The charge made against mainline churches is that we are too liberal and do not "really" believe. We have a weak faith—obviously, because we're liberals. The consequence is that our churches are losing members. One important issue in a much more complex scenario is that too few members of mainline churches take the advice of the above passage to heart. We aren't ready to explain our faith. Most members haven't really thought it through, read a bit of theology, or done some serious Bible study & reflection. Most aren't interested in "such stuff." Mainline churches are often very good about service, the doing part of faith, but as good as they are at sharing their faith through deeds, just so weak are they at sharing their faith through personal witness at appropriate times and in appropriate ways.
In the mainline, we need to get over the attitude that "talk is cheap," and we need to reverse the one that holds, "more do and less talk." In fact, what we too often need is less almost frenetic "do" and more reflection and study—more "talk". More time spent in Bible study. More time spent in prayer & meditation. More time spent in adult study groups learning how to share our faith. Amen.
