Understanding Scripture’s Place in Today’s Challenges
If you’ve ever wondered what role the Bible plays when Christians try to make a difference in society—whether it’s about peace, fighting racism, or addressing poverty—you’re not alone. Many people in churches care deeply about living out their faith and making the world better, but sometimes struggle to say exactly how the Bible guides them in real-life action.
It’s not that the Bible isn’t respected or important. Far from it! For most Christians, scripture is treasured. But when it comes to practical decisions or responding to urgent issues in our broken world, the Bible can sometimes feel like it’s off in the background—a historic book that doesn’t always tell us exactly what to do right now.
Why is that? One big reason is that Christian social action today is often about making choices, planning, and taking action. People focus on what needs to be done and how to do it. Some of the most inspiring moments in church history have come when Christians made difficult decisions with courage and acted on their beliefs.
But here’s the thing: the Bible doesn’t make decisions for us. It’s not a rulebook that gives clear instructions for every modern problem. For example, issues like nuclear war or climate change simply didn’t exist when the Bible was written. Even for problems like hunger—which the Bible does talk about—we live in a world with a global economy and technology that ancient people couldn’t imagine.
That doesn’t mean the Bible isn’t helpful. There are big moral teachings—like “love your neighbor”—that stand at the heart of Christian faith. These give us direction, even if they don’t tell us exactly what to do in every situation. The church, and individual Christians, still have to wrestle with what loving a neighbor really looks like depending on the issue and context.
In short, while the Bible doesn’t always give step-by-step instructions for every issue we face, it provides the foundation and values that shape our actions. Christians are called to use their minds, hearts, and faith together—drawing on scripture as an inspiration and moral compass—to respond to today’s challenges, even when the answers aren’t always simple or clear.
Minister A Francine Green
September 2025
afrancinegreen.com 