What makes Alabama Citizens Action Program (ALCAP) different from the other ministries of the Alabama Baptist State Convention?
“ALCAP and our school program, American Character Builders, are on the front end of trying to stop [things like alcohol abuse and gambling addiction] from happening while our other ministries are trying to pick up the pieces,” ALCAP Executive Director Joe Godfrey said during his report Nov. 16.
One way ALCAP tries to stop the negative impact of these behaviors is through legislation.
This year, it monitored 134 of the 1,425 bills introduced in the state House of Representatives and Senate. Senate Bill 380 (SB380), which dealt with electronic bingo, was one of those bills. Two weeks after failing to be brought up for debate on the Senate floor, a revised version of the bill passed by one vote. But thanks in part to Alabama Baptists, the bill failed to pass in the House.
“As a result of hundreds of phone calls, letters and e-mails from church members across Alabama, SB380 never garnered enough support in the House to come to the floor for a vote,” according to the Book of Reports. “This experience shows the importance of Christians being involved in the political process. Together we can make a difference in our culture.”
“That’s the power that you have,” Godfrey said. “[We] go down (to Montgomery), but it’s when you make those calls to your legislators that change happens.” (TAB)
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