Five Things Relevance is
Five Things Relevance is
Five Things Relevance is
Recently, the term "relevance" has become quite a buzz-word, but with any popular terms, there is a risk that so many people might be doing so many different things and all calling it "relevance" that before you know it the term has lost all meaning.
That's why we at Excellerate Church Membership Software decided to put together a brief list of what relevance is, so that you might have a solid foundation and better distinguish what is necessary for relevance and what is just an added frill or attempt to try something new.
#1 Relevance is accepting restrictions
I've often seen attempts to be relevant as an attempt to imitate the incarnation. Just as Jesus left the freedom of Heaven and accepted all the limits of flesh, in the same way churches often choose to become limited by the expectations and personal preferences of the culture they seek to reach. There are many things we have the freedom to do in our services, but that we must refrain from because it's not culturally relevant. Being relevant means confining yourself to expressing the limitless majesty and love of God using only those tools the culture you live in considers acceptable. It's not easy, but it is easier than what Jesus did.
#2 Relevance is always having something you don't like, but loving it anyway
I attend a "relevant" church, and I'll admit one of the things that attracted me to it is that I like their style. I'm a media geek and they have top quality media work. I'm enough of a slob that I love being able to go to church dressed any way I please.
But, true relevance isn't about the aspects I like. It's about a commitment to present the gospel in a way other people can understand it. That means there will pretty much always be some matter of style and taste that you just don't like. You might not like loud music, but if the lost in your community respond to it, then it's better to wear earplugs in church and stand next to a recovering alcoholic than to come to church, love the music, and be all alone.
Our freedom in Christ exists so that we, like Christ, might freely become slaves to our passion to see the lost saved.
#3 Relevance is personal
Many people see churches that call themselves "relevant" and notice they all have cool graphics and videos and hip and trendy dcor and many people think that's what it means to be relevant.
That's not true. Relevance is determined on the personal level, by interacting with the people in your community and learning what they're looking for. Some people are looking to come to a God who they can relate to, whose praise is in a style that grabs the emotions of the visitor. Some are looking to connect with something unchanging. They feel their life is hectic and nothing ever stays the same, and they want a place where they can worship the same way they did as a child and have that security that God won't change.
Your job is to sit down with them one on one and get to know them. You need to know how they think. What they smell like. What gives them joy? Then be God's hands and feet and give them what they need today so that they might trust in God for what they need tomorrow.
Think of it like Jesus feeding the 5,000. He didn't look at them and decide they needed modern agricultural techniques. He looked at them and realized they needed a sandwich right now. If He had given them tractors and strains of plants that gave fruit twice as fast, then that would have solved their problem long-term, the same as if we see someone who's hurting and give them Jesus it will solve their problem long-term. But, people don't care about a solution to their problems until you can relieve the symptoms they feel today.
That's what relevance is about, putting the other person's needs first, and proving that by helping them and respecting their style. When they see you put them first, then it's obvious you don't share Jesus because you get something out of it, but because Jesus is what they need and you're committed to giving them what they need.
#4 Relevance is picky
Several years ago, I was involved in a start-up church and one of the values we wanted to include was "relevance," but someone questioned the usefulness of the term because saying we would share relevant messages would imply that some messages from the Bible are irrelevant. That's clearly not accurate. So, if there was no valid opposite to the term "relevant," then one must question whether the word has any meaning.
At the time, the idea of relevance was pretty new, and no one could really articulate a good definition.
However, over the year's I've found the answer to that question. The answer is that "relevance" means we're picky in what we share. It doesn't imply aspects of the Bible are irrelevant, but it does mean some aspects of the Bible are good for a situation and some are great. It means we only pick the great ones, and we leave the good ones alone until the situation changes and they become great.
Relevance, when it refers to the Bible, is like saying one wrench is more relevant for loosening a bolt than another. Wrenches were made to loosen bolts. That's why they exist. The Bible was made to instruct. That's why God created it. But, when the bolt is rusted, a wrench with a longer handle becomes more relevant. Every wrench in my toolbox is capable of loosening the bolt, but the one that gives me more torque is more relevant than the others. When the bolt is delicate and easily broken, then the wrenches that produce less torque become more relevant. The same applies to the Bible. God has given us verses that pack a lot of power and can smash walls, and when we attack a spiritual stronghold, that verse is the most relevant. He has also given us verses that are gentler and require more time to softly guide people, and when we are working with a broken person who can be easily crushed, then those verses become more relevant.
#5 Relevance is laughing when I laugh, crying when I cry
As you can see, we can talk all day about what relevance is and how to achieve it, and whether it's desirable, but at the end of the day, all that matters is, do you laugh and cry with your visitors? Every visitor wants to know, "Do you feel my pain the way Mom does?" They want to know, "Are you willing to rejoice with me, rather than envy my success?"
If you can do those things, you'll have a highly relevant church, regardless of what your services are like. That's not to say you shouldn't consider your community and keep your style and personality close to who they are, but if you spend all your time loving people, those adjustments will take care of themselves.
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