Are We Relevant Today?
First, it is imperative that we change our image. Before we can be relevant we must be heard. Winning arguments does not translate into saving souls. We are ambassadors of the Savior. As such it is necessary that we present His values. Rather than being well-oiled fighting machines constantly building walls, we must develop an attitude that meets the needs of those outside those walls. This means thinking outside the “I am right and you are wrong” box. It comes down to building bridges instead of walls. Until the phrase, “if you aren’t a member of the church of Christ you can’t go to heaven” is forgotten, both in and out of the church, we cannot be relevant. It is impossible to make a difference if we are considered a non-player. We must recast our image or we will not survive.
Second, we need to understand that the most fundamental witness of Christ in the world today is individual Christians. Our daily lives must be lived in such a way that we connect with those we are trying to influence for Jesus. This means doing things that are outside actions the world normally expects from us. In Acts 17:4 it is stated, “some of the Jews were persuaded and joined Paul and Silas”. This passage is significant. These Jews joined Paul and Silas. We could argue that they needed to be converted to the truth. Today we might say that they had to be properly taught so that they could be sound in doctrine. The honest truth was they joined themselves to perhaps the only Christians they knew at the time. Paul and Silas were the most fundamental witnesses of Christ that these Jews knew. Today we must live our lives in such a way that our neighbors and friends want to join themselves with us. This requires a bridge building attitude. We can’t build bridges in confrontation. In order to be relevant we must draw people to Christ by the lives we live. When your city looks at your congregation what does it see? Does our approach to the Lord’s work allow us to be relevant in today’s world?
