The National Association of Evangelicals confirmed the selection of the Rev. Leith Anderson, senior pastor of a Minnesota megachurch, as its interim president on Saturday, temporarily filling the leadership position that was left vacant by the sudden resignation of its former president, the Rev. Ted Haggard.

"Dr. Anderson knows the evangelical world and is uniquely positioned to serve the National Association of Evangelicals at this time," said L. Roy Taylor, NAE Chairman of the Board. "He's a man of great personal integrity and spiritual leadership who can step into the president's role without missing a beat."

A 15-member Executive Committee made the selection at an emergency conference on Friday, during the same time they accepted Haggard’s resignation. The following day, Anderson agreed to serve for an indefinite period in order to give the Association time to find a permanent president. more >>

The Rev. Ted Haggard crumbled down amid allegations of gay sex, drugs, and a host of other sensationalized tales of misconduct, all brought forth to the media by a male prostitute who laid claim to a three-year relationship with the National Association of Evangelicals’ former head.

While Haggard has only partially admitted guilt, the situation in its entirety is a stark reminder of man’s sinfulness and a dark exposure of how deeply the sin of homosexuality has taken root in the American society. If the accusations are indeed true, now would be the time for the Evangelical community look within its own walls and battle against the culture of sin that looms before the Church of Christ.

The National Association of Evangelicals is a group that is 30-million strong with over 50 years of history. However, in the last few years, its headquarters has moved to an office within Haggard’s New Life Community Church with its staffers fully employed by the church. This failure on the part of the NAE to operate independent of any one church or person is among the most critical mistake the organization has made – a fault that must be acknowledged and amended immediately. As such, the NAE board must elect its interim president now, instead of vacating its top position, and quickly relocate away from any individual church. more >>

The board members of the National Association of Evangelicals announced today that they unanimously accepted the Rev. Ted Haggard’s resignation as the organization’s president, amid allegations that he hired a man for prostitution.

“In response to Rev. Haggard’s admission yesterday to church leaders in Colorado that there were some indiscretions, the eleven-member Executive Committee met today via teleconference and unanimously accepted his resignation with regret,” the NAE wrote in a press release. “Due to the seriousness of Rev Haggard’s misconduct while in the leadership roles he held, we anticipate that an extended period of recovery will be appropriate.”

Haggard, who also stepped-down from his pastoral role from the 14,000-member New Life Church, resigned from the NAE yesterday following allegations that he had hired a male prostitute and taken methamphetamine. Earlier today, Haggard admitted to having purchased methamphetamine but denied allegations of using drugs or engaging in sexual misconduct. more >>

The National Association of Evangelicals began its semi-annual General Council meeting Thursday in Dallas, Texas, with a long list of social and ecumenical topics to discuss from an “evangelical perspective.”

According to Kyle Fisk, Executive Administrator of the NAE, the board members will vote on resolutions concerned with the next generation of Evangelical leaders, mainline denominations, the issue of immigration, and military religious freedom.

The wide-ranging list of topics is consistent with the alliance’s recent focus on holistic mission. Last year, the group, which represents 30 million evangelicals in the nation, released a landmark document calling for greater “political and social action” among its members. The “For the Health of the Nation” document touched on issues involving religious freedom, poverty, war, the sanctity of human life, gay marriages, and “creation care.” more >>

WASHINGTON – The National Association of Evangelicals held a power-packed student leadership conference this week to help get the next evangelical generation to make a difference in the world.

"I watched and read and did nothing," said Patrick Schmidt, a senior at Georgetown University and leader of STAND (Students Taking Action Now: Darfur), as he described his initial encounters with the genocide in Darfur. These are the utterances of many other students in the younger generation - a generation that the NAE wants to raise in leadership.

Some 120 seminary and college students took in an earful of faith and politics, and global and national issues that they had been little educated on at the 50th Annual Christian Student Leadership Conference. more >>

Following a 50-year tradition of inspiring young Christian evangelicals to enter the political and public service arena, the National Association of Evangelicals are hosting some 120 seminary and college students in Washington for a weeklong conference packed with seminars, visits to the White House and Capitol Hill, meetings with congressmen, and debates on faith and politics.

“What we are attempting to do is to educate the next evangelical generation of leaders on their public policy priorities and to help make careers in public policy and federal service a possibility for them,” said Richard Cizik, vice president of NAE’s governmental affairs division, who headed the annual Student Leadership Conference for 25 years.

The NAE Student Leadership Conference began in 1956 and has since helped hundreds of young evangelical students connect with people and opportunities in Washington. Past Alumni from the program include Clyde Taylor, Jr., Foreign Service Officer and Retired Ambassador; Senator Dan Coats, (R-Ind.), retired Ambassador to Federal Republic of Germany; and Ronald Leighton, a Federal District Court Judge. more >>