Bill Frist, now the chairman of a Christian global health nonprofit called Hope Through Healing Hands, penned an op-ed for CT similarly decrying Trump’s cuts.
Frist wrote that foreign assistance saves lives and furthers security efforts abroad. “Let us heed the call of the Scriptures to uplift the poor, save the lives of millions, and give the world’s poorest the chance at a life of flourishing and abundance,” he said. “This can be a win-win for America and the world.”
Here are the letter’s signatories:
Timothy Cardinal Dolan Archbishop of New York
Rev. Dr. Samuel Rodriguez, President National Hispanic Christian Leadership Conference
Leith Anderson, President National Association of Evangelicals
Rich Stearns, President World Vision USA
Bishop Gregory J. Mansour, Chairman of the Board Catholic Relief Services
Michael W. Smith Singer/Songwriter
Dr. George O. Wood, General Superintendent Assemblies of God
Dr. Ronnie Floyd, Immediate Past President Southern Baptist Convention
Amy Grant Singer/Songwriter
Shirley V. Hoogstra, J.D., President Council for Christian Colleges & Universities
Tom Lin, President & CEO InterVarsity Christian Fellowship
Third Day Christian Rock Band
Jonathan Reckford, CEO Habitat for Humanity
Mark Labberton, President Fuller Theological Seminary
Jo Anne Lyon, General Superintendent Emerita The Wesleyan Church
Most Reverend Jerome E. Listecki Archdiocese of Milwaukee
Most Reverend Salvatore J. Cordileone Archbishop of San Francisco
David Wilson, General Secretary Church of the Nazarene
Rev. Gabriel Salguero, President National Latino Evangelical Coalition
Most Reverend Joseph E. Kurtz, D.D. Archbishop of Louisville
Santiago “Jimmy” Mellado, President & CEO Compassion International
John Crosby, Senior Pastor Christ Presbyterian Church
Rev. Johnnie Moore Author
Bob Bouwer, Reverend Faith Church (8 locations)
John K. Jenkins Sr., Senior Pastor First Baptist Church of Glenarden
Keith Stewart, Senior Pastor Springcreek Church
Alec Hill, President Emeritus InterVarsity Christian Fellowship
Scott Arbeiter, President World Relief Corporation
Martha Newsome, President & CEO Medical Teams International
Ron Byler, Executive Director Mennonite Central Committee
Mike Mantel, President & CEO Living Water International
Carol Bremer-Bennett, Executive Director World Renew
Gary Edmonds, President & CEO Food for the Hungry
Anita Smith, President Children’s AIDS Fund
Shepherd Smith, President Institute for Youth Development
Bruce Wilkinson, President & CEO Catholic Medical Mission Board
Steve Stirling, President & CEO MAP International
Peter Vander Meulen, Coordinator in Office of Social Justice Christian Reformed Church in North America
Joel K. Johnson, Pastor Westwood Community Church
James H. Barnes III, President Bethel University
Steve Moore, Board Chair World Relief
Deborah Smith Pegues, Board of Directors World Vision USA
Rev. Jonathan Odom, Pastor Asbury UMC
Dr. Mark Wilbanks, Senior Pastor Wieuca Road Baptist Church
Dr. Stephen Treash, Senior Pastor Black Rock Church
Laura Truax, Senior Pastor LaSalle Street Church
Jeffrey Moes, Senior Pastor Sunnybrook Community Church
Gino Grunberg, Co-Pastor Harbor Christian Center
Rev. Jay Madden, Pastor for Mission Peachtree Presbyterian Church
Chris Cramer, Pastor Orchard Grove Community Church
Chad Hayward, Executive Director Accord Network
Galen Carey, Vice President of Government Relations National Association of Evangelicals
Scott Garber, Author
Ken Wytsma, Senior Pastor Antioch Church
William Minchin, Pastor of Business Administration Grace Fellowship Church
Rev. Eugene Cho, Lead Pastor & Founder Quest Church/One Day’s Wages
Bishop Horace E. Smith, MD, Senior Pastor Apostolic Faith Church
Ted Esler, President Missio Nexus
Rev. Dr. Michael L. Henderson, Senior Pastor New Beginnings Church
Dr. G. Craig Williford, President Multnomah University
Carmen Fowler Laberge, President Presbyterian Lay Committee
Colin P. Watson, Sr., Director of Ministries and Administration Christian Reformed Church in North America
Dr. Don Argue, Ambassador at Large Convoy of Hope
Scott Ridout, President Converge
Rev. Dr. Liz Mosbo VerHage, Associate Pastor Quest Church
Gregory Loewer, Pastor for Missions, Columbia Baptist Church
Jim Lyon, General Director Church of God Ministries
Constantine M. Triantafilou, Executive Director & CEO International Orthodox Christian Charities (IOCC)
Alan Robinson, National Director Brethren in Christ, U. S.
Mark S. Young, President Denver Seminary
Craig Barnes, President Princeton Theological Seminary
Adam Pray, Minister theChurch.at
Dennis Hollinger, Ph.D., President Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary
Alan Cureton, President University of Northwestern
Jon Middendorf, Pastor OKC First Church of the Nazarene
Rev. Bobby Griffith, Jr., Pastor City Presbyterian Church
Rev. David Cassidy, Pastor Christ Community Church
Dr. Timothy J. Brooks, Lead Pastor South Portland Church of the Nazarene
Rev. Doug Serven, Pastor City Presbyterian Church
Rev. Dan Claire, Rector Church of the Resurrection
Rev. Joel St. Clair, Pastor Mosaic Community Church
Dr. O. Alan Noble, Assistant Professor of English Oklahoma Baptist University
Rev. Dr. Irwyn Ince Jr., Pastor City of Hope Presbyterian Church
Rev. Russ Whitfield, Pastor Grace Mosaic Church
The Right Rev. Dr. Steven A. Breedlove, Diocese Christ our Hope, Anglican Church in North America
Rev. Alan Cross, Executive Director Community Development Initiatives Montgomery Baptist Association
Rev. Dr. James C. Howell, Senior Pastor Myers Park United Methodist Church
Rev. Don Flowers, Jr., Senior Pastor Providence Baptist Church
The Most Rev. Dr. Foley Beach, Archbishop Anglican Church in North America
Dr. Chris Ellis, Minister of Mission and Outreach Second Baptist Church
Dr. Stephen Cook, Senior Pastor Second Baptist Church
Dr. Christopher Pollock, Lead Pastor Midtown Church
Peter Greer, CEO HOPE International
David W. Kendall, Bishop Free Methodist Church, USA
David T. Roller, Bishop Free Methodist Church, USA
Matthew A. Thomas, Bishop Free Methodist Church, USA
Justin B. Fung, Pastor of Teaching & Formation The District Church
Jason Surratt, Pastor of Stewardship and Global Missions Seacoast Church
Dr. Gregg Okkesson, Dean Asbury Theological Seminary
Stephanie Summers, CEO Center for Public Justice
Ruth Anne Reese, Ph.D., Professor of New Testament Asbury Theological Seminary
Brandon Heath Singer/Songwriter
Dr. Stephen Offutt, Assistant Professor of Development Studies Asbury Theological Seminary
Matt Maher Singer/Songwriter
Jonathan Martin Writer and Speaker
Aaron Graham, Lead Pastor The District Church
