Few Americans have had the opportunity to share fellowship with an American president, but Charleston resident Stanley Wachtstetter has prayed with four since meeting President Ronald Reagan in 1980.

The retired minister, who served unofficially as the Apostolic Pentecostal liaison to the White House and Congress for 28 years before retiring, added a fifth to his list on April 8.

He travelled with the new liaison - his son-in-law, Greg Harris - to meet President Barack Obama at 8:30 a.m. in the East Room of the White House.

"I think Pentecostal people need to have a voice in areas that affect them," said Harris, an evangelist. "We sort of model ourselves somewhat after Billy Graham.

"He wasn't really a political figure. He was just more of a listener and someone who could be there for the president in his time of need. As a preacher, you have to be a representation of all who surround you."

Wachtstetter, pastor of Clinton's Bible Tabernacle Independent Pentecostal Church for 15 years, said his relationship with the White House began when he led a young man to God who later became former Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich's campaign manager and chief of staff.

"I stayed with him during Reagan's inauguration, and Reagan included me because our churches weren't represented," Wachtstetter said. "He shook my hand and personally thanked me for the work I was doing."

Wachtstetter said he became close with President George Herbert Walker Bush.

"He did more for me than any other president," he said. "He made me part of the White House Commission on Presidential Scholars."

He wasn't as close with Bill Clinton but said Clinton was closer to Pentecostals than, perhaps, any of the presidents he's known.

"He made quotes in Rolling Stone about how much he loved Pentecostal music, and he was at a camp meeting in Louisiana a number of times," Wachtstetter said. "He worshiped with us on a variety of occasions. He was very sensitive, and I think he was touched by the emotions of the Pentecostals in a spiritual way. He's virtually a Pentecostal himself without speaking in tongues."

Wachtstetter met with George W. Bush on several occasions, including National Day of Prayer.

"In some ways, he was the most fun of all the presidents - almost teenager like and rambunctious," he said.

When he meets with Obama, Wachtstetter said, "I hope to be a reflection of Christian love to him."

During World War II, Wachtstetter's father was a Navy sailor who protected the East Coast aboard the USS Sylph yacht devoted to antisubmarine-warfare activities. One of his shipmates was future actor Ernest Borgnine.

"My mom promised God that if they brought him back from war, they would get in church," said Wachtstetter, whose family became involved with Calvary Tabernacle in Indianapolis when he was 2.

Wachtstetter led a church-centered life. He attended Apostolic school, graduated from Conquerors Bible College in Portland, Ore., at 19, and became an ordained minister at 20.

He served in ministries throughout the country and became the liaison for Apostolic Pentecostals in 1980.

"There are 300 or more denominations under this umbrella," Wachtstetter said. "The large ones in Mississippi would be the United Pentecostal Church, the Pentecostal Assemblies of the World, the Assemblies of the Lord Jesus Christ and the Associated Brotherhood of Christians."

The liaison position is part of the Apostolic Initiative, a nonpartisan coalition of Apostolic Pentecostal believers that exists to educate government officials and Apostolic Pentecostal Christians about each other while representing the denomination's viewpoints on important issues.

Wachtstetter was the first liaison. Harris assumed the role five years ago.

"We do it all by faith and we don't have any centralized funding source," Wachtstetter said. "It means Pentecostals are politically recognized and included with all the other religious leaders of groups."

David Tipton, superintendent for the United Pentecostal Church's Mississippi District, supports the position.

"The main goal is to let them know we pray for our leaders," he said. "We believe in the scriptural mandate to pray for those who lead us." LaReeca Rucker.