Over the past several weeks I have had many conversations about how the church (as in church universal) can make its collective worship experience more relevant.
This got me thinking. What are we saying when we use the word “relevant?” What does that truly mean? Why do we use that word so much in the church?
Most of the conversations focused on differing worship experiences and our casual use of the word “relevant.” (For an interesting and related read go check out the current issue of Christianity Today and its cover article entitled, “The Ironic World of Hipster Faith.” )
It occurred to me that the church is unintentionally sending a confusing message by simply using the word “relevant.” We keep saying our worship experiences need to be more relevant – usually meaning we need to be more “hip.”
Let me explain…
When myself (or anyone for that matter) says that this form of worship is ok but this other form of worship is more “relevant.” What we are in fact communicating is that this form of worship will do, but that other form of worship is the “real” way to worship.
What we should be doing is focusing our discussions on the question, “What is the goal and purpose of the Sunday morning services?” and for that matter “What is the goal and purpose of the whole gamut of church programming?”
A good answer should be, “to communicate the Gospel story.” Which then leads to, “So how do we communicate that message?”
Here is my point. The message of the Gospel story is a rock-your-world and knock-your-socks-off kind of story, a true story that was lived out about 2,000 years ago, a story that defied the logic of the world then and the world today, a story that was life-changing, is life-changing, and forever will be life-changing.
The Gospel story is not a feel good, fuzzy blanket, I want a warm experience kind of story… Unfortunately, many in the North American Church read it, hear it, and act upon it like it should be warm and fuzzy.
So the discussion continues. How can the church better communicate the Gospel message? And more importantly – how can the church enact true-life change?
The answer, ironically, is by being more relevant. Yep, we actually have to go back to using the word in which we overuse. So if we are going to use it then we should understand its definition. Relevance means to have a bearing on or connection with the matter at hand.
If our focus then is on communicating the Gospel story then relevance really has nothing to do with the “right” worship experience, but EVERYTHING to do with creating an environment, creating a culture, and creating a church that creates changed lives.
Relevance is communicating the Gospel story and the requisite life change that comes from responding to that story.
So the church should be relevant…by not accepting apathy…but by calling people to a higher standard. The church should become less accommodating and more challenging!
If all of this is achieved by being more “hip” in worship then go for it…but actually changing lives – now that’s being relevant!
Until next time…
Pastor Barry
Pastor Barry's Blog 