How is it you have contrived this deed in your heart? You have not lied to us but to God. (Acts 1:4)

We would like to think that we Christians are always theChristians we are supposed to be, but of course, it isn't true.We would like to think that the church is always the faithfulChristian community it is meant to be, but of course, that isn'ttrue either. Sometimes it's awfully easy to be disappointed inChristians and in the church as well. It's awfully easy to findChristians and churches which give Christianity a bad name.

Certainly, Christian preachers cause far more disappointment than they should, and here I'm not just talking about intermittent scandals involving big name TV evangelists. In local churches across the country, there are ministers and priests who prove equally disappointi…