Politically active?

I used to be a maths teacher in a comprehensive school. Back in 1987 when the government proposed a major Education Bill, I became involved in a campaign for Christian religious education and assemblies, with Baroness Caroline Cox.

Our campaign led to a change in the law so that RE became 'in the main Christian'. All this was while I was still a teacher. I know what it is to mark books until 10 o'clock at night and only then to start writing letters to politicians. Quite unexpectedly I ended up giving up my teaching job, and setting up the Christian Institute some ten years ago.

I remember Caroline Cox speaking to me about courage and standing up for what you believe. She said: 'Get your head all the way above the parapet - it's the safest way to be'. These remarks concerned the courage to speak out, but I am sure that they also apply to the Christian life generally.

Here are some things to think about if you feel that, as a local church, you ought to be making your voice heard.

1. Preaching

Preaching lays the groundwork for Christian involvement. It is vitally important that preaching addresses issues such as the sanctity of human life, God's providence, the nature of marriage, the importance of the law in restraining evil, so that Christians clearly understand these things.

2. The phone-in

* Local radio is full of these, morning, noon and night. There is also national radio, from talk radio to Radios 4 & 5. Prepare three things you want to say and say them regardless. Prepare a summary sentence for each one that can be said in 10-15 seconds, then be prepared to elaborate. It's quite normal for a presenter to interrupt, or for one guest to interrupt another. Disagreements are OK.

* If you are up against someone else, and they start to talk over you, keep talking, don't be put off. If they have been speaking for too long, or say something major that needs correcting, don't be afraid to butt in and talk over them.

* Have notes in front of you, but don't let them rustle if you are on the phone from home. Make sure no one is going to interrupt you. (Close the windows!) When you ring, be prepared to hang on the line. They should offer to phone you back.

3. Writing letters

* Good letters, well-targeted, can make a real difference. If the BBC shows a particularly good or bad programme, write to Points of View.

* If you are writing a letter to complain, keep it short, keep it polite and to the point.

* If someone is courageous in public life and takes a good stand, write them a letter. It will be a great encouragement to them.

* Letters during the progress of legislation can be particularly important. During the recent debates on the government's proposal to repeal Section 28, a number of Christian organisations organised a writing campaign to peers. Each peer typically received 100 letters. I am convinced that this is why so many peers decided to re-arrange their diaries and turn up for the crucial vote.

4. Schools: meet your parent-governors

* Every state school in the country has elected parent-governors. If parents have an issue of concern, they can raise this with their representatives. You can raise issues of praise as well.

* Parents can ask schools for copies of their work schemes that the teachers use and for policy statements, such as that on sex education.

* You can have more year-round involvement through a parent teacher association connected with the school.

* You can encourage people in your church to stand for election as a parent governor, or to become a school governor as a member of a political party.

5. The magistracy and other public appointments

* The local magistrate's court will advertise for members of the public to apply to become magistrates. Under the present system (which may change) political parties can also make recommendations for people to become magistrates.

* Members of political parties have many opportunities to serve on public bodies.

6. Public consultations

* Government departments of local councils often consult the public about specific proposals.

* In 1991 Newcastle City Council consulted on their new religious education proposals. We looked at the syllabus and found that only 12.5% of it was devoted to the study of the Christian faith. We alerted local churches and at a public meeting 100 Christians turned up along with BBC TV. Following the campaign the council decided to make radical changes to the proposals.

7. Public petitions

* One of the other things that we did to convince the city council to change their religious education syllabus, was to raise a public petition with 1,000 signatories. A Christian councillor presented it in the council chamber. It was well covered in the local press.

* As well as presenting petitions to local councils, you could also present a petition to Parliament through your MP.

8. The press release

Christians who can provide intelligent comment on a national issue can often be quoted in the local press. You could also speak on a positive event, e.g. an event your church is organising. There are tremendous opportunities. All you need is a fax machine and a press release:

* It is important to comment in one page of A4 or less, giving a good headline, like the sort used in newspapers ('Riot vicar speaks out', 'Marriage is best - it's official', you know the sort of thing.) A comment which gives a unique, informed perspective, has a chance of making the coverage, especially if you are the first to comment.

* You must put a contact name and telephone number on the press release (bear in mind that if you put your home number, it may go in a journalist's address book). Sit back and see what happens.

* If a journalist rings up, then don't allow yourself to be diverted onto side issues. Just say what you want to say.

* Timing is so important to the media. For example, if a local church is concerned about the closure of the local church school, then it is best to issue a press release the day before a public meeting to discuss the future of the school.

* If a church wants to speak out on a issue in Parliament, then they should issue a press release tied to an event in Parliament.

9. Building alliances

Working with others who share your views is vital. You may form an alliance just on a single issue. This can make for unlikely bedfellows. CARE has worked with Clare Short on pornography. CARE opposed it on moral grounds, she opposed it on feminist grounds, but it was a useful alliance for a period.

* You can work with other churches. There may be some issues where you can work with those of other faiths. In Birmingham it has been Muslim groups which have fought kerb-crawling and prostitution, even spurring the police into action.

10. Meet with your MP or councillor

As an elector, you have regular opportunities to meet with your MP or councillor at their constituency or ward surgeries. Surgeries can be sparsely attended.

* If you look in your Thompson local telephone directory, or the Yellow Pages, you will find a phone number for your local MP. Telephone and find out when and where he is holding his surgeries.

* Be prepared before you go. Have four or five points in your mind that you want to put to him. You can write the points down and hand them to the MP at the end of the meeting. Don't overwhelm him. Keep it simple. Try to get his interest, with a view to giving him more detail later.

* You need to take some evidence to back your case, but again, don't overwhelm him.

* Be clear about what you want. Here are some examples of promises to seek from your MP:

(a) that he will vote in a particular way;
(b) that he will speak in a particular debate;
(c) that he will ask a question in Parliament;
(d) that he will write to the government minister.

* Follow up your meeting with a letter, reiterating the points you made, and adding any further information you promised.

11. Stunts and timing

There is nothing wrong with using powerful visual aids which highlight an issue. Prophets in the Old Testament were told to do things which attracted attention to the message they were preaching.

12. Use the law or official policies

The law is there to restrain evil. We should use the law.

A playgroup in Newcastle was threatened with closure by the local authority under the Children Act. The local under-8s officer said that unless the church painted the boys' and girls' toilets in the same colour (instead of blue for boys and pink for girls), and unless they removed Bible verses from the wall, they could have their licence revoked.

In fact the Children Act does not give social workers the power to make such requirements. The playgroup complained, but it was not until the Christian Institute pointed the local authority to the relevant law that the local authority backed down.

13. Organising and planning

Strategy is key if you are embarking on a proper campaign.

* Get your facts and arguments sorted out well in advance so you have a resource that you will work from during the campaign.

* Know the key dates, e.g. dates of Parliamentary debates, key council meetings, meetings of the body you are seeking to influence.

* Decide what you will do, e.g. hold public meetings, publish a leaflet one month before, press releases the day before, and, on the day, a meeting or march, etc.

* Use technology. Use faxes. Use email. Use the internet for research and to disseminate information about your campaign. New technology has brought new opportunities for those who can use it properly.

14. Support and network

* There are many resources, and sources of advice in the various organisations involved in Christian campaigns.

* They need your support and they will also be able to support you.

14 ways that the local church can be involved and make a difference