Contact: Lyn Perez, Reformed Theological Seminary, 866-926-4787

ORLANDO, Fla., March 18, 2011 /Christian Newswire/ -- Dr. Donald W. Sweeting (pictured right), president of Reformed Theological Seminary's (RTS) Orlando campus, was elected as a new board member to the National Association of Evangelicals (NAE) on March 10 in Park City, Utah, at the NAE board of directors meeting. The NAE also approved a new mission statement: "The mission of the National Association of Evangelicals is to honor God by connecting and representing evangelical Christians."

The NAE, which today represents more than 45,000 local churches from more than 40 different denominations, has spoken as a united voice for millions of American evangelicals since 1942. The organization serves to make denominations strong and effective, influence society for justice and righteousness and gather the voices of evangelicals to be more effective for Jesus Christ. Sweeting is one of 100+ directors for the NAE. For more information on the NAE, visit their website: www.nae.net.  

Sweeting, who was just inaugurated February 10 as RTS Orlando's 4th president and named the James Woodrow Hassel professor of church history at that time, has this to say about his appointment to the NAE board of directors: "Both churches that I pastored- one independent, the other EPC- were members of the NAE. I have always valued this connection to the wider evangelical movement, and have benefited from the resources and perspectives of the NAE."

Sweeting recalls that it was theologian Carl F.H. Henry (to whom Sweeting is related) who first told him about the NAE when Sweeting worked in Washington, D.C. Sweeting said the NAE fascinated him because it was one of the early evangelical voices calling Christians to care about culture and politics.

RTS Chancellor Ric Cannada commented on Sweeting's appointment: "Because Don is such a natural leader among evangelicals, RTS was pleased to call him as president of RTS Orlando. Now we are just as pleased to share Don's leadership abilities, vision, and wisdom with NAE. All of us at RTS want to support the partnerships of evangelical Christians such as NAE as we seek to spread the gospel of our Savior, Jesus Christ."

Sweeting, the son of Moody Bible Institute's Chancellor-Emeritus Dr. George Sweeting, pastored two churches over a period of 22 years before becoming RTS Orlando's president June 1, 2010. He is passionate about preaching the Word of God, teaching seminary students church history and mentoring them as the future leaders of the church.