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Ted Haggard cites most important issue...

[IndyChristian Editor Note: Live-blogging from St. Louis, at the Mission America national meeting.... this has been a great experience, seeing so many driven Christians together, praying & working actively toward transformation. The following was released directly from the conference...]

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Mission America Coalition

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
Susan Brill, 828-279-1256
mediaMAC@bellsouth.net
missionamerica.org

NAE President Identifies Youth Ministry As Most Important
Speaks to Mission America Coalition Annual Meeting


Pastor Ted Haggard

ST LOUIS, Mo., Oct. 11--Youth ministry is the most important factor in creating change in our culture, Ted Haggard, president of the National Association of Evangelicals (NAE), told the annual conference of the Mission America Coalition (MAC) in St. Louis today.

He cited the broad exposure young people have to the increasing secularism and humanism in our culture and said the changes we work to make in our culture will not last if a generation of youth does not know Christ. "It doesn't matter if we protect the definition of marriage in this generation if the next generation doesn't have a clue what marriage means," he said.

"The youth pastors are some of the most important leaders in the city," he told nearly 150 church, ministry, and lay leaders from across the country. He also affirmed the need for the Church to work together, not separately, to accomplish God's purposes.

We are in a generation where there are coalitions of ministries who will say, "We are not going to let this generation go to Hell," he said, "we are not going to let MTV be more dominant in this generation than the church, we are not going to turn away from this generation...we are going to do something decisive in order to make a difference."

"If we do it on our knees...we can see this generation saved," Haggard affirmed.

The Mission America Coalition and the National Association of Evangelicals have long relationship and a strategic partnership--MAC serves as the evangelism partner of NAE. Haggard has been involved in MAC since its beginning.

The conference at the St. Louis Airport Marriott continues tomorrow with speakers Daniel de Leon (Hispanic Association of Bilingual/Bicultural Ministries), Paul Cedar (Mission America Coalition), John Nichols (Lazarus Foundation), and Lon Allison (Billy Graham Center).
On Thursday, Dave Olson (American Church Research Project) will unveil new research findings about the state of the church in U.S.

The Mission America Coalition is a network of churches, ministries, denominations, and Christian leaders with a shared vision to collaborate in prayer, evangelism, and revival. Since its inception, leaders from 81 denominations, over 350 ministries and dozens of ministry networks have been involved in the Coalition. Mrs. Vonette Bright (Campus Crusade for Christ), Dr. Billy Graham (Billy Graham Evangelistic Association), and Dr. John Perkins (Christian Community Development Association) serve as honorary co-chairs.

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For more information see www.missionamerica.org or for an interview about the Mission America Coalition, contact Susan Brill at 828-279-1256 or e-mail mediaMAC@bellsouth.net.

posted by IndyChristian @ 12:05 PM