responding to Dino's comment on a previous post. .

this might go long but what the hell.

how do you balance being an alien in a strange land like it talks about in hebrews? but at the same time learn to talk to language?

I'm a paradox.
I want to be relevant and I want to be irrelevant.
maybe it's time someone said this.
there is something completely irrelevant about the gospel of God. or perhaps there is something that should be completely irrelevant.

churches who simply try to be relevant to culture are prostituting the gospel.
Jesus is stumbling block. we are not called to be cool... nor are we called to have cool churches. We must stop asking questions like "how did you like the service?" after attending a corporate gathering. we must stop changing the skin on our programs in the name of evangelism.

the heart of the kingdom is counter-cultural. it is culture redeeming. this is far more than using a video clip of bruce almighty in your worship service. or having a few candles. the heart of the kingdom must be present in your people. if not we are simply modern day pharisees. instead of whitewashed tombs we are technologically advanced pawns in the hands of culture, in the name of God. I'm not against technology. I'm moved by music and I love movies. but somewhere along the way many of us have been coopted by culture and we didn't notice. we are promoting a cultural gospel that really isn't good news and it's not really news.

if the kingdom of God is dwelling in and expanding from the hearts of your community (warts and all), bless you...

but people don't need to be sold the Gospel.
people don't need a cool jesus.
they don't need a new program, reimagined or not.
they need a people who bring the very word of God to others with their lives.

everything else is gravy.

maybe i'm just talking all around the issue... hopefully there's something to glean here.
posted by riddle at 6:57 PM | |