No doubt the recent tragedies in Colorado and Nebraska will—with time—fade into our collective memory, joining so many other abominations we’ll try--but never really be able--to forget. The Amish school shootings, Columbine, Wedgwood Baptist Church--the sad statistics continue to mount, and we must pray that our hearts would not be hardened by the gut-wrenching atrocities of each new day.

Surely, gun control advocates will attempt to seize the day, though—ironically—it was a courageous citizen with a handgun that stopped the killing, and undoubtedly saved many lives at New Life Church. Hate crimes proponents will also seek their pound of flesh in the wake of Sunday’s events, reminding us that—if abortion clinic bombers, and Matthew Sheppard’s killers, were guilty of such abominations—the shooter in Arvada and Colorado Springs, and any accomplices, need to be charged with hate crimes as well. Frankly, I’m against classifying anything as a “hate crime,” frankly. No crime—especially murder—is any more or less heinous, in light of its motive alone. 

Clearly, no gun law or hate crimes penalty will serve as a deterrent for those hell-bent to wreak revenge as judge, jury, and executioner. Indeed, our barely-ordered society hangs by the thinnest of threads; we are never more than another rage-filled teen away from unspeakable tragedy. True and lasting change will not be man-made. 

Just as God’s Old Testament law does not save, but instead points to the futility of man’s efforts to save himself, the change we need will not be found in any state-sponsored youth program, or gun buy-back offer. It’s too late to experiment with behavior modification. I’m convinced that only a revived church, served by a growing number of saved, discipled, Biblically-literate and fully-devoted Christians, can make the sizable difference necessary to preserve a civilization in apparent freefall. 

So let’s get after it, shall we?