The church of America was once salt and light. Now, rather than having any real impact on the world around us, we have become more affected than effective. Rather than being set apart from the world, we have sought to be like the world, conforming to its image rather than the image of Christ. We argue that by doing so we will win the world for God. Instead, the world and its values have rendered the church virtually impotent. By imitating the world we have lost not only our influence but also our credibility. We are no longer a clear beacon pointing men to God. The world looks at the church and sees a cheap, amateurish imitation of itself, so it concludes quite reasonably that the church has nothing special to offer.
— Clyde Cranford in “Because We Love Him”
