I am studying for a sermon from Luke 19:28-44 and ran across a quote from Darrell Bock that has me thinking. The quote comes from The NIV Application Commentary on Luke:
Society certainly runs better when it is conducted on a high moral plane; and in democracies like those in the Western world, we should share in the public square. But we should not confuse the church with government, or vice versa. To transform humanity, a change in the heart is needed. That is not the business of government, nor can it be achieved by laws; rather, it is a part of the church’s prophetic call and the work of God’s Spirit.
It seems to me that we, as Christians, are often quick to point out how our world is falling apart because our governments have let us down. I think Bock’s statement is insightful because it reminds us that the the responsibility to “change hearts” is not our government’s. It is the church’s. Only the power of the gospel and the Holy Spirit change people from the inside out. Laws do not change hearts.
Maybe the church should stop placing the blame on others and take a long look in the mirror and ask if we are doing what we have been called to do. What do you think?
Theologically Speaking 
Not only has the church given over a very substancial amount of the responsibility they once had for being the face of benevolence, they’ve also given up the care of the soul or “psyche” to humanist medical practicioners who’s primary motivation is money.
I have to say, that I whole-heartedly agree. I think that this criticism is one of the major reasons that young people are leaving the church in droves. They sense a disconnect between the church’s doxis and praxis. They view churches which speak only of spiritual healing as out of touch with reality. I suspect it is this factor which has propelled attendance in the emergent church movement. The churches which are surviving are those which link their beliefs about spiritual healing to social and societal healing.
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