LAS VEGAS — The Rev. Alvin Herring believes in the power of a good conversation. No matter whether he’s helping people register to vote, increase census participation or expand religion’s role in the public square, he thinks talking with neighbors about why it matters is the starting point for large-scale change.

It’s no surprise, then, that the Rev. Herring, who serves as executive director of Faith in Action, a multiracial and multifaith community organizing network, was more interested in “exchanging ideas” with the top presidential candidates who appeared at his organization’s National Faith Forum in Las Vegas this week than hearing their stump speeches.

During their separate presentations, the Rev. Herring told Pete Buttigieg, who is the former mayor of South Bend, Indiana, and Tom Steyer, a philanthropist and environmental activist, that they’d have just five minutes to tell the crowd of around 300 faith-based community organizers about themselves before he invited members of the audience to share parts of their stories and start asking questions.

“We’re asking some very tough questions,” the Rev. Herring said.