The National Association of Evangelicals (NAE) Board of Directors, which includes the CEOs of 40 denominations and representatives of a broad array of evangelical organizations and churches, will gather in Park City and Salt Lake City on March 10, 2011 for its semiannual board meeting.

This meeting is the first to be held in Utah, where the majority of its residents are Mormons.[1] In addition to board business, the NAE leaders will meet with Utah Gov. Gary Herbert at the Governor’s Mansion to discuss various issues of concern to evangelicals. The board will also meet with a leader from the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS).

“We hope this time of dialogue with LDS leaders will deepen our understanding of the Mormon faith and contribute to the ongoing work of evangelicals in Utah,” said Leith Anderson, NAE President. “For the sake of Christ and his kingdom, we seek to represent biblical evangelicalism to those who wouldn’t hear or know. We also look for common ground on issues where we can work together.”

Before the reception at the Governor’s Mansion, a panel of evangelical leaders will report on their involvement in evangelical and Mormon dialogues and will discuss effective methods for engagement. The panel will be moderated by Greg Johnson, president of Standing Together, and will include Craig Williford, president of Trinity International University; Craig Blomberg, professor of the New Testament at Denver Seminary; Craig Hazen, professor of Comparative Religion at Biola University; Richard Mouw, president of Fuller Theological Seminary; and David Neff, editor-in-chief of Christianity Today.

Standing Together, an evangelical organization that exists to unite the Utah Christian community through relationships of prayer, worship and strategic outreach, will host the board events. Standing Together was established in 2001 and has quickly been recognized for its ministry model to break the cycle of confrontation between evangelicals and Mormons and to impact the religious culture of Utah through positive theological dialogue.

“Having the NAE board come to Utah is an answer to my prayers,” Johnson said. “Evangelicals in Utah believe God is doing an exciting, new work here. We love Utah, we love the people of Utah, and we delight to share with everyone the good news of God’s grace. I am confident that the members of the NAE board will fall in love with Utah, too!”

[1] U.S. Religious Landscape Survey, Pew Forum on Religion & Public Life, 2007, http://religions.pewforum.org/.