Pastors in the United States need to be intentional in making their congregations less homogeneous and more multi-ethnic, says the pastor of one of the fastest growing churches in the country.

Another poll with similar results: President Obama is struggling in key states, but so are the Republicans who want to replace him.

The term “evangelical” has taken on conflicting nuances in the twentieth century. Wittingly or unwittingly, evangelical constituencies, no less than their critics, have contributed to this confusion and misunderstanding. Noting could be more timely, therefore, than to define what is primary and what is secondary in personifying an evangelical Christian.

The longer I live, the more I am inspired by the life of Jesus and the way He sat down with people who were so unlike him. Of course, He was also the One who said that being a child of the Father means learning to love your neighbors and your enemies. Over the years, I’ve thought often about this incredible statement. I can’t imagine what this could possibly mean if it doesn’t include having respectful dialogue with those with whom we may disagree. In that moment, we create an opportunity to listen and respond rather than dismiss and attac

In a departure from his focus on domestic issues, such as Social Security and HPV vaccines, Texas Governor Rick Perry is now venturing into foreign policy. On Tuesday, surrounded by a group of Jewish leaders, Perry held a press conference in New York, declaring his strong support of Israel and criticizing President Obama on his Middle Eastern policies.

I’m all for improving relationships between Mormons and evangelicals. Many evangelicals have a crude and unfair understanding of Mormon beliefs and practices. I’m also all for encouraging evangelicals to understand that they can vote for a Mormon in good conscience. But there are two principles to bear in mind:

Last week, the Census Bureau released new figures showing that nearly one in six Americans lives in poverty - a record 46.2 million people. The poverty rate, pegged at 15.1 percent, is the highest of any major industrialized nation, and many experts believe it could get worse before it abates. The numbers are daunting - but they also can seem abstract and numbing without names and faces.

A bail offer for two Americans convicted of spying is still under review, Iran's powerful judiciary said Wednesday in a potentially embarrassing rejection of President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's prediction that their release could be in a matter of days.

A Republican debate that was expected to be a showdown between the two heavyweights, Rick Perry and Mitt Romney, turned into something resembling a football pile-on with five of the GOP contenders swarming over the Texas governor. What’s emerging from the GOP presidential debates is a portrait of Perry — painted by his opponents — as one scary guy, a threat both to young and old.

We must stand together today as Americans, just as we did in 2001 after the attacks. We cannot allow those who promote hate, either here or abroad, to divide our nation.