Robert Stearns,
founder of Eagles’ Wings, did a magnificent job as guest editor for the new
issue of Ministry Today. He highlighted a very important topic: the New
Zionism.  I’m happy to post the new
digital issue below in hopes that you’ll read it and benefit from the articles.  You’re getting it before it is emailed to
our regular list.  I hope you’ll
subscribe and be among the first people to receive it on your iPad.

The issue of
Zionism and Israel is near and dear to me. For years I’ve been a strong
supporter of Israel. So it’s an honor for me to have been invited by Robert to
be one of the “conveners” for the Jerusalem Banquet in New York City on May 17.
Even though I’ll write about it later I wanted to send this out right away
because it was announced this week that the keynote speaker will be former
Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee.

Many of you know I’ve endorsed Rick Santorum. To me he’s the only real
conservative and the one who is right on the moral issues. A press release came
to me earlier today and I’ve cut and pasted it below. I urge the tens of
thousands who will get this to forward it to friends who live in states who will
vote on Super Tuesday. This race is so close that Bible-believing Christians CAN
MAKE A DIFFERENCE and help Santorum get the momentum to win the nomination and
then the general election.

Why have I endorsed Santorum? It’s easy: Not only is he right on the issues,
but he’s someone I consider “squeaky clean.” I was interviewed on the PBS
program Religion & Ethics and they wanted to know why I didn’t endorse the
other candidates. For Mitt Romney I’m concerned about how he’s flip-flopped. And
I’m wary of the fact that he’s Mormon (although that doesn’t prevent me from
voting for him—it only makes it more difficult). And with Newt Gingrich I’m
concerned his many moral failures (which he says he has repented of and I don’t
doubt that’s true) shows a deep character flaw. But Rick Santorum has a good
record, projects the image of a leader and has strong Christian values.

In 1978, I wrote about Valley Forge Christian College’s landmark lawsuit versus Americans United for the Separation of Church and…

It’s the political season in what many are saying is the most important presidential election of our lifetime, so I turned to my good friend, Bishop Harry R. Jackson Jr., to be the guest editor for the January/February issue of Ministry Today. You can read the digital issues of the magazine by clicking on the cover images below.

Bishop Jackson has appeared on the CBS Evening News, Fox News’ Special Report, The O’Reilly Factor and The Tavis Smiley Show. Bishop Jackson’s articles have been featured in The Wall Street Journal, the New York Times, The Washington Post and the Los Angeles Times.

And why not? He’s Harvard educated and very articulate—something the mainstream media respects. But at the same time Bishop Jackson is a great spokesman from a Christian perspective—he understands the believer’s mandate to bring God’s kingdom to earth. Bishop Jackson has a successful track record of growing churches and discipling believers. He hasn’t strayed into liberal theology, and his integrity is above reproach.

Bishop Jackson also defies stereotypes. An African-American “bishop,” he embodies the best—not the worst—of what that usually implies. He has solid conservative values when many African-American preachers just flow with liberal Democrats. But while conservative Republicans trust him and work closely with him, he doesn’t join their ranks. He’s a conservative Democrat who speaks boldly in the corridors of power about right and wrong, good and evil, and trust and betrayal.

On a personal basis, I have gotten to know and trust him over the years—first at networking meetings of leaders where I became impressed with his verbal contributions. I noticed that like the old E.F. Hutton commercials, when Bishop Jackson spoke, others listened.

Four years ago I was one of the first to endorse Mike
Huckabee for president. He was a former governor of Arkansas who I felt had great leadership—and
he not only shares but embodies our Christian values. But this year I took a wait and see attitude until just a few days before the
Florida primary to be held Jan. 31.

I was interviewed on PBS this week for a show that airs this
weekend. Kim Lawton, the respected correspondent who has interviewed me before
and always reported fairly on the evangelical community, wanted to know whom
I’m endorsing. I told her I’m endorsing Sen. Rick Santorum.

As I arrived at Detroit’s Ford Field to participate in TheCall—a
summons to prayer, fasting, repentance and sacrificial worship that
began at 6 p.m. Friday and ran for 24 hours—I passed a nearby park
where protesters set up an “Occupy Detroit” camp.

As we parked the car, we could see about 35 men, most of them
black, singing “God Loves Everyone” to the tune of “We Shall
Overcome” and marching with a police escort toward Ford Field.

I didn’t wait to hear what they may have said or talk with any of
them. I was too eager to join the prayer service inside. In fact,
despite the national headlines over the Wall Street protests, no one
inside seemed to notice the occupiers were there. The crowd of about
30,000 that gathered at Ford Field had a different purpose: praying
for America.

It was interesting to attend the Republican presidential debate in
Orlando, Fla., last night as a member of the media. Charisma
doesn’t usually cover debates like this, and I wouldn’t have
attended had it not been in my hometown. It was broadcast live on Fox
News and, truth be told, I could’ve seen it better on TV at home.

Even though I took notes on what the candidates said, I knew my
readers either watched the debate or could read more extensive
articles elsewhere. The question I had to ask was: “Where is God in
all this? How does this affect the Spirit-filled community? And how
do I cover it in Charisma?”

The most interesting experience for me was after the debate when
Doug Wead, who is a “senior adviser” with candidate Ron Paul,
approached me in the “spin room” as hundreds of media people
milled around interviewing whoever they could find. I’ve known Doug
since I was a teenager. He’s been a political gadfly for years,
serving in various campaigns and once working in the White House for
George H.W. Bush as a liaison to the evangelical community. In that
role Doug arranged a couple of appointments for me with President
Bush. He also worked closely with the president’s son and had some
sort of falling out that resulted in his being persona non grata
later when George W. Bush became president.