By - Akangjungla
History bears witness to both the moral power and the moral failures of the pulpit. Preachers have, at times, upheld slavery, resisted scientific progress and perpetuated injustice, all in the name of God. Such failures have led some to shy away from ethical preaching, retreating into a privatized gospel of personal salvation. But silence in the face of societal brokenness is not faithfulness. People hunger for moral clarity, and the church must respond with humility, courage and a willingness to engage the complexities of the world.
Effective ethical preaching begins with self-awareness. Every minister brings their own social location, shaped by race, class, gender and personal history, which inevitably refelcts their interpretation of Scripture and society. Recognising these influences is the first step toward avoiding blind spots. Yet preachers must not remain confined by their perspectives. True justice demands solidarity, listening to the marginalized, seeing through the eyes of the oppressed and allowing those experiences to reshape moral vision.
Congregations, too, have their own distinct ethos, shared values, unspoken assumptions and sometimes, unexamined biases. A working-class church may resonate deeply with sermons on economic justice, while an affluent congregation might resist them. The task of the preacher is not to impose abstract principles but to engage the community where it is, challenging complacency while fostering growth. Ethical preaching must be rooted in the real struggles of real people, calling them toward a more faithful witness in their particular context.
Beyond the walls of the church, the broader social landscape demands attention. Sermons on corruption, prohibition or inequality must move beyond moral condemnation to ask deeper questions: Why do these injustices persist? What systemic forces sustain them? True prophetic preaching does not merely lament the world’s brokenness but points toward tangible pathways of healing and change.
Yet when it comes to the church’s broader social role, public trust has eroded. Much of this skepticism stems from a perceived disconnect between religious institutions and the people they serve. The church’s influence remains undeniable, its moral authority carries weight but that influence must be exercised through genuine engagement, not detached pronouncements.
Nowhere is this more urgent than in the fight against drug abuse, a crisis ravaging communities across Nagaland and beyond. While government agencies and secular organizations play their part, many still look to the church as a vital agent of healing and restoration. Its unique position, rooted in spiritual conviction and communal trust, grants it a power that no policy or programmes can replicate. But this requires more than sermons; it demands hands-on involvement, listening to those struggling with addiction and addressing the economic, social and spiritual roots of the crisis.
Criticism of the church should not be dismissed as mere hostility. It is an invitation, a call to reimagine how faith communities can respond more authentically to the suffering around them. If the church is to reclaim its role as a force for social transformation, it must embody its mission not just in words but in action, through its structures, its relationships and its willingness to step into the fray. The gospel was never meant to be a retreat from the world’s pain. It is a call to confront it, in the name of a God who demands justice and embodies love.
Comments can be sent to akangjungla@gmail.com
