Alan Sears is the founder and former president of Alliance Defending Freedom, which is the largest Christian religious liberty legal organization in the country. ADF came into being more than 20 years ago when the leaders of a number of leading Christian ministries decided that Christian and conservative causes needed a legal alternative to the American Civil Liberties Union. Late last year, Alan Sears announced that he would be stepping down from his post as president, to be succeeded by Michael Farris. Last weekend, The Colson Center for Christian Worldview gave Alan Sears its Wilberforce Award, recognizing a lifetime of commitment to the Christian worldview and cultural change.