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BEING AN EFFECTIVE CHRISTIAN CITIZEN
Know the names, addresses and phone numbers of your elected officials -- local, state and national.
Make a commitment to pray for your elected officials. Pray
specifically when they are debating and voting on critical legislation. FW Legislative Packets contain a "Prayer Commitment" sheet that can be used as a guide.
Spend time in prayer about the current issues that are affecting your community, your state and the nation.
Communicate with your elected officials on a regular basis. (See
guidelines below.)
Subscribe to pro-family publications so that you will stay informed about the critical issues affecting your family and the moral climate of our country.
Seek the truth even if it is painful or distressing.
Volunteer to help and/or contribute financially to the pro-family
organizations that are "standing in the gap" for our families. Pray for
wisdom, protection and guidance for each organization.
Organize a "social concerns committee" at your church so that your
congregation will be informed and in prayer about the many issues being debated by our officials.
Register to vote. Be familiar with the National Platform of the party you have chosen to affiliate with.
Get involved in the election process. Be willing to sacrifice the time,
effort and finances to support the moral and religious individuals who are willing to take a stand and run for public office.
Establish a "quiet time" with the Lord. Know the Word so that your moral convictions are based on Biblical principles.
IDENTIFYING YOUR ELECTED OFFICIALS
1) Check your voter registration card for Precinct, Ward and District
Information.
2) Call your County Clerk and/or Election Board (blue section of the phone book) and request district information.
3) Call Family Watch at (816) 455-8660 for a Legislative Packet ($2) -- we have packets for Jackson, Clay, Cass, Platte, and Ray in MO and for
Johnson, Leavenworth, and Wyandotte in KS. If you would like to develop a legislative packet for your county, contact FW.
COMMUNICATING WITH YOUR OFFICIALS
1) LETTER WRITING:
A well-written, individual letter is the most powerful means of
communicating with your legislator. Less than 20% of the population
writes to their legislators;consequently, your ONE letter (on the state
level) actually represents 100 letters, because your legislator believes
that for every ONE letter sent to him, at least 100 people felt the same
way about the issue, but didn't take the time to write. [Jane Chastain, I'd Speak Out On The Issues If I Only Knew What To Say, (California:Regal Books, 1987)) , p 18 ]
Be Informed: Know the issue, read the newspaper and other educational materials. Send newspaper articles and/or educational materials with your letter -- use this opportunity to educate your legislator.
Be Specific: Address only one issue at a time; identify the bill by topic and number whenever possible. Be specific about how you would like your legislator to vote.
Be Personal: Let your legislator know how this issue affects your family -- be personal. Avoid form letters.
Be Timely: Follow the issues and keep up with day-to-day developments. Write when you first hear about the issue, but then write a follow-up letter -- your second letter will have twice the impact of your first letter.
Be Courteous: Do not threaten or use offensive or dis-respectful language.
Be Brief: A one-page letter is best. A lengthy letter will be skimmed and the main points are often lost.
Be Supportive: Communicate your appreciation for your legislator's commitment to serve as a legislator. Send a note of thanks for a positive vote and a note of concern for a negative vote, but stay positive and polite.
Be Tenacious: Ask for a reply and request more than a "yes" or "no" response. You are entitled to know your legislator's views and position on the issues. Your letters remind your legislator that you are watching his/her actions.
2) Telephone Calls:
A telephone call is the fastest way to express your opinion when an
important vote is coming up, but there is not enough time to write a
letter to your legislator.
A call to your legislator's local office is usually as effective as
calling Washington, D.C. It is extremely important for constituents to
develop a working relationship with their legislator's staff and aides,
locally and nationally. When calling your legislator, ask for the
legislative aide who is working on the issue of concern to you.
The total number of calls going into your legislator's office CAN make a difference; so encourage, but don't badger, your friends and family to call.
Be sure to call about only one issue; state the bill number; know your facts about the issue.
Request information about how your legislator is planning to vote on this issue.
Use the same guidelines listed for letter writing.
3) PERSONAL VISITS:
Your legislators represent YOU -- and he/she does appreciate hearing from you.
Visit with your local, state, and federal legislators, either at their local offices, state offices or in Washington D.C.
Call the local office of your legislator to schedule your visit. Be
prompt for your appointment. Be brief and courteous.
Your visit provides a great opportunity to build a relationship with
your legislators and to inform and educate them about the issues of concern to you. Don't use this time to argue differences or discuss party politics. The bridges you build during this visit will be vital when an important vote is pending.
Write a note of thanks after your visit, mentioning who you are and the
issue discussed.
Attend Town Hall meetings in your area.
"Civil Responsibility is a gift from God; and ... is a responsibility
toward God; ..." ["A Call to Civil Responsibility", Dr. Charles Stanley, In
Touch Ministries]
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