Interesting quote

I am reading a book right now called "Hope for the Troubled Heart", Finding God in the Midst of Pain. It was written by Billy Graham in the early 90's. As I read it, I am challenged by many things that he says.

It seems to me that in our country and in North America the church has become more and more irrelevant. The church here has left its place and calling to be instruments of change in society. The church has decided that the best way to bring change is to let the government do it, because it is their job to fix things.

I disagree.

I know the government has it's place, and to the best of our ability we should support government involvement. But why has the church been guilty of not fulfilling its proper responsibility. Christ told us to go into the whole world... Instead of going into the world in many ways we have retreated.

Now back to the book I am reading. A world leader who is opposed to Christianity responded to a question he was asked about effective Christians, here is what the leader said, "Christians seem to thrive under persecution. Perhaps we should prosper them, and then they would disappear." Do you catch the truth in this?

I believe the reason the church has been so ineffective in reaching out to the poor, helping those in need, and being an active force for change is because we have sought prosperity and not God. Our churches have focused more on getting more and bigger things and less on meeting the needs of those who are hurting, those in need of truth.

I have been in countries where the Christian church has been persecuted for their faith. I think of the beautiful people of the Ukraine, many live there in poverty. Christians have been beaten down and oppressed for years, yet they are active in making a difference in the lives of street kids and orphans. They did this before communism fell too.

I look at another country like the Dominican Republic. It is a magnificent country of incredible beauty. At the same time it suffers extreme poverty. I can tell you the body of Christ is active in meeting the needs of people. Why? because they are not focused on materialism, they are focused on meeting physical, financial, emotional and spiritual needs.

This is not a condemnation, it is to provoke thought. Have we become so focused on prosperity and materialism that we have indeed began to disappear? Lord help us to get involved. It is our responsibility!!!