April 26, 2024
Mike Griffin is shown in this file photo speaking to a group of Georgia Baptists.
By J. Gerald Harris
ATLANTA – Mike Griffin, Georgia Baptist Mission Board Public Affairs Representative at the state Capitol, has quite a variety of speaking opportunities, and recently addressed a gathering sponsored by the Restoration Project hosted by Catherine Davis, the organization’s Founder and President. The Restoration Project is a Christian organization “that informs, educates and activates concerned citizens on the impact of public policy on life and the family.”
The meeting was held in the banquet facilities of Maggiano’s Restaurant at Perimeter Mall in Atlanta and provided Griffin the opportunity to wax eloquently with the warm humor of Will Rogers and the penetrating truth of the Apostle Paul. His assigned topic was: When Roe (v. Wade) is no more is there help available?”
The topic was evidently suggested by Catherine Davis, because she stated at the outset of the meeting that she did not believe that God would allow America to have the scourge of legalized abortion for fifty years. The fiftieth anniversary of the famous Supreme Court decision that legalized abortion on demand in the United States will be January 22, 2023. Those who are advocates of personhood and the sanctity of life must pray that Davis’ hope and belief will become a reality.
Griffin began by explaining that under the leadership of GBMB Executive Director Thomas Hammond, the emphasis will be on what Georgia Baptists are for rather than what they are against. He mentioned five issues that Georgia Baptists (Mission Georgia https://missiongeorgia.org/) and all Christians need to support: (1) helping those trapped in human trafficking, (2) pre/postnatal care, (3) childhood literacy, (4) a caring ministry to refugees and internationals, and (5) foster care and adoption.
Griffin explained, “We must be a community of caring people. Our love for God should motivate us to love people. I’ve learned to love people unconditionally. If we are going to be more like Jesus, we must love,”
To answer the question: “When Roe is no more is there is help available?” Griffin explained. “We need to keep on doing what we have been doing, but we need to do it with more consistency and passion. Let me mention three things we must do:
“First, the church must step up to the challenge. We read in history that President John Adams said, ‘The pulpits thundered!’ In the past politics has been downwind from the church, but today too many churches are downwind from politics and the culture.” (In other words, some churches are reflecting the values and tenets of the culture, but it should be the other way around).
Griffin continued, “We must refocus on the Biblical view of marriage. We must refocus on biblical parenting; and we must refocus on biblical sexuality – God’s divine plan is a biological man and a biological woman for life.”
“Secondly, parents must step up to the challenge. The devil always focuses on whatever he thinks will most assuredly help him accomplish his purposes. Therefore, he targets our children. It is vitally important that we protect our children. Parents must shepherd their children by feeding them, leading them and protecting them. In particular, we must protect them from sexual exploitation.”
Drawing from information shared by Erick Erickson on his radio program, (citing statistics which were based on a Lee Habeed promo about a film called, “The Streets Were My Father”), Griffin shared some disturbing fatherless facts: “85 percent of youth in correction centers, 90 percent of runaways and homeless kids, 71 percent of high school dropouts, 85 percent of youth behavior problems come from young people from fatherless homes. Additionally, the number of fatherless kids living in poverty is four times more than the national average.
“The statistics clearly demand that parents, particularly fathers, must step up to the challenges at hand,” proclaimed Griffin.
“While we may be expending great effort in communicating a prolife message, how well are we doing at instructing our children about abstinence? My philosophy is that sexual abstinence is possible if dating couples are never alone, never touch and never take off their clothes. I firmly believe that the closer you get to God the more clothes you will wear – in other words, modesty is a great virtue.”
Griffin also stressed that parents need to teach their children to beware of pornography. He explained, “Surveys have shown that the average age for children to get their first look at pornography is 9-10 years old.
“Thirdly,” Griffin stated, “Christians need to step up to the challenge. The bottom line is that God called us to be salt and light. Salt is a condiment and adds flavor to food. We need to live in such a way that we make Christianity palatable and tasty to the world in which we live. Salt is also a preservative. Our world is tending toward corruption, but devoted Christians can arrest the decay and corruption and introduce a decaying world to the Christ who gives life.
“Additionally, the Christian is also to shine for Jesus and give light to a world that seems to be submerged in darkness. Everywhere light goes, darkness flees; and light reveals the truth. Christ said that light is not helpful if it is placed under a basket. It should be put on a lampstand. We need Christians to let their light to shine in the public square.
“Ultimately, the best solution to the disturbing issues we face today is for those of us who are Christians to be more like Jesus. If we walk as He walked or as the Scripture says, “Walk in the Spirit, and you will not fulfil the lusts of the flesh” (Galatians 5:16).
