This article was originally written by Scott Barkley and published to the Baptist Press. Feature photo taken by Kevin Miller.

WASHINGTON, D.C. (BP) — Sixteen pastors met with fellow Southern Baptists congressional leaders this week. Pastors met with Ted Cruz, Mike Johnson and James Lankford as part of a two-day advocacy trip this week arranged by the Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission.

Central to the trip was hand-delivering 10,000 signatures for the ERLC’s campaign to defund Planned Parenthood to Senator Lankford and Senate Majority Leader John Thune’s office. The group also held discussions with Sen. Cruz (R-TX), House Speaker Johnson (R-LA) and Sen. Lankford (R-OK), whose time in Oklahoma included 22 years in youth ministry and 15 years as president of Falls Creek Baptist Conference Center.

The visiting pastors came from Texas, Louisiana, Tennessee, Alabama and Georgia.

“I wish that every Southern Baptist could have been with us in Washington this week,” said Gevan Spinney, pastor of First Baptist Church in Haughton, La. “It became evident to me that the work of Brent Leatherwood and the ERLC is vitally important for Southern Baptists to have a clear and compelling voice on the hill to communicate those issues that matter most to all of us. I am more grateful for that voice than I have ever been.

Referring to the legislative leaders, Spinney told Baptist Press, “These men and other conservative Christians are helping to navigate the ship through some tumultuous waters. I left feeling a strong burden to pray for our fellow Christians who are in that fight.”

On March 25, the group met with Sens. Cruz and Lankford, as well as Rep. Kevin Hern of Oklahoma. Rep. Mark Walker led a Capitol tour where they then met with Speaker Johnson.

Wednesday brought meetings with Timothy Goeglein from Focus on the Family, Rep. Mark Harris and the White House faith office. The trip concluded with a visit to the Museum of the Bible.

“The ERLC was founded over 100 years ago with a dual mandate to speak into the public square while equipping our pastors and churches with resources to engage the culture on matters such as life, religious liberty, marriage and family and human dignity,” said ERLC President Brent Leatherwood. “Serving our SBC pastors is at the heart of our mission.

“We are grateful for the opportunity to join with some of them in Washington this week as we met with several of our nation’s leaders to talk about issues of importance to Southern Baptists. It’s because of our commitment to a Southern Baptist distinctive – cooperation – that we can bring truth and hope to the public square, all for the sake of the gospel.”

Dan Darling, ERLC church engagement strategist, said the purpose of the trip was to help pastors see up close and personal the work ERLC is doing every day in the nation’s capital and to share their concerns with our elected officials.

“We are grateful these pastors were willing to take their time to come to Washington, D.C. and use their voices to advocate for the issues Southern Baptists care about,” said Darling.