Saturday, June 25, 2022 | 2 a.m.
One problem I have with modern Christian churches is that they seem laser-focused on the problem of overcoming personal adversity.
I wonder if and when the churches will ever turn their attention to the problem of overcoming community adversity. Is that a real problem? Is that an important problem? Is that the churches’ problem? I think yes, yes and yes.
Personal problems bleed over into the public sphere, and so working on them does help relieve pressing public burdens. But also, public shortcomings clearly bleed over into the private realm of individuals and families. When churches work to clean up personal and family problems, they find that their hard work is quickly undone by forces outside their chosen jurisdiction.
It’s time for churches to commit to cleaning up public issues as well as personal issues. The two will always be linked. Jesus understood that. Why don’t the churches?