Pastors as Props

Written By: Dave Welch  |  Posted: Tuesday, July 20th, 2010

I became aware the day before the event that President Obama was inviting pastors to his speech about immigration reform at American University on July 1. There was no surprise there, for clergy have been used and abused by politicians as props as long as there have been politics. For example, well-known in the political world - shared and confirmed by Chuck Colson - is how Richard Nixon would "wine and dine" key pastors, give them the red-carpet treatment and send them home to be good mouthpieces.

Much of what the president said in his speech in assessing the crisis will bring little disagreement - as always, the devil is in the details of the solution. The rest of the speech, such as stating that he and the Democrats are ready for action if only the Republicans would just set aside "partisanship" to come outside and play, was typical Obama-speak. My greatest disappointment was that Pastor Bill Hybels of Willow Creek Church in Illinois took the stand to introduce the president and thereby gave Obama the cover he was looking for. Hybels is the driving force behind the "seeker-friendly" phenomena that essentially neutralized the evangelical church as a moral force over the last 30 years.Does Rick Warren's spiritual agenda include New Age elements? Find out in Warren Smith's "Deceived on Purpose"

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