Is Your Message Relevant?

[PujolsNonRoidHomerHitter]

My good buddy Simon and I have a running debate on this subject. Would like to open our can of worms up to all who give a hoot and have an opinion on this matter.

Are modern day evangelicals trying to be to hip? to relevant? Also, what defines a relevant preacher over one who's not? How about the way preachers dress today . . . does it matter? Music? Dance? What say ye?

Go Cards

 

[SummaScriptura]

I participate in a fellowship that would be termed loosy-goosey by many. It kinda starts at a certain time give or take. There is a worship team that rocks the house for about an hour at the outset of most gatherings. There's folks bopping and weaving during worship. The fellowship ministers on the streets of the city constantly to the folks who live on the street mainly. Bible exposition is a big part of what goes on and amounts to a kind of sacrament given the place of importance it takes in services. In a sense the church is very vogue and current, in another sense its pretty traditional from the perspective of US evangelicalism. I'm not sure if there is great focus placed upon "being relevant" but I would say the church is very relevant. The church came out in a big way in favor of Prop 8, but when the protesters came to make us a target, they got loved on and they quickly melted away, someone of them was heard to say something like, "you're not the type we're after anyway". The church congregates in a building which is on the main street of the city, Market Street, right ajacent to the Castro District which was the home of Harvey Milk.

 

[Aibrean]

I like liturgical services. To me it's not about "your" message, it's about "HIS" message which never changes and is always relevant.

 

[simonthezealot]

My good buddy Simon and I have a running debate on this subject. Would like to open our can of worms up to all who give a hoot and have an opinion on this matter.

Are modern day evangelicals trying to be to hip? to relevant? Also, what defines a relevant preacher over one who's not? How about the way preachers dress today . . . does it matter? Music? Dance? What say ye?

Go Cards

Hip isn't so bad but if the teachings amount to the psychology lesson of the day, I take issue.
David danced and sang and played music to the LORD... In fact I believe music does much in preparing the soil (heart) for the seed (gospel)...
Problem is when you prepare ones heart for the message and then never deliver the message you have problems, the psychological teaching in the church today fails to deliver the result of sin and need for a Savior with any frequency and seems to elevate the goodness in man therefore downplaying the need for a Savior.
Teach people they are DEPRAVED not DEPRIVED...

 

[Kristos]

What is relevant? It seems like these efforts end up making Christianity more worldly instead of making Christians more godly. Are we not supposed to die to this world? How can we die to this world, yet still seek it? If we are searching for God and a relationship with Him, why would we look in this world? His Kingdom is not of this world.

Joh 18:36 Jesus answered, My kingdom is not of this world: if my kingdom were of this world, then would my servants fight, that I should not be delivered to the Jews: but now is my kingdom not from hence.

Joh 8:23 And he said unto them, Ye are from beneath; I am from above: ye are of this world; I am not of this world.

 

[simonthezealot]

What is relevant? It seems like these efforts end up making Christianity more worldly instead of making Christians more godly. Are we not supposed to die to this world? How can we die to this world, yet still seek it? If we are searching for God and a relationship with Him, why would we look in this world? His Kingdom is not of this world.

Well stated...
in the world but not of the world.

 

[SummaScriptura]

Whenever someone, sometimes someone I know and love, talks about "reaching people in a post-modern world", my eyes roll!

[c]

[/c]

 

[PujolsNonRoidHomerHitter]

I participate in a fellowship that would be termed loosy-goosey by many. It kinda starts at a certain time give or take. There is a worship team that rocks the house for about an hour at the outset of most gatherings. There's folks bopping and weaving during worship. The fellowship ministers on the streets of the city constantly to the folks who live on the street mainly. Bible exposition is a big part of what goes on and amounts to a kind of sacrament given the place of importance it takes in services. In a sense the church is very vogue and current, in another sense its pretty traditional from the perspective of US evangelicalism. I'm not sure if there is great focus placed upon "being relevant" but I would say the church is very relevant. The church came out in a big way in favor of Prop 8, but when the protesters came to make us a target, they got loved on and they quickly melted away, someone of them was heard to say something like, "you're not the type we're after anyway". The church congregates in a building which is on the main street of the city, Market Street, right ajacent to the Castro District which was the home of Harvey Milk.

that sounds very cool! tell me more, tell me more . . .

go cards

 

[PujolsNonRoidHomerHitter]

I like liturgical services. To me it's not about "your" message, it's about "HIS" message which never changes and is always relevant.

I'm glad you find life in it. It's not for me however. Wonder how many 25 year olds today would find life in liturgical churches?

go cards

 

[racer]

My good buddy Simon and I have a running debate on this subject. Would like to open our can of worms up to all who give a hoot and have an opinion on this matter.

Are modern day evangelicals trying to be to hip? to relevant? Also, what defines a relevant preacher over one who's not? How about the way preachers dress today . . . does it matter? Music? Dance? What say ye?

Go Cards

I ASK---huh?

 

[PujolsNonRoidHomerHitter]

Hip isn't so bad but if the teachings amount to the psychology lesson of the day, I take issue.
David danced and sang and played music to the LORD... In fact I believe music does much in preparing the soil (heart) for the seed (gospel)...
Problem is when you prepare ones heart for the message and then never deliver the message you have problems, the psychological teaching in the church today fails to deliver the result of sin and need for a Savior with any frequency and seems to elevate the goodness in man therefore downplaying the need for a Savior.
Teach people they are DEPRAVED not DEPRIVED...

How ya doin my friend? Headed your way this weekend. I'm getting cold already.

Ok. Let me pose a question. Why is that you want to make sure the message of sin is preached? What is so wrong with psychology in preaching? I do not think the central message of the gospel is sin. Why should we make it ours?

Go cards

 

[racer]

Hey, is someone subtly asking what we think about the Church that has "Sunday Night Wrestling (or is it Boxing?)" (or whichever night they have it on) to bring in the youth?

 

[Aibrean]

We don't need to change the message to fit the world. Too many people do, making it all "feel good". Then they are lost when the party goes away.

If people don't KNOW they are sinners, why would they THINK they need to be saved? You need to teach people about sin so they know and are aware so they don't continue to sin and can repent when they sin. The gospel needs to be preached in its ENTIRETY.

 

[racer]

Understand that I am now sitting here listing to Muskogee Creek Nation (a Native American Outreach group) bang drums and chant in what is supposed to be our Prison "Chapel." Soon, they'll be lighting up the "sage." Smells just like Mary Jane without getting the buzz or the mellow mood with it. I usually get sick at my stomach when they start burning that stuff.

 

[PujolsNonRoidHomerHitter]

What is relevant? It seems like these efforts end up making Christianity more worldly instead of making Christians more godly. Are we not supposed to die to this world? How can we die to this world, yet still seek it? If we are searching for God and a relationship with Him, why would we look in this world? His Kingdom is not of this world.

Joh 18:36 Jesus answered, My kingdom is not of this world: if my kingdom were of this world, then would my servants fight, that I should not be delivered to the Jews: but now is my kingdom not from hence.

Joh 8:23 And he said unto them, Ye are from beneath; I am from above: ye are of this world; I am not of this world.

Hey Kristos.

I can see your point but I wouldn't equate relevance with worldliness. To me, relevance is bringing in elements that help people understand the message. Those may come through the arts, through wording or phrasing that people can understand, media, music, dance, etc. I don't know what the statistic would be, but I do not think if you told a group of unchurched college kids that they need to die to the world -- what their reaction be? For most, turned off immediately. Confusion, they wouldn't understand that terminology. so the challenge is to speak the truth in a language they understand.

go cards

 

[PujolsNonRoidHomerHitter]

Whenever someone, sometimes someone I know and love, talks about "reaching people in a post-modern world", my eyes roll!

[c]

[/c]

If you have to ask if you are post modern . . . you aren't.

go cards

 

[PujolsNonRoidHomerHitter]

Hey, is someone subtly asking what we think about the Church that has "Sunday Night Wrestling (or is it Boxing?)" (or whichever night they have it on) to bring in the youth?

Not exactly . . . but kinda. So what do you think of such things?

go cards

 

[PujolsNonRoidHomerHitter]

We don't need to change the message to fit the world. Too many people do, making it all "feel good". Then they are lost when the party goes away.

If people don't KNOW they are sinners, why would they THINK they need to be saved? You need to teach people about sin so they know and are aware so they don't continue to sin and can repent when they sin. The gospel needs to be preached in its ENTIRETY.

Do you also approve of billboards up and down the interstate that usually preach against divorce and adultery?

Go Cards

 

[PujolsNonRoidHomerHitter]

Understand that I am now sitting here listing to Muskogee Creek Nation (a Native American Outreach group) bang drums and chant in what is supposed to be our Prison "Chapel." Soon, they'll be lighting up the "sage." Smells just like Mary Jane without getting the buzz or the mellow mood with it. I usually get sick at my stomach when they start burning that stuff.

???? need more info.

i take it you're in to all kinds of media outreach in church?

go cards

 

[Joachim]

The marks of the true church

-One
-Holy
-Catholic
-Apostolic


If the church lacks any one of those four then its message is irrelevant as it is an invalid church.