Christian leaders: Stop Whining, Start Leading

By Andrew Longman
On the Anything But Christian network (ABC), the conventional wisdom is that "Influential conservatives who historically have dominated GOP primaries have not coalesced around one candidate." While this is true, it is a profoundly obnoxious truth given that there are, actually, conservative Christian candidates running.
From the Focus on the Family side of the spectrum, we find this equally difficult report: "More than 40 Christian conservatives, including [James C.] Dobson, attended a meeting Sept. 30 in Salt Lake City to discuss the possibility of a split, and planned more gatherings on how they should move forward. 'After two hours of deliberation, we voted on a resolution that can be summarized as follows: If neither of the two major political parties nominates an individual who pledges himself or herself to the sanctity of human life, we will join others in voting for a minor-party candidate.'"
There is a major problem here. It is called a lack of faith.
Far and away, crushingly and overwhelmingly, Mike Huckabee won the Values Voter Presidential Debate. He wowed the faithful of 40 pro-life, pro-family organizations to the point where he wiped out the competition of seven candidates. The pro-family candidates who showed up to the event, with the exception of libertarian Ron Paul, all believed very similar things. The crowd loved the opinions and positions expressed. But the experience, poise and statesmanship of Huckabee caused the governor to blow the rest out of the water.
Then comes a subsequent meeting of pro-family leaders who's mindset, response, commitment and faith are all based on … negative speaking. They said what they wouldn't do, wouldn't support and cannot be counted on for. But as Christians, as the leadership of the church in the political sphere, and as those gifted with the Spirit of God, it is a disgrace that all they can manage is to say what they won't do.
They ought to say what they shall do.
But more than that, my brethren fail to recognize that "you are the light of the world." Wherever the light of Christ shines, wherever the power of the Kingdom of God is present, there goes the world. There is no hope for this republic unless and until the people of the Bible unite and promote that righteousness undivided. At meetings of the principles of all these major organizations, they have a very real opportunity to actually create potent unity. They have an opportunity to change the world. And they are on notice; we, the people, are expecting they do it.
Imagine this: a southern governor, from Arkansas, from a town called Hope, with a personal charisma, a Bible-belt man, with a good old boy appeal, from working class roots, a charming favorite in a field of scramblers trying to gain the spotlight.
Sound familiar?
Now imagine pro-active, faith-filled, unapologetic, Christian unity so committed that the New York Times has a bad hair day.
Apparently, the Christian leadership of this country is not happy being positive about a Baptist preacher, with executive experience, who absolutely thrills the values voter constituency and who is admired by Newt Gingrich and Bill Clinton as the best dark horse in the race.
Apparently, James Dobson would rather let the New York Times sneer that the Christian conservatives are incapable of coalescing behind one candidate. Apparently, the Arlington Group would rather lose its influence milling about in confusion and turf wars, rather than stand for a popular, charismatic, tax-cutting governor who is a best-selling author with cross-class appeal. He didn't have a lot of money contributed to him by godless secular people and hasn't gotten a lot of press from the neo-pagan media. Therefore, should pro-life pro-family Christians follow those media elites and Giuliani fundraisers by parroting the line that Huckabee is small?
Earth to the Arlington Group: It is you who lead destiny. It is you who alone possess the light and the anointing oil. It is you who may choose to create the candidate of the decade, by unifying behind a believer and enjoy the rewards of doing so. Or, you may fail to unify behind anyone and enjoy the benefits of irrelevancy.
Why are you looking for someone or something else to make a proper candidate great? Is the morality and Spirit and ideas of our God not enough? Is Christ not sufficient? There is some other group besides the people of God who should create the winner? Huckabee must have Christ, but also Wall Street?
And why are you sneering at the choices when there are many Christians running who believe what you believe? The problem with the Sept. 30 group is that they are looking to things other than God and the people of God to create viability for the candidate of their choice. But the bottom line truth is that the people of God are the only accredited institution in the world for raising up worthy leadership, if they will only quit whining and start working. The leadership says there is no viable candidate; the leadership refuses to create one; and more than one tremendous candidate waits for the church's support.
To the Sept. 30 group: You have been given a great and awesome commission by the Christian people of America, and the church does not expect you to blow it by blaming Giuliani, blaming the media, or blaming the secularists who won't give secular money to a godly candidate. The evangelical Christians expect the Dobsons to stand up and lead, not huddle and mope.
I suggest, for Jesus' people's sake that our groups all anoint Mike Huckabee, get behind him and help him champion the cause. All that is necessary for evil to prevail is for the Arlington Group to do nada.