Some thought it could be a hoax. Reporter Ferrell, for the Louisiana based TV station KSLA, described a program in which, in the event of another national disaster on a scale similar to that created by Hurricane Katrina, Christian "clergy response teams", embedded in or working closely with National Guard or Federal military units and citing Biblical passages to the effect that the authority of government derives from God, would be deputized to work with troops to pacify the local population of the disaster area. As Jeff Ferrell narrated in his KSLA report, "If martial law were enacted here at home, like depicted in the movie 'The Siege', easing public fears and quelling dissent would be critical. And that's exactly what the 'Clergy Response Team', as it's called, helped accomplish in New Orleans..... such "Clergy Response Teams would walk a tightrope between the needs of the government vs. the wishes of the public.... for the clergy, one of the biggest tools that they will have in helping calm the public down or obey the law, is the Bible itself, specifically Romans :  Romans 13." Ferrell's story then cut to Dr. Durrell Tuberville, who stated that the "Clergy Response Teams" would cite Romans "Because the government's established by the Lord, you know, and that's what we believe in the Christian faith, that's what's stated in the scriptures." The KSLA TV report concluded with the statement that "according to [Dr.] Tuperville, the 'Clergy Response Teams' provided 38 chaplains, around the clock, at 8 different camps".

Was it a hoax ? The veracity of the report is so far unknown, and I have not found evidence of working plans for the coordination, during domestic US disasters, of government troops with teams of clergy but the reality behind the hype points towards continued erosion of state-state boundaries.

The White House website notes the emergence of a private, non-governmental effort clergy disaster relief effort, "Christ In Action", headed by Assemblies Of God minister Denny Nissley. According to a WH website page concerning lessons learned from the Katrina disaster:

"Dr. Denny Nissley, the Director of Christ in Action is organizing a Coalition of Faith-Based First Responders from around the Nation to be prepared for the next major disaster. This Coalition will perform disaster relief training for volunteers and will maintain a current roster of thousands of volunteers who can be quickly called upon to provide support during the next major disaster."

At least one individual who spoke in the KSLA news report, Dr. Durrell Tuberville, is involved with the "Christ In Action" effort", but "Christ In Action" is not officially endorsed by the US government. Still, Christ In Action's working relationship with top level government officials has at times seemed surprisingly close, even to the point of a "joint operation", publicly announced by Brigadier General working at the Pentagon, during the relief efforts that following the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks.

"Christ In Action", says it specializes in "Creative Evangelism Strategies" and its website describes Buddhism a "false religion". The group has a considerable track record as a "first responder" organization quick to bring its mobile kitchen to the scene of tornadoes, hurricanes, and other disasters, and Denny Nissley's organization was on site providing meals shortly after the Set. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks on the Pentagon; a November 18, 2001 Assemblies Of God publication reports that Nissley's effort to feed Pentagon officials quickly morphed into a "joint operation", announced by Brigadier General Bob Smolan, who "designated the [Christ In Action kitchen] tent as the hub for the feeding operation" at the disaster site. A volunteer account on the "Christ In Action" website states that the group ran a water distribution station for FEMA during the Katrina relief effort. That site also website described disaster relief efforts at "Ground Zero" in New York City as a "ministry opportunity" and possible public perceptions that the group might carry some level of government endorsement raises the specter of [apparently] government-sanctioned religious predation.

Denny Nissley, a fundamentalist Assemblies Of God minister, is nearly as far out on the hard Christian right as he could be. Nissley, who is purportedly well connected to potentates on the religious right, is a member of the Christian home schooling, antiabortion, and Ten Commandment movements who states unequivocally that his top priority, bar none, is evangelizing [see audio clip, below]. [Here's the extended sermon, by Denny Nissley, which that audio clip derives from.

Christ In Action states was involved in post-Katrina relief efforts from 9/26/2005 to 12/21/2005. A Trinity Broadcast Network transcript also seems to confirm the organization's involvement: "We felt strongly that we needed to get Ken and a 'quick response' team on the ground in New Orleans as soon as possible," said Paul Crouch Jr., Vice President of Administration for TBN, who with a gift from TBN for $25,000 officially commissioned Henderson and his team during TBN's September 6th "Behind the Scenes" program. "We saw them as a kind of mercy 'Strike Force,' ministering God's love and compassion with an urgency the situation called for".... That "Strike Force" included veteran outreach ministers like Doug Stringer of Somebody Care in Houston, Bishop Bart Pierce of Rock City Church in Baltimore, Maryland, and Jerry Davis of Street Reach Ministries, as well as representatives from groups like Operation Blessing, Oasis of Hollywood, and Christ in Action.

The CIA website even notes that George W. Bush visited the organization's "Hope" camp, and a Bush visit to at least one CIA effort location is confirmed by a September 12, 2005 USA Today report :  "Bush stopped at a distribution center run by Christ in Action. "Good to see you" and "Good luck," Bush murmured to people he greeted along long tables where food and supplies such as water, diapers and toilet paper were being distributed. He also cheered on a group of Mexican marines and Navy Seabees just back from Iraq who were clearing debris at the 28th St. Elementary School."

George W. Bush's special attention to "Christ In Action", evidenced on the current White House website, is further fleshed out in a FOX News report from Sept. 13, 2005 which notes a 2nd location of a "Christ In Action" effort during the Katrina period:

The tour is Bush's third in the two weeks since the Category 4 hurricane hit, but the first extensive tour of New Orleans on the ground. Among the areas he toured by military convoy, Bush visited New Orleans' historic French Quarter....

After the closed-door meeting, the president then headed to Gulfport, Miss., where he toured a relief center run by Christ in Action. The president, accompanied by Gov. Haley Barbour, shook hands and met with workers and displaced persons.

While the visit to the region is Bush's third so far since the disaster, his job-approval rating has suffered over the past two weeks. Public opinion of other agencies has taken a dive, too, according to recent polls.

There is nothing unconstitutional or untoward in private religious group efforts aimed at disaster relief, and such efforts have every right to proselytize. But the danger of such efforts, as the Pentagon "joint operation" incident describes, seems clear - the entanglement of the federal government in efforts concerned as much or more with proselytizing as with disaster relief.