I got something to say…
…and gotta get it straight before the sun goes down.
If the church wants to be a city on a hill, then why is it trying so hard to be relevant?
Not to suggest the church should be indifferent towards evangelism or complacent in discipling; I’m just sayin’ since when did the church become ashamed of the Gospel? Since when did she start making it about you…and your receptivity to truth?
‘Cause truth is: the church was never meant to be culturally relevant or well-received, but contextually real and eagerly given.¹
“For what we have received is not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, so that we may know and understand the wonderful things God has given us.” ~ 1 Corinthians 2:12 (AMP)
“[So I have intended] to come to you, in order that I may reap harvest among you…both to the wise and to the foolish. I am eager to preach the gospel to you…for I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes…” ~ Romans 1:13-16 (ESV)
Granted, most of you agree; however, in a time when church gets commission, but not Gospel…where truth is seen as content only worth its reach, it shouldn’t surprise us why many struggle to get God since what’s being modeled to them is more marketable than relatable.
Thus, it’s worth asking: How do we conquer the divide (be it deception, segregation, warped ecclesiology, etc.) in a way that gets us back to fishing for men without the bait?
To answer this, we must accept…
- Relatability and relevancy are two completely different thing (more on this in a future post; ’til then, note Jesus’ interaction with outcasts (Luke 15, 1 Corinthians 5, Matthew 21, Mark 5, John 4).
- The world isn’t looking for church to be relevant; it’s desperate for something real, radical and revolutionary.
- When we’re reaching out, embracing in, and loving like Jesus, we never have to attract people to the Kingdom because it’s already there in front of them.
Remember the church’s call is to draw near to the lost like God, not draw the lost to find God.
Sure, our church may be in the midst of a powerful sermon series with catchy taglines to promote. But at the end of the day, what the world really wants is the reality of grace abounding as people love the way they know how.
‘Til then, I charge the church to get real about her entitled expectations. ‘Cause honestly, whether or not we’re in favor of a church’s peripherals (worship style, tech incorporation, service flow) or demographics (diversity), shouldn’t distract us from what ultimately matters – people fearlessly living and loving like Jesus…who are willing to resonate truth rather than make it relevant.
Remember Jesus didn’t die for you so you could be you; He died so we could be of same mind and heart so those lost and afflicted could join in. He didn’t die so you could be convinced how special you are; He died so you could tell others why they are. He didn’t die so you could be served; He died so you wouldn’t have to worry whether or not you are.
And that, my friends, is what the Gospel is all about: serving those deserving, giving to the living, bringing unity to community, telling not selling…I could go on.
Maybe you’re sitting there discouraged wishing things could turn around. If so, I want to encourage you tonight: while it may seem you gotta get your life in order to make a difference, you can make a difference in order to make a life.
Yeah, you may think you have nothing to offer, you make think your faith isn’t ‘attractable’, but given the Word says it’s who you are over what you have (1 Peter 2:9, Galatians 3:27-28), you never have to worry about having something to lose and nothing to give.
As for the church, I also encourage you: whether you’re pitching a product, promoting a series, or marketing a vision, never forget…
- The ‘me’ in ‘follow me’ (Matthew 4:19, Mark 1:17) is not about you.
- We’re called to make disciple-makers, not gain followers.
- Millennials don’t want your relevancy; they want your authenticity.
After all, when we “present a ravishing vision of a loving and holy God”, we not only capture their attention, but their hearts as well.²
Selah.
Footnotes
- Vaters, Karl (2016, March 30). “Forget Being Culturally Relevant.” Christianity Today.
- Dyck, Drew. (2017). “Millennials Don’t Need a Hipper Pastor, They Need a Bigger God”). The Aquila Report.
Cover photo creds: Pinterest
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