By Josh Hunt
Last week I had the opportunity to be a part of CBF’s Advocacy in Action event in Washington, D.C. I am leaving that experience with a deepened sense that advocacy is part of faithful Christian discipleship.
Persons of all ages—laity and clergy—from various states and regions and diverse backgrounds gathered in the capital in response to CBF’s open invitation. Our gatherings were facilitated by Sharon Felton, Congregational Advocacy Officer; Jennifer Hawks, Director of Advocacy; and Elket Rodriguez, Global Migration Advocate.
We began with a time of devotion and prayer and then dove into practical training on how to have a good meeting with our Members of Congress, Senators and their staffers. We included lessons on writing an op-ed and education about how to help people register to vote and how to be a polling-place volunteer.
The historic Baptist principle of the separation of church and state does not call people of faith to withdraw from civic life. Instead, it frees us to use our voices in the public arena with integrity and courage as we fulfill our civic duties on behalf of our neighbors. Rather than being an excuse for silence, the separation of church and state becomes the ground from which we can speak without seeking privilege and to work for the common good.
One of the gifts of being in Washington is the chance to let history be a conversation partner to our present. During the week our group toured the Frederick Douglass House and the National Museum of African American History and Culture. Our time in these spaces, along with my time in the National Museum of American History, was a reminder that change does not come only from elected leaders. Teachers, pastors, organizers and church folks bring it too, showing up, writing letters, making calls, marching and voting. History teaches that these ostensibly “small” acts of courage accumulate into something significant.
After our training and reflection, we had the opportunity to put our learning into practice as we spent a day on Capitol Hill meeting with elected representatives from our respective states. What could’ve been an intimidating visit—because of the grandeur of our location or the notoriety and power of the people with whom we met—became accessible thanks to our training from CBF’s Advocacy staff. We learned about CBF’s advocacy work, but we were repeatedly reminded by CBF staff that, “This is your meeting and you should set the agenda of your time with your Members of Congress and their staffers.”
As a Baptist, I carry the conviction that faith is always personal but never private. The God we meet in Scripture hears the cries of the oppressed, sends prophets to kings, calls us to “seek the welfare of the city,” and to love our neighbors in concrete ways. For me, to participate in Advocacy in Action was to practice what I have come to think of as the stewardship of voice. 
Just as we speak of stewardship of money, time and creation, so too we are given a voice to steward—for the sake of those whom Jesus called “the least of these”—the vulnerable, the hungry, the poor and the displaced. Stewardship of voice means learning how policy works, listening to those most affected and then speaking for those who might not be able to speak for themselves.
I came back home with a renewed understanding that advocacy is not partisan posturing as some may suspect, but it is rather an expression of Christian love of neighbor. That may look like writing a letter to your elected representative, giving someone a ride to the polls, learning more about an issue where your understanding is limited or simply praying by name for your elected officials and their staff.
Most of all, Advocacy in Action reminded me that none of us advocates alone. We are part of a community—laypeople, pastors, denominational staff, nonprofit partners—who are learning together how to be present faithfully and lovingly in the spaces where decisions are made. Stewarding your voice is difficult work, but in a noisy and divided world, a clear, Christ-like word may be one of the most important offerings you have to give.
For more information, visit CBF’s Advocacy website.
Josh Hunt is the Regional Church Development Officer at CBF and South Carolina Associate Coordinator.