TOUGH QUESTIONS ROLE PLAY

In many settings our advocates get questions that are hard to answer. We need to be ready to think on our feet and deal with these situations. In triads (groups of three) have the interviewer (heckler) pick a question. Have the one member try to answer. A third person should coach both sides and give feedback afterwards. Sample responses are included on the next page.

1. “Isn’t ‘advocacy’ just another word for ‘lobbying’?”





2. “My church shouldn’t be involved in politics – what happened to preaching the Gospel?”





3. “What if I disagree with the positions of my church? Who’s speaking on my behalf?”





4. “People aren’t going to listen to what the church has to say anyway, so why bother?”






5. “The church has been taken over by left-wing Democrats, and isn’t really in touch with how I feel.”





6. “How can the church know enough about these issues to make any sense?”

Debrief the role you played. Did you feel comfortable asking/answering? Switch roles and try again.

Center Priorities (.pdf)

Bulletin Inserts
Child Support (.pdf)
Environment (.pdf)
Housing Trust (.pdf)
Indigent Defense (.pdf)
Payday Lending (.pdf)
Minimum Wage (.pdf)

Advocacy Resources
Advocacy Guide (.doc)
Advocacy Portal (link)
Lending Info. (.ppt)
Richmond Map (.pdf)

For Small Groups
Eco-Stewardship (link)
Prayers for Creation (link)
Poverty Diet (link)

Policy Briefs
EITC (.doc)
TANF Child Support (.doc)
Payday Loans (.doc)
Healing Creation (.doc)
Child Ombudsman (.doc)
Affordable Housing (.doc)
Indigent Defense (.doc)
Minimum Wage (.doc)
Wage & EITC (.doc)
VA Tribes (.link)

Actions
Lending Petition (link)
Title Petition (link)
Wage Petition (link)

Reports
Budget Analysis (.pdf)
Food Stamps (.doc)
Lottery Study (link)

FAQ's (link)

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