Why we need to become a “Vanguard Church”

In our small group community, oasis, we’ve been studying 1 Peter. Here is a great passage:
“Dear ones: I encourage you, as aliens and temporary residents, to abstain from sinful desires which war against your soul. Keep your behavior excellent among unbelievers so that, even though they accuse you of doing wrong, because they observe your good deeds they will glorify God in the day of visitation.” (1 Peter 2:11-12, my translation)

In my studies, I came across this great quote from I. Howard Marshall, commenting on this passage—
“Although Peter says nothing directly about social and political change, we can surely claim that his stress on doing good in society should not be confined to personal, individual acts of kindness but should include participation in communal efforts to change and improve the structures of society. Christians should be in the vanguard of social reform.”

--I Howard Marshall, 1 Peter, The IVP New Testament Commentary Series, (InterVarsity Press, 1991), p. 83