Last week, while seeking support of the Florida Baptist Children’s Homes Mother’s Day Offering (to which you may still contribute), I argued against “holy huddles” and “cursing the darkness” when Christians consider their options in responding to our society’s treatment of children. While we may want to ignore the problems and it may feel good – temporarily – to criticize the way things are, I noted that these are not proper Christian responses to societal evils.

The same is no less true when considering how Christians should be involved in the making of our laws in Tallahassee (and Washington). Like leaders of Florida Baptist Children’s Homes who have rejected ignorance and complaining, other Florida Baptists are doing the same in their effort to make a difference in government.

I’m always amazed by believers who chastise individual Christians and Christian organizations who understand that they have an obligation to contend for biblical values in our government. Some of that sort of criticism has been heaped on this newspaper for our coverage of the Terri Schiavo controversy, suggesting that more important “church news” should be covered or that our resources could have been better spent on other matters.

Our Baptist Faith and Message helpfully explains the related biblical mandates of addressing social concerns through charitable activity, as modeled by our Children’s Homes, and the Christian responsibility to attempt to influence our government, as modeled by Bill Bunkley, Florida Baptists’ legislative consultant, and other Christians.

In Article XV, “The Christian and the Social Order,” our statement of faith notes, “All Christians are under obligation to seek to make the will of Christ supreme in our own lives and in human society.”

The statement goes on to assert, “Every Christian should seek to bring industry, government, and society as a whole under the sway of the principles of righteousness, truth, and brotherly love. In order to promote these ends Christians should be ready to work with all men of good will in any good cause, always being careful to act in the spirit of love without compromising their loyalty to Christ and His truth.”

It’s very simple – Christians must be involved in our government, and we should work with others who share our concerns. It should be noted, such convictions are not new for Southern Baptists; language similar to this has appeared in every version of the Baptist Faith and Message adopted since the first one in 1925.

Bill Bunkley and other Christians in Tallahassee epitomize what the Baptist Faith and Message calls for among believers. I thought about this last week as I interviewed him on the last day of the legislative session, May 6. Bunkley – a Tallahassee veteran who narrowly lost a bid for election to the state House of Representatives last fall – works largely out of the spotlight, attempting to influence the state government with biblical values. Sometimes, it’s a thankless task – and a bruising one.

Still, Bunkley continues to lobby for good public policy. And, this year, he and other pro-family advocates saw some success with the adoption of parental notice and abortion regulation laws, as well as disappointment in the failure to save Terri Schiavo.

The Legislature’s unwillingness to help Terri Schiavo, however, was in spite of the tireless efforts of two Florida Baptist laymen in the Legislature – Sen. Daniel Webster, R-Winter Garden, and Rep. Dennis Baxley, R-Ocala.

Webster, a member of First Baptist Church of Central Florida in Orlando, and Baxley, a member of First Baptist Church, Belleview, led the fight in their respective chambers for legislation aimed at saving Terri Schiavo. Their concern was so evident that both made a special trip from Tallahassee to attend Schiavo’s funeral in Gulfport. Both Webster and Baxley have been stalwart defenders of biblical morality and sound public policy in the Legislature. Like Bunkley, they typify what our Baptist Faith and Message expects of Christian citizens.

And, so does Randy Armstrong. Although he’s not a professional lobbyist, like Bunkley, or an elected official, like Webster and Armstrong, the Tampa physician also has understood his obligation to bring “government … under the sway of the principles of righteousness.” A member of Idlewild Baptist Church, Armstrong traveled to Tallahassee numerous times in the last three years to provide expert testimony in support of the Women’s Health and Safety Act, which was cleared by both chambers this year and is ready for Gov. Bush’s signature.

Armstrong – who has personally witnessed the harmful affects of abortion on girls and women – has not sought out holy huddles or simply cursed the darkness. Instead, like Bunkley, Webster and Baxley, he has understood his obligation to be involved in our government and attempted to make a difference for Christ in Tallahassee. And, like his Baptist colleagues, he has.

To be sure, involvement in government is not the first priority of Christians. As Bunkley noted in our Capitol interview last week, presenting the Gospel is always the first obligation of Christians. Still, true Christian discipleship must take account of our duty to contend for biblical morality in our government – after all, the Great Commission calls upon us to make “disciples,” not just converts.

Florida Baptists should be thankful for leaders like Bunkley, Webster, Baxley and Armstrong who reject holy huddles and cursing the darkness to try to make a difference – and we should follow their lead.