It's meant to shock the reader, the way Jesus did when he called the Pharisees "white-painted tombs."
I think success as a church rests on taking action to go beyond regular worship and building maintenance, and it better happen soon. We've been talking and talking and talking, and IMHO it's just another way to put off doing for one more day week month year. What are we afraid of?
What do you think? Janet Southall