Are churches good for society? Well, that depends.
I have been going to churches for my entire life. My Dad is a pastor. His Dad was a pastor. His Dad was a pastor. And get this: we've all been ordained in the same denomination.
I'm about the churchiest person you could ever meet.
Sometimes No
It's true some things associated with Christianity haven't been good for society: the Crusades and Westboro Baptist come to mind.
I'd also be remiss to avoid mentioning the fact that some church-goers seem to be at war with the larger society, trying to claim (or re-claim) America as God's nation--almost like a new nation of Israel.
Let me confess that these mindsets are not good for society.
I do not want to be a part of a church that's a fortress for moralistic deists who take it as their responsibility to condemn and bring God's wrath on the sinners around them because they're not as good at following the rules. In fact, I'm not even sure that qualifies as a church.
But Others
However, churches have done a lot of good for society that many don't realize. For instance, the majority of organizations that exist to help the poor and marginalized were started by Christians. Rescue Missions, the Salvation Army, Goodwill, YMCA, YWCA, and the list goes on and on.
This isn't even to mention the countless churches that offer food pantries to their communities and serve in abundant other ways.
A Solution
Why are some churches and Christians good for society while others are not? Well, sadly, some who claim to be churches and Christians are self-deceived. Also, many Christians have a secret they don't like other people to know: (shh!) we're sinners too. (Sinners, but repenting sinners.)
There is a primary mark that churches are true churches and Christians are true Christians: generally speaking their lives are spent for others (even their enemies!) in the same way Jesus' was--willingly, sacrificially.
When people follow Jesus, societies change. Men stop beating their wives and abandoning their children. Crack addicts find peace that doesn't come from lines of coke. Strip clubs and adult bookstores close down because there's no longer a market. People start treating others with value because they realize they have been treated better than they deserve in Christ.
Are churches good for society? When they're filled with broken people who have been made new by Jesus, I believe they are.
