Reflection for the Week–August 24

If the church has no life to offer, which often seems to be the case, it will end up promoting doing instead of being, the law instead of grace, and justice instead of love. While the former in this trio are essential, when they become the exclusive focus or enrolled to go it alone, suffocation and death is not far off. Signs of a diminished pulse and failing vital organs also include the rigid retreat from public life and the serious discussion of ideas, which profoundly endorses the notion that many of today’s churches are withering away. Last gasps of retrenched and reactionary apologetics without spiritual wisdom or keen insight into the fine points of important issues, will only result in an increasing lack of interest and the ongoing erosion of credibility. Well, since out of death comes life, what we’re seeing in our times may actually be necessary for renewal.