President Donald Trump met privately Tuesday with 25 Christian leaders who came to the White House to affirm their support for the president amid the impeachment inquiry launched by House Democrats.
“We assured him that evangelicals across America support him,” Pastor Jack Graham of Prestonwood Baptist Church in Plano, Texas, told Fox News. “We are unwavering in our support for the president.”
Trump did not appear to dwell on the activities of House Democrats, but preferred to talk about progress on achieving the agenda put forth by America’s faith leaders, according to those at the meeting.
“I have never seen a president more focused, more in command than what we saw with President Trump yesterday,” Ralph Reed, chairman of the Faith and Freedom Coalition, told Fox.
“The primary purpose of the informal meeting with faith leaders Tuesday was for the president to brief faith leaders on the continuing, remarkable accomplishments of this administration — especially in areas that are important to evangelicals,” Pastor Robert Jeffress of First Baptist Church in Dallas told CBN.
“It was abundantly clear, he’s totally unfazed by this,” the Rev. Johnnie Moore, president of the Congress of Christian Leaders, said to Fox.
Graham said the group prayed for Trump.
“We prayed for the president, with thanksgiving, as always, that he would know God’s wisdom and strength as the president of the United States,” Graham told Fox.
Trump “always welcomes,” prayers for him, Graham said, and is ever “appreciative of the people who pray for him across the country.”
Moore noted the effort by House Democrats to push Trump from office is also, to faith leaders, an assault on the values that Trump’s evangelical supporters hold dear.
“Evangelical leaders see this, not as impeaching Donald Trump, but they’re trying to impeach me and my values,” Moore said. “Donald Trump is pretty good at fighting alone — but he isn’t going to have to on this one.”
“Everybody felt this way. This isn’t actually about Donald Trump,” he said.
“It’s about the agenda that he’s put forward, the success he’s had in advancing the agenda.”
“We take it very personally because they’re going after our values,” Graham said, adding that House Democrats are conducting a “sham of an investigation.”
Reed said the faith leaders were there “as representatives of the tens of millions who intercede for this president every single day.”
“Tens of millions of Americans of faith are extremely grateful that President Trump defends time-honored values and the right of Christians and other religious minorities to religious freedom,” he said.
“I pray for the president, the first family and his staff every day. It is a privilege and honor to pray for any president, and most especially this president given his leadership,” he added.
The conversation was without any pretense, Moore said.
“He doesn’t try to be any different than he is,” Moore said.
“That’s one of the things we appreciate about him.”
The White House said the group meeting with Trump included the following faith leaders:
- Pastor Paula White Cain, senior pastor of New Destiny Christian Center
- Lourdes Aguirre, president of Eresamerica
- Michelle Bachmann, former congresswoman
- Pastor Luke Barnett, senior pastor of Dream City Church
- Gary Bauer, President of American Values
- Dr. Tim Clinton, president of American Association of Christian Counselors
- Apostle Alberto Delgado, pastor of Alpha & Omega
- Dr. James Dobson, founder of Dr. James Dobson Family Institute
- Shirley Dobson, co-founder of Dr. James Dobson Family Institute
- Pastor Jentezen Franklin, senior pastor of Free Chapel
- Pastor Jim Garlow, senior pastor of Skyline Church San Diego
- Dr. Jack Graham, senior pastor of Prestonwood Baptist Church
- Pastor Harry Jackson Jr., senior pastor of Hope Christian Church
- Pastor Robert Jeffress, senior pastor of First Baptist Dallas
- Pastor Greg Laurie, senior pastor of Harvest Christian Fellowship
- Apostle Guillermo Maldonado, co-founder and senior pastor of El Rey Jesús
- Pastor Robert Morris, senior pastor of Gateway Church
- Pastor Tom Mullins, senior pastor of Christ Fellowship
- Ralph Reed, founder and chairman of Faith & Freedom Coalition
- Reverend Samuel Rodriguez, president of National Hispanic Christian Leadership Conference
- Dr. Jay Strack, founder of Student Leadership University
- Cissie Graham Lynch, Samaritan’s Purse
- Reverend Johnnie Moore, president of The Kairos Company
- Tony Perkins, president of Family Research Council
- Pastor Matte Gregg, senior pastor of First Baptist Houston
“President Donald J. Trump met with faith leaders this morning in the Roosevelt Room at the White House,” White House deputy press secretary Judd Deere said in a statement.
“They took the time to pray for the President and for the Nation. The leaders discussed the Administration’s many accomplishments for the American people and how the communities they represent from across the country are benefitting from these important policies.”
Via WesternJournal
