Almost weekly I read articles on the dying church. Now, I will concede that mainline churches are in decline and have been for decades, but I believe the church of Jesus Christ is far greater than that and is doing quite well.

John Leith writes that “much of the crisis in the church today is aggravated by the refusal of many people…to take theological issues seriously, to understand that the great human problem is not social, political, economic, psychological, or physical but theological.”

I believe passionately in social action and justice efforts, but these are not ends in themselves. I think that our social action should flow from our being loved by God and our corresponding love for Him. It is the good news of the Kingdom of God, the gospel, that should grip our souls and cause us to seek justice, love mercy and walk humbly with our God.

If Jesus Christ is who we say he is, the Word become flesh, then “no other event in human history can comp;are with his birth, life, death, and resurrection…It is the greatest good news that ever came to human beings on this planet. No other work can possibly compare with the significance of proclaiming this gospel to all people everywhere.” (Leith)