Donald Trump has named Jentezen Franklin, senior pastor of Gainesville-based Free Chapel, to his evangelical executive advisory board.

Franklin, who couldn’t be reached for immediate comment, will serve on a 26-member board that will “provide advisory support to Mr. Trump on those issues important to evangelicals and other people of faith in America,” states a campaign press release for the presumptive GOP presidential nominee.

The board, expected to meet regularly, also will lead a much larger Faith and Cultural Advisory Committee to be announced later this month.

“The leaders on the executive board were not asked to endorse Mr. Trump as a prerequisite for participating on the board,” his campaign states.

“Rather, the formation of the board represents (Trump’s) endorsement of those diverse issues important to evangelicals and other Christians and his desire to have access to the wise counsel of such leaders as needed.”

“I have such tremendous respect and admiration for this group and I look forward to continuing to talk about the issues important to evangelicals, and all Americans, and the common sense solutions I will implement when I am president,” he said.