According to CNN. Well, that’s good because evidently, he appears to be connected to the guy who brought a gun to Obama’s town hall meeting:

Chris Broughton, the man who brought an assault rifle and a handgun to the Obama event in Arizona last week, attended a fiery anti-Obama sermon the day before the event, in which Pastor Steven Anderson said he was going to “pray for Barack Obama to die and go to hell”, Anderson confirmed to TPMmuckraker today.

You can listen to his sermon here.
He says he’s talking about a “spiritual battle” and isn’t advocating “vigilantism” (which is just nuts since Obama hasn’t broken any laws, usually you speak of “vigilantism” when you are administering your own justice):

The pastor said he encouraged Broughton to make sure he would not run afoul of any federal laws. And he insisted he was not encouraging acts of violence toward the president.
“No where in the sermon did I advocate vigilantism,” Anderson said today, reached at the church. “It’s a spiritual battle.”
He continued: “I’d rather have him die of natural causes anyway, that way he’s not some martyr. I’m praying for him to die just so he gets what he deserves.”

He wants Obama to get what he deserves? No grace? No mercy? Is that what a pastor in Christ’s church should be praying? That Obama gets what he deserves?
I’d hate to be a member of his church, no grace. No prayers for those in need of salvation. No wisdom to guide the flock. No love of enemies the way that God loved us when we were his enemies:

ESV Romans 5:10 For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, now that we are reconciled, shall we be saved by his life.

If God loved us enough to send his Son to his death while we were his enemies, why can’t we love our enemies enough to pray for them? That’s the very heart of Christianity and yet we find it impossible to love. I can’t just beat up this pastor when I know I lack love as well. But I also know that he’s in a position of influence over his flock, it’s a responsibility that he’ll be accountable for on the day of judgment. He better make sure his words do not lead to a physical battle, even if he meant it to be spiritual.
When I read stories like this, it reminds me to be vigilant in my prayers for Obama’s safety. Please join me in praying for the safety of our president, the one that the Lord has decided (for whatever reason) to appoint. He is the head of our nation and we as Christians are called to an understanding of that fact. We can disagree with him and advocate against his positions but we must respect his authority.