I'be talked to a lot of people recently about culture and how it relates to the church. Some believe cultural relevancy does not belong in the church. Some believe it has everything to do with the church. What do you think? Here's Nate's opinion....
I believe that the church must be culturally relevant to be effective. Jesus talked to people in their culture and in a way they understood. Don't believe me? Read the stories of Jesus ministering and see how He presented Himself in regards to where He was. Do I think most churches are effective? No. We've become fat sheep that will either fall over or be eaten by the wolves. After studying Acts and the early church and studying the ministry of Jesus, I see that we're doing things pretty opposite. Church today is referred to as an empty building most of the time. In Acts, the church was the people, regardless of their location. The early church moved and didn't wait for people to come to them while they were getting fat. They went out looking for people to bring in, give their story to, build a relationship with and lead to Christ. Then they discipled them and send them out. We do that as a church body maybe twice a year. Look at the Great Commission. It says "go" there isn't a maybe or wait, but it says for us to go. When was the last time you went and followed God? When the disciples were called, they had to drop everything right then and there and follow Christ no knowing where they were going, what would happen to them, or when and if they would come back. The church should follow Christ in the same way. We should sit around and constantly be fed. We should be going out into our communities and seek out the lost. We should meet for discipleship, but that's it! The Bible says we should watch for the Lord's return and when we watch, there's an urgent sense and so we should be urgently trying to get all the people we can to go to paradise with us forever. I know this isn't popular, mostly because we are comfortable, but Jesus was anything but comfortable here on earth. Also, we should be building relationships with lost people and eating and hanging out with then. The pharisees criticized Jesus for doing that, but He is our example. Jesus did this so they would listen to Him as a teacher and friend. He didn't come in and yell at them and tell them they were condemned. He instead talked to them and then shared the Good News that He was the Messiah.
My question is are we fat sheep or are we sheep that are ready to travel?
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