It appears that McCain and his wife has been attending this Southern Baptist affiliated church for about 17 years. That’s pretty interesting considering his wife’s fortune comes from the beer business, or as my marketing professor of my SBC univerisity use to say, the effervescent malt beverage market.
PHOENIX (ABP) — John McCain has a deep and personal Christian commitment despite his reluctance to speak publicly about it, according to the man McCain calls his pastor.
Dan Yeary, pastor of North Phoenix Baptist Church, described the Arizona senator and his wife, Cindy, as “very unobtrusive†people who don’t seek special attention when they are able to come to worship. “They come in the side door. They’re very pleasant. They talk to people. They’re very approachable.â€
But the man McCain calls “my family’s pastor†said his relationship with his most famous parishioner has not been a particularly close one. Yeary said he’s done the normal things a pastor would do but “no more than I would do for any church member†in the 7,000-strong congregation.
McCain, a lifelong Episcopalian, has been attending the Southern Baptist-affiliated church in Phoenix for at least 17 years. But the presumptive GOP presidential nominee has neither officially joined the congregation nor been baptized, which among Baptists is a public event associated with profession of one’s faith in Jesus. He has continued to list his faith as “Episcopal†in official congressional biographies.
But, the pastor said, lack of membership hasn’t kept McCain from becoming deeply involved in the church. “I have a good relationship with John,†Yeary said, recounting their first in-depth conversation. “I respect him as a friend. He is a very courageous man. And he has a delightful sense of humor.â€
