Can people from various backgrounds work together constructively rather than negatively ... learning to serve rather than argue? Dr. Joel C. Hunter, senior pastor of Northland, A Church Distributed, says that it’s not only possible, it’s necessary.

Started by 11 people in 1972 in the “north land” of Orlando, Northland was recently named one of “America’s 50 Most Influential Churches” by Church Growth Today. Since June 1985, Dr. Hunter has served as senior pastor. During his tenure, the church has grown from 200 faithful souls to a congregation of 12,000.

Dr. Hunter is also partnering with other groups to accomplish common goals. He is working with respected members of the scientific community to call attention to human-caused threats to the environment. Additionally, as a delegate to the US-Islamic World Forum held in Doha, he is seeking to build a dialog between Muslim and Christian communities. Grist magazine named him among the top 15 religious environmental leaders in the world, along with the Pope and the Dali Lama.