Leith Anderson
Encyclopedia
Leith Anderson is the President of the National Association of Evangelicals
. He has served as senior pastor of Wooddale Church
, in Eden Prairie, Minnesota
, since 1977.
, Chicago, Illinois; Bradley University
, Peoria, Illinois (BA in Sociology
); Denver Seminary
, Denver, Colorado; Fuller Theological Seminary
, Pasadena, California (Doctor of Ministry
).
He has written articles published in many periodicals, and he has authored eight books. He holds a radio ministry called Faith Matters, broadcast on Christian radio stations since 1999.
As a Denver Seminary
alumnus, Anderson served as the interim president of that institution in 1999–2000.
Anderson is the president of the U.S. National Association of Evangelicals
, replacing Ted Haggard
on 4 November 2006. He had also been president of the group from 2001 to 2003.
Anderson is a proponent of the Bible Literacy Project's curriculum, The Bible and Its Influence
, for public high school literature courses.
In November 2009, Anderson signed an ecumenical statement known as the Manhattan Declaration
calling on Evangelicals, Catholics and Orthodox not to comply with rules and laws permitting abortion, same-sex marriage and other ideals that go against their religious consciences.
On June 29, 2011 Anderson announced that he would retire as the Senior Pastor at Wooddale Church on December 31, 2011. He will have served 35 years as the senior pastor at Wooddale.
National Association of Evangelicals
The National Association of Evangelicals is a fellowship of member denominations, churches, organizations, and individuals. Its goal is to honor God by connecting and representing evangelicals in the United States. Today it works in four main areas: Church & Faith Partners, Government Relations,...
. He has served as senior pastor of Wooddale Church
Wooddale Church
Originally known as "The Wayside Chapel", Wooddale Church is a large evangelical Christian church in Eden Prairie, Minnesota. The large success of the Wooddale Church led to the formation of many other similar churches in Minnesota...
, in Eden Prairie, Minnesota
Eden Prairie, Minnesota
As of the census of 2000, there were 54,901 people, 20,457 households, and 14,579 families residing in the city. The population density was . There were 21,026 housing units at an average density of 649.2 per square mile...
, since 1977.
Biography
He graduated from Moody Bible InstituteMoody Bible Institute
Moody Bible Institute is a Christian institution of higher education and related ministries that was founded by evangelist and businessman Dwight Lyman Moody in 1886. Since its founding, MBI's main campus has been located in the Near North Side of Chicago. MBI's primary ministries are education,...
, Chicago, Illinois; Bradley University
Bradley University
Bradley University, founded in 1897, is a private, co-educational university located in Peoria, Illinois. It is a small institution with an enrollment of approximately 6,100 undergraduate and postgraduate students and a full-time faculty of approximately 350....
, Peoria, Illinois (BA in Sociology
Sociology
Sociology is the study of society. It is a social science—a term with which it is sometimes synonymous—which uses various methods of empirical investigation and critical analysis to develop a body of knowledge about human social activity...
); Denver Seminary
Denver Seminary
Denver Seminary is an accredited, graduate-level institution in Littleton, Colorado. It offers a wide range of degrees not typically associated with other accredited seminaries. It is also known for its emphasis on training and mentoring as integral to seminary education...
, Denver, Colorado; Fuller Theological Seminary
Fuller Theological Seminary
Fuller Theological Seminary is an accredited Christian educational institute with its main campus in Pasadena, California and several satellite campuses in the western United States...
, Pasadena, California (Doctor of Ministry
Doctor of Ministry
The Doctor of Ministry degree is, according to The Association of Theological Schools in the United States and Canada , a doctoral level degree oriented toward ministerial leadership often in an area of applied theology, such as missions, evangelism, church leadership, pastoral psychology or the...
).
He has written articles published in many periodicals, and he has authored eight books. He holds a radio ministry called Faith Matters, broadcast on Christian radio stations since 1999.
As a Denver Seminary
Denver Seminary
Denver Seminary is an accredited, graduate-level institution in Littleton, Colorado. It offers a wide range of degrees not typically associated with other accredited seminaries. It is also known for its emphasis on training and mentoring as integral to seminary education...
alumnus, Anderson served as the interim president of that institution in 1999–2000.
Anderson is the president of the U.S. National Association of Evangelicals
National Association of Evangelicals
The National Association of Evangelicals is a fellowship of member denominations, churches, organizations, and individuals. Its goal is to honor God by connecting and representing evangelicals in the United States. Today it works in four main areas: Church & Faith Partners, Government Relations,...
, replacing Ted Haggard
Ted Haggard
Ted Arthur Haggard is an American evangelical pastor. Known as Pastor Ted to the congregation he served, he was the founder and former pastor of the New Life Church in Colorado Springs, Colorado; a founder of the Association of Life-Giving Churches; and was leader of the National Association of...
on 4 November 2006. He had also been president of the group from 2001 to 2003.
Anderson is a proponent of the Bible Literacy Project's curriculum, The Bible and Its Influence
The Bible and Its Influence
The Bible and Its Influence is a textbook first published in 2005 to facilitate teaching about the Bible in American public high schools. Its publishers, the Bible Literacy Project, say the textbook allows schools to study the Bible academically while fully respecting the Establishment Clause of...
, for public high school literature courses.
In November 2009, Anderson signed an ecumenical statement known as the Manhattan Declaration
Manhattan Declaration: A Call of Christian Conscience
The Manhattan Declaration: A Call of Christian Conscience is a manifesto issued by Orthodox, Catholic, and Evangelical Christian leaders to affirm support of "the sanctity of life, traditional marriage, and religious liberty". It was drafted on October 20, 2009 and released November 20, 2009,...
calling on Evangelicals, Catholics and Orthodox not to comply with rules and laws permitting abortion, same-sex marriage and other ideals that go against their religious consciences.
On June 29, 2011 Anderson announced that he would retire as the Senior Pastor at Wooddale Church on December 31, 2011. He will have served 35 years as the senior pastor at Wooddale.