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How To Become an Effective Kitchen Table Activist

How To Become an Effective Kitchen Table Activist

Last updated on: July 2, 2026 at 8:05 pm by Rev. Rob Schenck

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How To Become an Effective Kitchen Table Activist 2026-07-02T20:05:03-04:00 Rev. Rob Schenck

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. . . and a faithful Christian steward in the process!

Your Voice in Federal Rulemaking: Becoming a One-Person Democracy Activist is a Matter of Christian Stewardship

In his first letter to the Christians of the ancient Greek city of Corinth, the Apostle Paul wrote, “it is required of stewards that they be found faithful.” (1 Corinthians 4:2) In the original language, Paul uses the term oikonomos, a reference to the manager of a household, a kind of chief butler for a privileged family. This is the person responsible for procuring foodstuffs for the kitchen, doing the laundry, maintaining structures, equipment, and furnishings, and prioritizing the family owners’ safety and security.

While in his church epistle, Paul is specifically addressing the need for leaders to take care that doctrinal and dogmatic matters are properly interpreted and applied to congregational life and ministry, I believe we can extrapolate a broader meaning from this stewardship principle. The writer of the New Testament Letter to the Hebrews says, “the word of God is living and active,” meaning it is not static in its meaning or application, but dynamic and relevant to ever-changing situations. In this context, I’d like to think that stewardship concerns how Christians manage their civic rights, responsibilities, and opportunities. One way to do this is to become an activist commenter.

Every Citizen’s Superpower

I enjoy telling people that I’ve discovered a secret weapon against fascistic authoritarianism that requires nothing more than a laptop and an internet connection. It’s disorienting, but it’s true.

Just when you’re tempted to think, “There’s nothing I can do about all this chaos, corruption, and incompetence,” Voila! There actually is something you can do–from your own home (or wherever you’re most comfortable), mostly on your own time and terms, and all by yourself–or with as many others as you care to recruit!

Here’s what most Americans don’t know: You possess a legal right—not a privilege, but an actual statutory right—to influence federal policy before it becomes law. I’m talking about the public comment process for federal regulations. And in this moment, when democratic norms face unprecedented assault, this unglamorous tool might be one of our most powerful forms of resistance.

The Legal Foundation Nobody Told You About

The Administrative Procedure Act of 1946, which was carried over into the updated version, doesn’t just invite public participation in rulemaking—it mandates it. Federal agencies must publish proposed rules in the Federal Register, allow time for public comment, and then respond to substantive comments before finalizing regulations. Your comment isn’t a suggestion they can toss in the recycling bin. It becomes part of the permanent legal record. Courts have overturned regulations because agencies failed to adequately address public comments.

Think about that for a moment. Your voice, properly deployed, can stop or reshape federal policy.

The Regulatory Flexibility Act and various executive orders have strengthened these requirements over the decades. The government must listen before it acts. That’s not campaign rhetoric—it’s the law.

Finding Your Battleground

Start with Regulations.gov, the central portal for federal rulemaking. Create an account—takes maybe two minutes—then set up email alerts for topics that keep you up at night. Environmental protection, healthcare, education, civil rights, immigration, whatever matters to you.

The site tracks thousands of open comment periods at any given time. You can’t engage with everything, and that’s fine. I focus on issues where I have expertise or personal experience, and I’ve become a recognized voice in those areas. Quality matters infinitely more than quantity.

The Federal Register publishes new proposed rules every weekday. You can browse by agency or topic. Each notice includes the comment deadline—miss it by even a minute, and your voice doesn’t count. Set reminders. Be vigilant.

What Makes Comments Actually Matter

Here’s the uncomfortable truth: Form letters don’t move the needle much, though they do demonstrate volume of concern. What agencies must respond to are substantive comments—those containing facts, data, personal expertise, or specific alternative proposals. They don’t need to be long, but they need to be complete.

I structure my comments like this:

Clearly identify the regulation and docket number
State my specific concern or support
Provide evidence, if you can—data, personal experience, expert analysis
Suggest concrete alternatives
Explain my relevant credentials or experience

Personal stories that illustrate real-world impacts carry enormous weight. So does the data the agency doesn’t have. Point out unintended consequences they haven’t considered. Identify legal vulnerabilities. You might want to show them the economic impacts they’ve underestimated or ignored.

One well-crafted comment can change a rule. I’ve seen it happen. Your comment might be cited in the final rule. Sometimes the fight is just getting your objection on the record for future litigation or political accountability.

Making This a Practice, Not a Performance

Democracy is a practice, not a possession. Use it or lose it.

I’ve started setting aside time each week to check for new comment opportunities. I’ve developed templates for efficiency, but I customize each one. Some issues deserve a deep dive—several pages of detailed analysis. Others warrant a shorter, focused response — sometimes just a few sentences. One rule to remember about the comment rule: Better to say something than to say nothing–so, better one sentence than no sentence! Over time, you’ll learn to judge which ones require more and which require less, but if time won’t allow anything more, you can always write, “I oppose (or support) this proposed rule out of matters of conscience.”

The Benefits of Commenter Activism

This work teaches you how policy actually gets made. You start to understand the machinery of government in ways that transform your citizenship. You build expertise. Sometimes you even develop relationships with agency staff who appreciate informed public engagement.

And here’s what matters: This connects to everything else. Comments support litigation. They create accountability. They build a paper trail that matters when administrations change, or courts intervene. They may be cited in congressional oversight hearings or reports. In other words, by becoming an “activist commenter,” you become part of the process–from your kitchen table!

Recruiting Others: Building a Movement

I’ll be honest—this is hard to explain at dinner parties. “I comment on federal regulations” doesn’t exactly electrify a room. People’s eyes glaze over. They’re cynical about whether the government listens to anyone.

But here’s what works: Start with people who already care about specific issues. Make it social—host comment-writing gatherings. Provide templates and guidance. Celebrate wins together. Share stories of actual impact.

The key is to connect it to activism that people already understand. Show them how comments amplify their other work. One person teaches two, who teach two more. You build a network of informed commenters. That’s how you strengthen democracy from the ground up—one voice at a time, multiplied.

Why This Matters Beyond Any Single Rule

Let me be clear about what we’re really doing here. We’re pushing back against the erosion of democratic norms through democratic participation. We’re insisting that the government remain transparent and accountable to the people. We’re fighting authoritarian tendencies, and by showing up in print and demanding to be heard, we push back against intimidation, contempt for process, the assumption that public input doesn’t matter, and the pompous belief that people with power and privilege do not need to be held accountable.

Every comment is a small act of resistance. Every person you recruit is another voice the government must reckon with. This is unglamorous work. It won’t make headlines. But it’s the muscle memory of civic engagement, and it’s essential.

I’ve spent decades in the machinery of political power, and I can tell you: The people who show up consistently, who know the rules, who use the system’s own requirements against it—those are the people who shape outcomes. Not always. Not every time. But more often than you’d think.

Your Next Steps

Here’s what you can do this week:

Create a Regulations.gov account
Set up three email alerts on issues you care about
Read one proposed rule—just one
Submit your first comment (or your next one)
Tell one person about this opportunity
After making your comments, be sure you and your allies write to your congressional delegation (your one representative in the House and your two senators) and demand that they exercise proper oversight and request reports on the results of the comment periods. Get their contact info at www.congress.gov

Be a Good Steward of Your Citizenry–for Your Sake, for Your Family and Community, for Your Country and the World

You are not powerless. Democracy needs you. The work won’t make headlines, but it makes a difference. The bottom line is this: There are many things we can do during this collapse in American democratic norms. Commenting on federal regulations is one of them. It’s not the time to shrink back but rather to push forward. There are big and small ways to do that—and there are visible and invisible ways to do them. The important thing is to do something.

Let’s do all we can to stay strong together and remain resilient. Your voice matters—legally, practically, and morally.

Use it–as an active citizen, as an activist commenter, as a faithful steward!

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Christian citizenship

political activism

resist fascism

About Rev. Rob Schenck

Rev. Rob Schenck is a dissenting voice and a fierce but loving critic of American evangelicalism. He has spent nearly 50 years as a leading figure among U.S. evangelicals. An ordained evangelical minister, Rob was trained in evangelical institutions, has led national evangelical organizations, and is widely published in evangelical journals. He is the subject of Abigail Disney's Emmy Award-winning film The Armor of Light and is featured in Rob Reiner's feature-length documentary God & Country. Rob chronicles his spiritual journey in a memoir, Costly Grace: An Evangelical Minister's Rediscovery of Faith, Hope and Love (HarperCollins). You can read more about the author here.

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