Monday; May 10

For several years people have been harping about the need for the church to be relevant. They have warned that unless we take the proper stand or deliver the appropriate message we will be seen as irrelevant. It has taken me a while to understand it, but I believe that I am beginning to get it. You see, recently, I have stopped watching most sporting events because they have overshadowed the games I enjoyed for the need to make social statements. I have cancelled newspaper subscriptions because they have delivered more “opinions” than “news”. I have become disinterested in entertainment industries because they are pushing their agendas to the point that I can’t enjoy their stories. Things that were once pretty important to me have become irrelevant because they abandoned what drew me to them in the first place.

Now, that brings us back to a discussion of Christianity. What is the purpose of Christianity? The thing that has drawn mankind to the Christian church is the promise of eternal salvation. That is what makes it relevant. Its importance is not based on a social doctrine, a political stance or even a warm-fuzzy feeling – the thing that makes it stand out is the life and death message of salvation. It is easy to feel like we are becoming more relevant when we take these side roads but, in reality, we are alienating the people who need us the most. Christianity is not a social program or moral conscience, it is the good news of the One who can save us and that’s what makes it relevant. Let’s remember the Lord’s warning to the church of Ephesus, “But I have this against you, that you have left your first love. Therefore remember from where you have fallen, and repent and do the deeds you did at first; or else I am coming to you and will remove your lampstand out of its place—unless you repent.” (Revelation 2:4-5).

Think About It!

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