Christian Coalition Elects Florida Megachurch Pastor as New President
Christian Coalition, the largest grassroots network of evangelical Christians, has announced the selection of a Florida megachurch pastor as its president, signaling the start of a new chapter for the troubled organization.
According to a statement last week, Dr. Joel Hunter, Senior Pastor for Northland Church in Orlando, Fla., was recruited in July and will begin full service in the unsalaried position by Jan. 1, 2007.
Stakeholders of the organization hope Hunter’s addition will stabilize the once-powerful coalition and placate its conservative constituents, many who have complained against what they call a liberalization of the group.
Get Our Latest News for FREE
“I recruited him to be president, and I’m looking forward to working with him,” said Roberta Combs, chairman of the Christian Coalition, according to the Orlando Sentinel. “It seemed we needed a pastor that could communicate with other pastors.”
With over two million supporters nationwide, the Christian Coalition is the country’s largest grassroots organization. However, in recent years, the once-powerful group has lost much of its influence and financial base. The group’s budget, once $26 million, is now only 1 million. Additionally, four state chapters – Georgia Alabama, Iowa and Ohio – have left the national organization; and the Christian Coalition of Alabama has changed its name to Christian Action Alabama on Oct. 8, reinforcing the group’s split with its national counterpart.
Hunter acknowledged the decline, according to the Sentinel, citing his discussions with the Coalition’s board throughout the year. “I think they were desperate when they asked me,” he told the Sentinel. “I’ve always been drawn to lost causes.”
Hunter, author of “Right Wing, Wrong Bird: Why the Tactics of the Religious Right Won’t Fly with Most Conservative Christians,” displays a more moderate approach to politics than other more radical conservatives like Jerry Falwell or the Coalition’s founder, Pat Robertson. He also advocates a broader range of topics compared to the traditional conservative groups that focus mostly on abortion or marriage.
“I look forward to building upon the successes under Roberta’s leadership and expanding our mission to concern itself with the care of creation, helping society’s marginalized, human rights/religious issues and compassion issues,” Hunter said in the press release.
