Ministry Today

The leader of the nation's largest Pentecostal denomination has been named to the White House Office for Faith-Based and Neighborhood Partnerships. Bishop Charles E. Blake, leader of the 6 million-member Church of God in Christ, was appointed to a one-year term on Monday, becoming the first Pentecostal denominational leader named to the 25-member panel.

Other council members include megachurch pastor Joel C. Hunter, founder of Northland, a Church Distributed in Orlando, Fla.; the Rev. Otis Moss Jr., pastor emeritus of Olivet Institutional Baptist Church in Cleveland, Ohio; Dr. Frank S. Page, president emeritus of the Southern Baptist Convention; and the Rev. Jim Wallis, president of Sojourners.

Council members include religious and secular leaders and scholars from diverse backgrounds, who help make recommendations on the delivery of social services. Led by one-time Pentecostal minister Joshua DuBois, the council was established in February as part of President Obama's revamping of President George W. Bush's faith-based initiatives.

Although President Obama had asked Tony Dungy to be part of the council, he was not included in the list of members released. The council is to meet for the first time this week, according to U.S. News & World Report. [charismamag.com, 4/6/09]