Relevance or Faithfulness, 5

As you can tell by now -- I don't buy the distinction.  We are called to both: to be faithful and to earnestly contend for the faith -- we do that best by zealously pursuing the advance of the Gospel to the lost -- not by hermetically sealing the Gospel in our Christian ghettos. 

If we read our NT carefully we will see that this is what was at the heart of Paul's life.  Bringing the true Gospel to the Gentiles involved seeking ways to make it connect to their lives -- so, whether at Mars Hill in Acts 17, or discussing varied conscientious positions in Romans 14, Paul was careful to keep the Gospel pure from all cultural barnacles and to explain it understandably.  He was accused of compromise!

Seed is preserved by sowing -- store it long enough and it will rot.  Passionately pursuing an effective explanation of the truth is essential to evangelism -- that means "relevance." What does this look like?

I do not think relevance is all about events -- about music style or candles or clothing -- it is not about being "up-to-date" in form -- it is about the people I am seeking to reach.  I can best pursue relevance, not by going to the movies, but by knowing and loving unbelieving people -- getting into their heads -- finding bridges for the Gospel where I can.  I need to think and act locally -- where I am.  I need to do the hard work of knowing my context and the people in it.  I need to ask questions.

A church will be relevant when its members are in relationship with lost people -- and seek to know them.  Love is relevant.  The power of life change is relevant.  Unbelieving people know when they run into sincere care -- when they see humble orthodoxy.  The seeker movement and the emergent movement seems to miss the relevance of a Gospel-changed life and Gospel love and Gospel joy.  I have known unbelievers to be drawn to the Gospel by watching Christian parents train their children!  They see what is different.  I have seen guests in one of our churches quite taken by the sincere joy and passionate worship of people!

I do not envision a church where a few professionals figure out how to be relevant stylistically -- I envision a church where the members know the unbelievers and are seeking to communicate with them in word and deed. Relevance is not cheap. One of the marks of a relevant church will be the absence of references to "them" -- "Pastor, I hear unbelievers do not like organ music -- maybe we should not have it."  Instead, it will be references to "friends" --"Pastor, I have a friend who is not a believer and visited the church -- they came away confused by our offering.  I asked them what bothered them and they said they understood money was necessary -- but wanted to know WHY we received it that way. Can you explain it next time?" There is a world of difference between those two statements.

It also means pastors will preach as thought there are many guests there -- he will not lampoon the "lost" -- he will seek to explain things -- as will the worship leader.  He will think of their objections and concerns and address those as well -- and not in a condescending way.  I have sometimes winced at how unbelievers are referred to in our pulpits -- if I just substitute the word "blacks" for "the lost" -- it sounds just like bigotry and stereotyping. 

He will also not think that "screaming" is the way to prove a point -- loud assertion is not proof.  So, for example, I must assume that a guest is a radical egalitarian on gender (that is our culture) -- so I will seek to show the beauty and wisdom of God in gender order and distinction -- and I will show that they believe in order in other areas of life and enjoy it.  I will not merely "assert loudly" and then damn the culture's view.  I will assume that there is a Spirit-worked openness and I have to be clear and compelling.  Why does God design things the way he does?  God's ways are beautiful.

It is NOT a choice between a service for believers or unbelievers -- that is a lie.  If the Gospel is to be the center of all our preaching, then unbelievers will hear the Gospel every week and how it applies to life (see Keller on this).

Relevance will be sensed by the guest -- they will know that they have been considered in what goes on -- that there is an effort to make the Gospel clear to them.  When I want to make the Gospel clear, I will do my homework -- know people, think through their questions, read some of what has influenced them, come up with metaphors and illustrations that make sense to them.

There is no power in "relevance" - the power is in the Gospel clearly stated.  relevance begins with my heart and my knowing people.  But if I do not care about the lost and go about my life and ministry as though they have to do all the work at understanding -- they will also know that.  Guests will walk into our churches and find them to be 'closed meetings' -- with code language that is unexplained.  I am not talking about dumbing down -- I am talking about the very hard work of explaining the tough ideas of the Bible.  How do we explain substitution and propitiation to a secular culture? It can be done and it is very hard work.

Jesus spoke with authority in part because he spoke the language of the people and illustrated profound truth in simple story!  He came to seek the lost and laid down his life for the same.  The issue is not faithfulness or relevance -- it is a heart for the lost that leaves the ninety nine to find the one and spares no effort to help them.