Presidential candidates Barack Obama and John McCain on Saturday appeared onstage together briefly for the first time in their general election campaign at a forum where each attempted to convince Christian voters they share their values.

The wide-ranging discussion about religious beliefs, values and politics was hosted by the Reverend Rick Warren, whose Saddleback Church in southern California has 22,000 members. Each candidate was interviewed separately by Warren, who has been hailed as among the most important new leaders of evangelical Christians.

In the two-hour forum, there have been debated sensitive issues, such as abortion, same-sex marriage and stem-cell research.

The junior United States Senator from Illinois disclosed details about his Christian faith. He enlightened how important it was to him being a Christian. Talking about “walking humbly with our God,” Obama said “"I know that I don't walk alone, and I know that if I can get myself out of the way that I can maybe carry out in some small way what he intends."

When asked by the Pastor about America’s most important moral failure, the Democratic candidate quoted the New Testament: “We still don't abide by that basic precept of Matthew that whatever you do for the least of my brothers, you do for me.”

And when asked to name his own moral failure, Obama said: “When I find myself taking the wrong step, I find that a lot of the time it is because I am trying to protect myself and not do God's work."

Though Obama seemed comfortable discussing his faith, his views on the hot-button issue of abortion were at odds with much of the audience. He put off a question about when the rights of an unborn child begin.

"I think whether you are looking at it from a theological perspective or a culture perspective, to answer it with that specificity is above my pay grade," Obama said.

McCain, on the other hand, stressed his party's long-standing opposition to the practice, to loud applause.

Both men said they believe in the existence of evil and that it must be confronted. McCain named terrorist leader Osama bin Laden as an example of evil, saying he would defeat the al-Qaeda chief.

"If I have to go to the gates of hell, I will get Osama bin Laden and I will bring him to justice," he said, echoing language he has used before on the campaign trail.