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If indeed you call yourselves Christians, and rest on grace, and make your confidence in God; if you say you know His will, and approve the things that are excellent, being instructed out of the Word; if you are confident that you are a guide to the blind, a light to those who are in darkness, an instructor of the foolish, a teacher of babes, having the form of knowledge and truth in your mind, you, therefore, who would teach others, do you not teach yourselves? You who preach that a man should not steal, do you steal? You who say, "Do not commit adultery," do you commit adultery? You who abhor idols, do you rob God, even worshipping yourselves as idols? You who make your boast in grace, do you dishonor God through making His grace a small thing? Know this: "The name of God is blasphemed among the people because of you." (Romans 2:17-24, paraphrased)

Twice in three days someone has asked me that same question. It's an important question, but one that is not asked often enough. It's not an easy question to answer. However, since I have some ideas about it, and since people have asked me, here's my answer.

But first, we need to rid ourselves of some common assumptions on the matter. For example, full pews do not necessarily mean a healthy, successful church. Nor do full bank accounts. Nor does the absence of conflict within the church.