OpenTheo

Is the Church Failing at Being a Church?

Life and Books and Everything — Clearly Reformed

Is the Church Failing at Being a Church?

January 18, 2023
Life and Books and Everything
Life and Books and EverythingClearly Reformed

Before we denounce most leaders as Pharisees and large swaths of the church as complicit in the evil deeds of darkness, let’s make sure we are not trafficking in well-meaning, but unhelpful, myths.

This article, written for WORLD Opinions, urges Christians to be aware of and address sin, but to abstain from assigning widespread guilt to the church as a whole.

Share

FacebookTwitterRedditCopy Link

Transcript

More From Life and Books and Everything

A Fuller Measure of Witherspoon on Slavery
A Fuller Measure of Witherspoon on Slavery
Life and Books and Everything
January 30, 2023
A Princeton University president, teacher, preacher, politician, Declaration of Independence signatory, and a slave owner. As an early American patrio
An Open Statement of the Truth
An Open Statement of the Truth
Life and Books and Everything
February 1, 2023
We must never use apologetics—or for that matter, contextualization—as a way to make hard truths less noticeable or the offense of the gospel more pal
The Second Coming of Christ with John Piper
The Second Coming of Christ with John Piper
Life and Books and Everything
February 6, 2023
Kevin sits down with John for a return visit to LBE to talk about John’s new book, “Come, Lord Jesus: Meditations on the Second Coming of Christ” (Cro
Football, the Future, and Personal Piety with Justin Taylor and Collin Hansen
Football, the Future, and Personal Piety with Justin Taylor and Collin Hansen
Life and Books and Everything
January 17, 2023
If you want a longer-than-usual discussion about football, you’ve come to the right episode. After ruminating on why Americans like football so much,
The Economics of Abortion in One Lesson
The Economics of Abortion in One Lesson
Life and Books and Everything
January 10, 2023
In this Episode from an written for Christ Over All, Kevin discusses the moral and economic affects that abortion has on mothers, families, and women.
A New Goal for the New Year
A New Goal for the New Year
Life and Books and Everything
January 4, 2023
There are many worthwhile battles to fight in life. The most important, most necessary, and most dangerous is the war we must wage against sin, flesh,
More From "Life and Books and Everything"

More on OpenTheo

“Jesus Had Two Dads, and He Turned Out Just Fine”
“Jesus Had Two Dads, and He Turned Out Just Fine”
#STRask
August 28, 2025
Questions about how to engage someone wearing a button that reads, “Jesus had two dads, and he turned out just fine,” and how to be kind and loving wi
How Do We Advocate for Christian Policy Without Making the Government Interfere in Every Area of Life?
How Do We Advocate for Christian Policy Without Making the Government Interfere in Every Area of Life?
#STRask
November 20, 2025
Questions about how to advocate for Christian policy without making the government interfere in every area of life, and the differences between the mo
What Are the Top Three Apologist Pitfalls to Watch Out For?
What Are the Top Three Apologist Pitfalls to Watch Out For?
#STRask
October 2, 2025
Question about the top three pitfalls to watch out for when you start using apologetics in conversations with others.   * What are the top three apol
How Can I Showcase God’s Goodness When I’m Struggling in My Suffering?
How Can I Showcase God’s Goodness When I’m Struggling in My Suffering?
#STRask
September 8, 2025
Questions about how to showcase God’s goodness when we’re really struggling in our suffering, an explanation of God’s response at the end of the book
Should I Pray for Protection for Persecuted Christians When God Might Want Them to Be Martyrs?
Should I Pray for Protection for Persecuted Christians When God Might Want Them to Be Martyrs?
#STRask
September 4, 2025
Questions about how to pray for persecuted Christians in light of the fact that God wills that some will be martyrs, and how persecuted Christians who
Faith Journeys: Similar Road, Different Conclusions - A Licona Ehrman Discussion
Faith Journeys: Similar Road, Different Conclusions - A Licona Ehrman Discussion
Risen Jesus
September 24, 2025
On the Risen Jesus podcast today, Dr. Michael Licona and Dr. Bart Ehrman join Justin Brierly on his Unbelievable podcast to discuss their faith journe
How Do I Reconcile the Image of God as Judge with His Love, Grace, and Kindness?
How Do I Reconcile the Image of God as Judge with His Love, Grace, and Kindness?
#STRask
October 20, 2025
Questions about how to reconcile the image of God as a judge with his love, grace, and kindness, why our sins are considered to be sins against God, a
Is “God the Father” a Sexist Term That Demeans Women?
Is “God the Father” a Sexist Term That Demeans Women?
#STRask
September 29, 2025
Questions about whether “God the Father” is a sexist term that demeans women in general and mothers in particular, how long Hell has been there, wheth
Lora Ries: Border Security and Immigration Policy
Lora Ries: Border Security and Immigration Policy
Knight & Rose Show
December 7, 2025
Wintery Knight and Desert Rose welcome Lora Ries to discuss border security and immigration policy. They explore Biden's policy changes, like ending R
Do Christian Business Owners Have a Moral Responsibility to Provide a Livable Wage?
Do Christian Business Owners Have a Moral Responsibility to Provide a Livable Wage?
#STRask
August 25, 2025
Questions about whether Christian business owners should provide a livable wage, whether doing a corporate sponsorship that promotes one’s business co
How Would You Convince Someone That Evil Exists?
How Would You Convince Someone That Evil Exists?
#STRask
November 17, 2025
Questions about how to convince someone that evil exists, whether Charlie Kirk’s murder was part of God’s plan, whether that would mean the murderer d
Should I Leave a Church That Refuses to Preach on Divisive Topics?
Should I Leave a Church That Refuses to Preach on Divisive Topics?
#STRask
August 21, 2025
Questions about leaving a church with biblical theology because they refuse to preach on divisive topics, whether it’s okay to write an apologetics bo
How Can I Improve My Informal Writing?
How Can I Improve My Informal Writing?
#STRask
October 6, 2025
Question about how you can improve your informal writing (e.g., blog posts) when you don’t have access to an editor.   * Do you have any thoughts or
“Christians Care More About Ideology than People”
“Christians Care More About Ideology than People”
#STRask
October 13, 2025
Questions about how to respond to the critique that Christians care more about ideology than people, and whether we have freedom in America because Ch
If We Don’t Need to Learn to Hear God’s Voice, How Do You Explain These Verses?
If We Don’t Need to Learn to Hear God’s Voice, How Do You Explain These Verses?
#STRask
September 11, 2025
Questions about why, if we don’t need to learn to hear God’s voice, there’s a command to earnestly desire the gift of prophecy, why we would need to l