By John Mark Boes
In this cultural and political climate, our country and world feel increasingly divided. The recent government shutdown is another example of the ever-increasing partisan division so rampant in the United States. Congregations, schools and homes are fraught with political divisiveness. We are weary with the weight of virulent political discourse magnified through the lens of a 24-hour news cycle and our own social media feeds.
However, many Christians increasingly feel called to advocacy; not out of a selfish desire for political power, but instead as a means of loving their neighbor.
Church members are finding their voices as they advocate on behalf of, and alongside the most vulnerable members of their community. Young adults want to know how their faith speaks to our current cultural reality and if it can inform how to live authentically. For many, advocacy as an expression of Christian witness is becoming vital to Christian faith and practice. A church silent on the things that matter so much to so many risks not mattering at all.
Join us March 12-15 for the annual Advocacy in Action conference in Washington, D.C., to see how CBF Advocacy can equip your congregation to offer the glow of caring, freedom and peace.
How can Christians and churches address critical issues that call for a thoughtful response from people of faith? How can their advocacy make an impact? Advocacy in Action will help to develop a biblical basis for advocacy, engage with CBF partners who are actively involved in advocacy, and express our voice by interacting with members of Congress.
Register now! Learn more at http://www.cbf.net/advocacy-in-action.
John Mark Boes serves as Partnerships & Advocacy Specialist for the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship.