NAE

Top evangelical leaders across North America are joining a special service Monday in Boston to celebrate the 200th anniversary of North America's first ordained missionaries. The event also marked the official debut of Missio Nexus, which will be the largest evangelical mission network in North America following the historic merger of CrossGlobal Link and The Mission Exchange.

The Missions Bicentennial service and celebration is taking place at Tabernacle Congregational Church in Salem, Mass., the location where on February 6, 1812, the first missionaries being sent from a North American mission agency were commissioned.

The ordaining of Adoniram Judson and four other missionaries for overseas service represented the beginning of a new era in history when America joined the global mission movement. After their ordination in Salem, Judson, along his wife Ann and other missionaries, set sail in February 1812 to bring Christianity to India. more >>

The National Association of Evangelicals, the Council for Christian Colleges and Universities and evangelical publications were criticized for being silent on the lack of conscience protections in new health care regulations and federal grants in an article on the First Things “On the Square” blog.

Contrary to what the article states, NAE and CCCU did submit comments on, and strongly opposed, the lack of adequate religious conscience protections in the proposed regulations, and evangelical publications have brought attention to the issue.

In the article, Robert Schwarzwalder, senior vice president at the Family Research Council and Julia Kiewit, associate editor at the Marriage And Religion Research Institute, wrote, “We applaud the efforts of America’s Catholic leadership in defense of religious liberty. But we do so with a certain measure of consternation. As Evangelical Protestants, we wonder: Why is organized Evangelicalism so silent? Where is the National Association of Evangelicals? Where is the (Evangelical) Council for Christian Colleges and Universities? Where are the editorials and feature articles in Evangelical publications?” more >>

Former evangelical leader Ted Haggard may have skipped the first scheduled taping of ABC’s “Celebrity Wife Swap,” in which he will star alongside reality show king Gary Busey.

The show’s producers confirmed to People magazine Wednesday that on the celebrity version of the show, Haggard will swap his wife, Gayle, for Busey’s girlfriend and mother of his child, Steffanie Sampson.

Taping for the ABC reality show was supposed to be held Thursday at the GLBT Pride Center in Colorado Springs. more >>

The newly formed Christians for a Sustainable Economy (CASE) wrote a letter asking President Obama and congressional leaders to help the poor through economic growth, rather than through funding ineffective government programs.

The letter, found at case4America.org, takes issue with the “Circle of Protection,” a coalition of religious groups that met with President Obama during the debt limit negotiations to ask that programs for the poor be spared in the spending cuts.

“[Jim] Wallis (President of Sojourners) and the 'Circle of Protection' do not speak for all Christians,” the CASE letter states. “However laudable their intentions, the consequence of their actions is to provide a religious imprimatur for big government and sanctify federal welfare programs that are often ineffective – even counterproductive. more >>

A California judge ruled in favor of Jewish and Muslim plaintiffs Thursday and ordered that a proposed circumcision ban be removed from the San Francisco ballot.

Judge Loretta Giorgi said the attempted regulation is "expressly preempted" by laws giving the state the exclusive right to regulate medical procedures.

The ruling is a victory for the Anti-Defamation League and Jewish Community Relations Council of San Francisco. The groups filed the lawsuit on behalf of doctors and Jewish and Muslim individuals who said the proposal criminalizing the circumcision of males under the age of 18 would interfere with their practices. more >>

Evangelical minister Leith Anderson announced on Wednesday that he will retire from the pulpit of Wooddale Church, which GOP presidential candidate Tim Pawlenty attends.

After nearly 35 years, Anderson – who also heads the National Association of Evangelicals – feels it is the right time to step aside and pass the baton to a younger generation.

"My decision to retire at this time is the culmination of lots of prayers, thinking and planning," the 66-year-old said in his note to the church. "Wooddale Church is thriving. God is blessing. These are good days. I prefer to conclude my pastorate when all is well and turn leadership over to a new generation." more >>