BOB ABERNETHY: The National Association of Evangelicals, which represents theologically conservative Protestants, met in Orlando this past week. According to an article by scholar Mark Knoll in our newly released RELIGION & ETHICS NEWSWEEKLY Viewers Guide, evangelicals are the largest and most active component of American religious life. Kim Lawton reports an impending leadership change has many NAE members concerned.KIM LAWTON: The public forecast was optimistic as representatives of some 43,000 evangelical congregations gathered for their annual summit. Outgoing president Don Argue reported that over the past year, the NAE has made significant strides in areas such as spiritual renewal, racial reconciliation, and the fight against religious persecution.
Unidentified Man: NAE has enjoyed a significant past, and I'm convinced can have a bright future.
LAWTON: But in the hallways behind closed doors, there was much troubled discussion about that future. Earlier this year, Argue announced that after only three years at the helm, he'll be stepping down this spring to become a college president. Privately, some say the biggest challenge facing the NAE may be what one insider called a "leadership crisis." Argue's departure announcement caught many off guard. His replacement will be the third NAE president in just over four years.
Reverend DAN MERCALDO (Gateway Cathedral, NYC): I think we know what we have to do. I think it's finding the right leadership now in this phase of our church -- of our life as NAE, and then doing what we've been talking about and planning for years.
Reverend LEONARD HOLMAN (NAE Board Chair): We want to be recognized as Christians, and when we say "born again," that doesn't mean radical right, that means people are committed to Christ and what he teaches.
