When do you apply faith to life?

This post is from the defunct blog "Dying Church"

Churches begin dying when they fail to bridge the gap between faith and the world. They are dying when they no longer apply the faith to the world around them. They are dying when they are seen as hypocrites and irrelevant. It appears that the common sentiment in American churches is that faith is for Sunday and not for Monday - Saturday. We have compartmentalized our faith life into a one-hour block on Sunday mornings. And woe be to any pastor that tries to politicize the gospel and tell us that the Bible expects us to vote, lobby, or act in a certain way. I wonder, "When are Christians ever supposed to apply their faith?" Certainly not in business (see Ken Lay and Enron - he is a Methodist), certainly not in foreign policy (See George W. Bush and the War against Terrorism - he is a Methodist), and certainly not in the voting booth (see the discussion of Gov. Riley and Alabama's tax reform referendum and the opponents). It appears that a religious affiliation to Christianity has more to do with our desire to belong and not with our desire to change. Seems sad. Seems like a straight road to killing off a church. Thankfully we aren't the church on our own -- God's grace has more to do with it then our ability to follow God's voice. But then maybe that is my issue and not any of yours...