If secular advocacy urges elected officials to pay attention to what matters to their constituents, biblical advocacy asks a more searching question: What matters to God? When nearly 88% of United States Congress publicly profess faith in Christ, calling our leaders back to the Gospel’s demands for justice, mercy, and humility is not partisan. It is a faith responsibility.

The church is more than a place of comfort. Jesus calls us to be “salt and light” and a “city on a hill” in Matthew 5:13–16, a people whose common life shines with moral clarity. That clarity includes a faith commitment to dismantling oppressive structures and systems that harm communities made in God’s image. We do this not only through charity, but by exercising our collective voice to challenge laws and policies that violate our Christian values of human dignity, hospitality, equity, and love of neighbor.

At The Riverside Church, we embody this calling through ministries that address food insecurity and financial instability, meeting urgent needs with compassion. Yet we know meeting needs downstream is not enough. As Dietrich Bonhoeffer wrote, “We are not to simply bandage the wounds of victims beneath the wheels of injustice; we are to drive a spoke into the wheel itself.” Advocacy is that spoke. It is faith refusing to be silent in the face of unjust systems.

Grounded in Christ’s love and guided by a vision of justice, we raise our voices together to shape a society that reflects God’s heart. Join us for Advocacy Training next Monday and learn how you can help transform conviction into courageous action.

Join us for an advocacy training on March 2 at 6:30pm, with Brian Rawson of Action Corps, who brings 20+ years of experience equipping everyday people to move elected officials toward peace and justice.

This session will teach you how to:

• Craft simple, powerful messages

• Use effective communication channels

• Track legislation

• Stay engaged consistently

You do not need prior experience. Everyone can advocate. Even five minutes a day makes an impact.

We will practice taking action together in real time, focusing on legislative efforts to stop U.S. aggression overseas, while building skills you can use for any issue you care about.

Click here for more info and registration: https://www.trcnyc.org/event/speak-peace-into-power-advocacy-training-with-action-corps/

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