Category: Evangelicals

On Friday January 3, 2020, the Trump Campaign had an Evangelicals for Trump Coalition Launch rally at King Jesus International Ministry in Miami. 

See my Twitter thread on this story, which includes my thoughts and links to other articles. 

https://twitter.com/AndyRowell/status/1211531774356074497

Here is a PDF of the thread: 

Download Thread by @AndyRowell_ Thread on Fri Jan 3 2020 5 pm_ _'Evangelicals for Trump' Coalition Launch_ event at King Jesus International Ministry

 

Below I also try to identify the people in the group photo but I need your help with a few:

 

The photo is of 38 "evangelicals" and President Trump. 

Back row: 1. Richard Land (Executive Editor, Christian Post ), 2. Unknown (gray hair and blue suit and red tie), 3. Luke Barnett (Senior Pastor of Dream City Church), 4. Unknown (white hair and blue suit), 5. Cissie Graham Lynch (Samaritan's Purse and BGEA), 6. Jay Strack (Founder of Student Leadership University), 7. Tim Clinton (President of American Association of Christian Counselors), 8. Harry Jackson Jr. (Senior Pastor of Hope Christian Church), 9. Jonathan Cain (husband of Paula White-Cain), 10. Unknown (black shirt and striped tie), 11. Jim Garlow (Founder, Well Versed). 

Third row: 12. Danny Gokey (American singer was on American Idol), 13. Michelle Bachmann (Former Republican Congresswoman), 14. Eric Metaxas (author, radio host), 15. Alberto Delgado (Pastor of Alpha & Omega), 16. Jack Hibbs (Pastor, Calvary Chapel Chino Hills), 17. Robert Jeffress (Senior Pastor of First Baptist Dallas), 18. Ralph Reed (Founder and Chairman of Faith & Freedom Coalition), 19. Tom Mullins (Senior Pastor of Christ Fellowship) (Mullins has his head between Trump and Paula White), 20. Jenn Johnson, and 21. Brian Johnson (President of Bethel Music), 22. Johnnie Moore (KAIROS Company public relations firm), 23. Gary Bauer (President of American Values) 24. Tony Perkins (President of Family Research Council). 

Second row: 25. John Hagee (John Hagee Ministries), 26. Greg Laurie (Senior Pastor of Harvest Christian Fellowship), 27. Michael Tait (Christian music artist), 28. Guillermo Maldonado (Co-Founder and Senior Pastor of King Jesus International Ministry / El Rey Jesús), 29. Paula White-Cain, 30. Joni Lamb, and 31. Marcus Lamb (Daystar Television), 32. James Robison.

First row: 33. Alveda King (Director, Civil Rights for the Unborn), 34. Chris Hodges (pastor of Church of the Highlands in Birmingham, AL), 35. Jack Graham (Senior Pastor of Prestonwood Baptist Church), 36. Donald Trump, 37. Jentezen Franklin (Senior Pastor of Free Chapel), 38. James Dobson, and 39. Shirley Dobson (Focus on the Family).   

Corrections and additions welcome in the comments below. 

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Praying with Trump at the beginning of the rally on stage. 

Left to Right: Guillermo Maldonado, Alberto Delgado, Cissie Graham Lynch, Paula White-Cain, Jentezen Franklin, Donald Trump, Jack Graham, Michael Tait, Alveda King. 

C-SPAN video.

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See also my November 2019 list of "evangelical leaders" who have been visiting the White House (which includes most of the same people): Timeline of instances of "evangelical leaders" meeting with Trump

A number of similar names are among the "200" signers of the letter of complaint against Mark Galli's Christianity Today editorial. See also my post: Reaction to Mark Galli's Christianity Today editorial calling for Trump's removal

See also: List of worship leaders gathering at the White House on Friday, Dec 6, 2019 (which includes Brian and Jenn Johnson)

On Friday, December 6th, a number of worship leaders gathered at the White House for an hour of worship, a "faith briefing" with Mike Pence, and then a prayer and photo with President Donald Trump. Australian Hillsong Church pastor Brian Houston and worship leaders Kari Jobe and Cody Carnes raved about all President Trump is accomplishing on videos posted to the White House Twitter and Instagram accounts. 

 

Here is a partial list of those who were there thanks to lots of people tagging one another in Instagram: 

1. Paula White-Cain (and husband Jonathan Cain met the night before Dec 5, 2019 at the White House with Trump supporters Jentezen Franklin, Marcus Lamb, Joni Lamb, Harry Jackson)
2. Brian Houston (Hillsong Church pastor) Instagram video and instagram of seanfeucht
3. Kari Jobe (Carnes) (traveling worship leader, was at Gateway Church, Southlake TX, with Trump supporter, Pastor Robert Morris)
4. & Cody Carnes (traveling worship leader, was at Gateway Church, Southlake TX, with Trump supporter, Pastor Robert Morris) Instagram video
5. Brian Johnson (President of Bethel Music, Redding, CA) Instagram of seanfeucht (His father, Bethel Church pastor, Bill Johnson voted for Trump).
6. & Jenn Johnson (co-founder Bethel Music, Redding, CA)
7. Britt Nicole (traveling singer)
8. Sean Feucht (Bethel Music, Redding, CA. He is also running for Congress.  He is the one reaching to touch President Trump's sleeve in the photo. Sean Feucht told Fox News: "I shook his hand and said 'Mr. President, I'm from California and I just want to let you know there's people out in California that support you.") Instagram group photo and another photo and video. 
9. Stephen James Hart (Visual Worship Leader, Bethel Music, Redding, CA) Instagram group shot.
10. Luke Hendrickson (Mixing engineer, Bethel Church, Redding, CA) Instagram group shot.
11. Heather Armstrong (photography, Redding, CA)
12. Kiley Goodpasture (Project Manager, Bethel Music, Redding, CA)
13. Dominic Shahbon (Director of Events, Bethel Music, Redding, CA)
14. Allison & Antonio Marin (Strings players, Northern CA)
15. Jeremy Edwardson (Music producer, Redding CA)
16. David Funk (Worship leader – Gable Price and Friends, Redding, CA)
17. Chris Quilala (Jesus Culture, Sacramento, CA)
18. Joseph Zwanziger (The Father’s House, Vacaville, CA) Instagram group shot.
19. & Tosha Zwanziger 
20. Terry Crist (Lead Pastor, Hillsong Phoenix) (Not 100% sure he was there)
21. Michael Stampley (Worship leader, GA)
22. & Heidi Stampley
23. Micah Stampley
24. Trent Cory (Hope City United Church, Albany, GA)
25. & Keisha Cory 
26. Myles Rutherford (co-pastors, Worship with Wonders, Marietta, GA) and group shot
27. & DeLana Rutherford 
28. David Brinson (Senior Pastor, Eighth Day Church, Warner Robins, GA who worked with Paula White)
29. & son Rafael Brinson 
30. Tim Brinson (Worship Leader, SC and GA)
31. (Jonathan) Ernstly Etienne, Worship Director, Free Chapel, Gainesville, GA (associated with Trump supporter, Pastor Jentezen Franklin)
32. & Hillary Harper Etienne
33. Eddie James (traveling worship leaders, Ocoee, TN) Instagram group shot.
34. David Binion (Dwell Church, Fairview, TX)
35. & Nicole Binion (not 100% sure if she was there – photo)
36. Nayomi Thomas (worship leaders, Raymore, MO)
37. & Jaye Thomas 
38. Bryn Waddell, Charlotte, NC.
39. Two women from New Wine Music. selfie. (associated with Trump supporter, Pastor Guillermo Maldonado of El Rey Jesús, in Miami, FL). 
40. Jonathan Williams, photographer

Corrections and additions welcome in the comments. 

See also list of "evangelical leaders" who have met with Trump at the White House.

Note Bill and Brian Johnson, and Frank and Brian Houston, are similar to other Trump supporters who pass down their ministries / businesses to their children: Jerry Falwell and Jerry Fallwell Jr. (and his children), Paula White-Cain and Brad Knight, Billy and Franklin Graham (and all his children), and Fred Trump and Donald Trump (and his children).

 

Commentary: 

This is a similar situation to people being asked to pray for the President that we saw this summer with Franklin Graham's call to pray. It is entirely appropriate to pray for a president. The problem is if the powerful person "receiving prayer" is primarily using the pray-er to reach their constituency on his behalf. In other words, there likely was not an opportunity to speak truth to power to President Trump. But rather, the strategy is to sell these worship leaders (who have big Instagram followings) with a one-sided "Look at what Trump is doing for evangelicals!" so that they then turn and communicate to their fans: "President Trump and his administration are people passionate about worship and prayer, just like you! And therefore, you should defend President Trump and try to see the good in what he does. And you should vote for him!"

It is of course initially exciting to get an offer to visit the White House and pray for President Trump and disappointing when people criticize you for leading worship (!), but it should be sobering to realize that you are being used to boost President Trump's popularity.

The historical context from this first week of December in 2019 is that President Trump is in the midst of an impeachment proceeding because of his own misbehavior—because he ignored all advice about Ukraine from his foreign policy advisers. On December 4, 2019, three constitutional law professors testified before the House Judiciary Committee about what the Constitution says about impeachment. On December 5th, Nancy Pelosi announced impeachment articles would be drafted. On December 6th, when the worship leaders were at the White House, the Trump administration announced they would not participate in the House's impeachment proceedings.  

Moreover, though Kari Jobe and Cody Carnes mention his work on human trafficking, that contribution is exaggerated. They also mention Trump's concern for the marginalized, but on Dec 4th President Trump slashed access to food assistance to 700,000 Americans. 

More broadly, yes, evangelicals vote Republican for "pro-life" but the abortion rate has been falling fast especially in Democratic administrations due to more access to contraceptives. It is fine to worry about the excesses of a Democratic administration with regard to religious freedom or other issues, but it is another thing to be part of an operation that is focused on promoting President Trump.

Moreover, Paula White-Cain, who organized the gathering, is not a model of financial and moral integrity. 

In summary, as Amy Sullivan points out in this thread, a president should have a variety of representative and thoughtful religious leaders come to the White House and listen to, argue with, and learn from them. But that is different from inviting fawning or naive independent evangelicals who are contacts of Johnnie Moore and Paula White-Cain to (as they said in August 2018) "speak love to power," promote how Trump is fighting for evangelicals, pray, take photos, and then rave about the experience to CBN and Fox News.

 

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More links and reaction and theological and sociological reflection in this Twitter thread.

Here is a PDF of the thread: Download Thread by @AndyRowell_ Here is a list of the worship leaders who met with President Trump at the White House on Friday December 6 2019.

 

See also: Evangelicals for Trump Coalition Launch rally at King Jesus International Ministry in Miami on Friday January 3, 2020