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Reccord, Huckabee serve as United Nations ‘ambassadors’


NEW YORK (BP)–Bob Reccord, president of the Southern Baptist Convention’s North American Mission Board, told representatives of nearly half the United Nations delegations, “I feel comfortable standing before you because I too am an ambassador … an ambassador of Jesus Christ. I am honored to represent to you the one I serve: the Lord God Almighty.”
Reccord served as host of a NAMB-sponsored luncheon at the United Nations Dec. 12 attended by 250 U.N. ambassadors and other top officials. The event marked the beginning of Southern Baptists’ 25th year of ministry at the United Nations. Included in the audience were nearly 30 ambassadors, including those from Libya, Turkey, India, El Salvador, Bulgaria and the League of Arab States along with top officials from delegations from China, Algeria, Ukraine and South Africa.
Mike Huckabee, governor of Arkansas, as featured speaker, told the international leaders that personal character and integrity are the key issues facing his state, the United States as well as the world.
“Most people think the answers to problems in our world are related to improvements in education and economics,” the former Southern Baptist pastor said. “But it occurred to me that some of the most miserable people have the best education and the most wealth. … I believe the answer is character.”
Citing statistics on the cost of a host of social ills, such as crime, chemical abuse and teen pregnancy, Huckabee said, “Most of the governmental expenditures of my state are not to improve education or build infrastructure, but to correct the failure of a society whose individuals have lost the sense of personal character. We’re spending money not to help people live better, but to help them get out of trouble that could have been prevented had the level of their character been higher.”
Huckabee was elected lieutenant governor of Arkansas in 1993, but in 1996 became governor after his predecessor, Jim Guy Tucker, was convicted in the Whitewater investigation. Huckabee has since written a book titled, “Character IS The Issue” published by Broadman & Holman of the Baptist Sunday School Board.
“We live in a world where we all want to make up our own rules, but if we live that way, the result is disaster,” Huckabee said. “Character is when we come to the place where we no longer make up our own rules, but we seek to root our laws in values that are eternal rather than values that are constantly changing.” That root, according to Huckabee, is the golden rule.
“Those of us who govern must be governed not by the culture or the current temperature of society but by an eternal God.”
Huckabee shared with the delegates testimony to the role faith in Jesus Christ plays in his own life. “The only permanence in my life is my relationship with Christ and the hope that relationship gives me,” he said.
Following Huckabee’s presentation, Reccord presented each person in attendance with a copy of the governor’s book, but told them it was not the greatest gift they were being offered.
“The greatest gift is the one God offers to all of us: his Son, Jesus Christ. … Understand that God loves you so very much that he made himself available for a personal relationship with you.”
Reccord offered to provide further information to those expressing interest as well as a copy of the Bible in their own language and a copy of the “Jesus” video. Delegates stood in line for nearly an hour to have their books signed by Huckabee, and more than 40 of the U.N. officials completed information cards requesting a Bible or the video.

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  • Martin King