B: Build consensus in our own ranks. The Calvinist concept of "lesser magistrates" -- in the American context, local and state officials standing up against federal over-reaching -- is a mighty one, but "magistrates" is plural, not singular. Individual rebellion can be quirky, so the requirement that many magistrates hang together makes sure that the grievances are great. Our opponents are secular liberals, not other Christian conservatives, and rhetoric that divides us helps our adversaries to conquer. One question to ask before mounting any offensive: Is it likely to drive back the left or merely purge our own ranks?
C: Choose battles and tactics carefully. Sometimes we have no choice of battleground; if we are ordered to stop praying to God or to bow to idols, we must stand firm wherever we are, as did Daniel and his friends in ancient Babylon. But when we do have a choice, we need to emphasize life-changing questions such as abortion and marriage. If we lose we lose, but we should try to win, not rush toward martyrdom when other God-honoring options exist -- otherewise, it's not martyrdom, it's suicide.
If we follow those ABCs, we won't adopt the terrible tactic of spam recruitment: making statements that might excite one view but turn off a thousand. Those who with a defeatist mentality assume that minds cannot change, so the only goal is to propel into action those already in your camp (and to the devil with others) are like spam e-mailers: They don't matter how many get irritated as long as a sale is made. That hurts not Christian social and political activity but evangelism, as well.
If we understand the need to assess, build and choose, we also won't send eviction notitces to those who do not agree with our particular set of tactics. God wanted Gideon's army to be small, but that was based on special revelation. Today, efforts designed to create a tiny, hard core by attacking other Christian conservatives who disagree tactically owe more to Lenin than to the Bible. We mustn't forget that the difference between left and right is far greater than differences among Christian conservatives.
Remembering the ABCs gives us our best opportunity, within God's providence, of avoiding the big red F of failure.