Do Churches Place Faith in Government or God?

I do not doubt President Bush's sincerity when he talks about his "faith-based" initiative to help churches and religious institutions do more. He is right when he says they often do a better job than government.

But what is wrong with the people of God? Should it not embarrass us that government thinks we lack resources to do the work Jesus Christ has commanded us to do? Isn't this an indictment on the church? Shouldn't we be saying to government, "We know a God who owns the cattle on a thousand hills and who will open the floodgates of heaven to bless what he has called us to do if we will just do it"?

When Jesus said the fields are white unto harvest, but the laborers are few, He didn't ask us to apply to Caesar for money. The problem isn't lack of resources. It is lack of will. If the work of God is not being carried out as well as it might be, it isn't because there is too little money. It is because too few of God's people are answering His call, which is not only about tending to the body. It is about tending to the soul.