The following is adapted from remarks given by Family Research Council President Tony Perkins at the Louisiana Family Forum Awards Dinner in Baton Rouge on September 25.

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Last month, I encountered some Louisiana National Guardsmen who had been deployed to Washington, D.C., to assist with crime control. They told me that our Guardsmen are used to responding to devastation — hurricanes, floods, you name it. But they admitted they had never trained for the aftermath of a Democratic administration! I told them, “I suppose sandbags, high water, alligators, and snakes are easier than cleaning up after progressive policies.”

When I reflect on this gathering, I am filled with both gratitude and amazement at what God has accomplished through the Louisiana Family Forum. Back in 1997, when we launched the Forum, the cultural headwinds against faith and family were already strong. I remember standing in the well of the House debating a bill that directly impacted the family. Every interest group had lobbyists swarming the Capitol — but the family had no one. That day it became clear we needed an organization committed to biblical principles and courageous advocacy.

Shortly thereafter, Gene Mills came alongside. For more than two decades, Gene has been the steady, prayerful, visionary leader guiding the Forum forward. Gene and Blanch, we honor you tonight for your tireless service, your bold witness, and your unwavering faith.

But this is not just a Louisiana story — it is part of a national movement. Louisiana Family Forum is one of many Family Policy Councils birthed out of Dr. James Dobson’s vision. In the face of America’s cultural decline, he knew believers needed to stand shoulder to shoulder in every state, actively calling our nation back to God’s design for the family. That network has become one of the most effective vehicles for preserving biblical truth in public life.

The Forum’s work has always been about more than blocking bad bills or advancing good ones. It is about cultivating a culture that acknowledges God, embraces His word, and understands that what happens in the home ultimately determines the future more than what happens in the halls of government.

Working with Family Policy Councils across the nation, in 2019 we created model legislation designed to stop the freight train of gender experimentation that was endangering our children. Louisiana passed its version — the Stop Harming Our Kids Act — in 2023. Today, 27 states have laws protecting children from radical gender ideology. This is the fruit of the pro-family network.

Let me give you another illustration. In 1998, Louisiana became one of the first states to regulate abortion businesses. I was able to pass the law with the aid of a young attorney who was handling an abortion malpractice case against a local facility. That law led to the closure of several facilities around the state. An amended version of that law went to the U.S. Supreme Court and helped pave the way for the Dobbs decision.

Those were not accidents. They happened because believers, pastors, and legislators worked together — because a movement rooted in biblical conviction was already in place. Louisiana set an example, and other states followed. That’s the power of building a culture anchored in God’s truth.

By the way, that young attorney is now the Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives.

Now, nearly three decades later, we find ourselves at a defining moment. The tragic assassination of Charlie Kirk shocked our nation to the core. For many, it revealed just how deep the fractures in our society have become. But here’s the remarkable thing: in the aftermath, even government leaders are openly acknowledging that America needs God. That’s not a small thing — that’s a signal moment.

The question before us is urgent: will the church — followers of Christ — rise to the occasion? Will we proclaim the life-changing, culture-transforming message of the Cross?

This is not the time to retreat into silence or fear. This is the moment we prayed for, worked for, and voted for — not to create a government that does the work of God, but to secure a government that makes room for the work of God.

So, what are we to do? Seize the moment.

Like the men of Issachar in 1 Chronicles 12:32, we need men and women who “understood the times and knew what Israel should do.” This is not a time for confusion or cowardice. It is a time for clarity and courage. Seizing the moment means stepping forward with biblical conviction. It means lifting high the Cross in a culture that has lost its compass. It means offering answers — not just political ones, but eternal ones.

And here is the truth: when the church does this, the ripple effects touch everything — marriage, education, the sanctity of life, crime, religious freedom, and the very laws that you, our legislators, pass. The Cross does not bypass culture or government; it transforms them by first transforming people.

Think of William Wilberforce in 19th-century England. He didn’t hold office just to cast votes; he held office to change a culture of corrupt manners and the scourge of slavery. For decades, he faced ridicule, resistance, and defeat. But he persevered. And when the slave trade was finally abolished, it wasn’t just a political victory — it was the fruit of biblical conviction shaping national policy. That is what happens when believers seize the moment.

Tonight, as we honor legislators for their pro-family votes, let us remember: their courage is made possible because men and women of faith — like you — prayed, supported, and stood with them. Your prayers and your financial support make Louisiana Family Forum possible. But never forget: the Forum is not just Gene Mills or Tony Perkins or the award recipients — it is a movement of God’s people in this state.

But let us not stop here. Our nation is at a crossroads. The tide is turning. God has given us this moment. Now it falls to us — the church — to seize it. To speak truth boldly. To stand faithfully. And to proclaim that our hope is not in Washington, Baton Rouge, or any statehouse, but in the Lord Jesus Christ.

It reminds me of Nehemiah. When he returned to Jerusalem, the walls were broken and the people discouraged. The task seemed impossible. Yet Nehemiah rallied them: “You see the trouble we are in… come, let us rebuild the wall.” And though they faced ridicule, opposition, and threats, he reminded them: “Do not be afraid. Remember the Lord, great and awesome, and fight for your brothers, your sons, your daughters, your wives, and your houses.” The people took up the work — one hand on the trowel and the other on the sword. And in just 52 days, by the grace of God, the wall was rebuilt.

Like Nehemiah’s day, our nation’s walls are broken. Our culture is vulnerable. But if God’s people seize the moment — if we step forward in faith and courage — what seems impossible can be accomplished.

So let us leave tonight not only encouraged but commissioned. Let us rise from these tables as watchmen on the wall, guardians of the truth, and ambassadors of a Kingdom that cannot be shaken. And may history look back on this moment and say: “When the hour was dark, God’s people stood holding the light and leading the way forward.”

Heaven is watching. History is waiting.