Evangelist Dobson: Trump is in 'a relationship with Christ' -- but he's still only a 'baby Christian'

Searching desperately for a justification to get behind the presidential candidacy of Donald Trump, evangelical leader James Dobson claims that the businessman and casino owner has found Jesus -- but that he is still a work in progress, Christian-wise.

According to Politico, the founder of Focus on the Family said he recently became aware that Jesus had entered the life of Trump after the presumptive GOP nominee met with another Christian leader.

“I don’t know when it was, but it has not been long,” Dobson stated in an interview with pastor Michael Anthony following a Evangelical get-together in New York last week . ”I believe he really made a commitment, but he’s a baby Christian.”

As in most years, turnout by Christian voters is key to Republican hopes of  reclaiming the White House, with the thrice-married Trump having a relationship with the church marked more by words than deeds.

According to a recent audio acquired by Politico, Trump humbly said he's a Christian and that other Christians love him.

“I’ve been a Christian, and I love Christianity and the evangelicals have been so incredibly supportive,” Trump claimed.. “Don’t forget, when I ran, and all of a sudden I went to states that were highly evangelical, like as an example, South Carolina, and they said, ‘Well, Trump won’t win this state because it’s evangelical’ … not only did I win, I won in a landslide.”