The Relevant Church :The Relevant Church Ancient Christianity in a Modern World.


Points to Ponder :Points to Ponder The Relevant Church Movement Is the Church Relevant Today? The Relevant Mission of the Church? What Makes the Church Relevant? What Retards the Relevancy of the Church?


The Relevant Church Movement :The Relevant Church Movement Relevant is a casual, contemporary, Christian church . . . Our service is designed specifically for college students, urban professionals and young families. At Relevant, we feel that it’s our responsibility to “clear the way” for you to come to church. We want you to be able to experience the great music, encouraging messages, friendly people and enjoyable atmosphere that are a part of Relevant. (relevantchurch.com)


The Relevant Church Movement :The Relevant Church Movement The Premise of the Trend To reinvent the church to meet the times. Organized religion is old, outdated, and boring. Change is the power of salvation. Casual is better than formal.


The Relevant Church Movement :The Relevant Church Movement The Promise of the Trend We will make the church relevant. You will get something out of church for a change. You will get something out of church for your change! Consumer Based Christianity is not Biblical!


The Relevant Church Movement :The Relevant Church Movement The Problem with the Trend The trend is “selective” for whom it is relevant. The trend focuses on man’s perceived needs. The trend is based on a false premise: that the church has become irrelevant. The trend assumes that “function follows form.” Serious Beliefs Lead to Serious Practices


Is the Church Relevant Today? :Is the Church Relevant Today? What are Man’s Needs? Man may have a lot of “needs” Food Clothing Safety Self Actualization Other Perceived Needs Salvation is Man’s Real Need! ? The Church is in the business of meeting “real needs” – not “perceived needs.”


The Relevancy Game :The Relevancy Game The relevancy game is unwinnable. Mankind is in constant flux and change. Trends come and go. We will always be behind the curve when we try to keep up with the world. The “world” is the very thing Christ calls us out of.


The Mission of the Church :The Mission of the Church If we can discover the reason the church exists then we will know how to make it perpetually relevant. The church’s relevancy is built into its purpose. Wherever the church is functioning as it should it will be relevant!


The Mission of the Church :The Mission of the Church The mission of the church is not social reform. The mission of the church is not entertainment. The mission of the church is not political. The mission of the church is not secular. The mission of the church is that of Jesus. Lu 19:10 "for the Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which was lost."


The Mission of the Church :The Mission of the Church It Upholds the Truth! 1Timothy 3:14 These things I write to you, though I hope to come to you shortly; 15 but if I am delayed, I write so that you may know how you ought to conduct yourself in the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth.


The Mission of the Church :The Mission of the Church It Spreads the Gospel Mt 28:19 "Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 "teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age." Amen. Any time we entice with other than the Gospel we will get other than Christians


The Mission of the Church :The Mission of the Church It Assembles for Corporate Worship Ac 20:7 Now on the first day of the week, when the disciples came together to break bread . . .


The Mission of the Church :The Mission of the Church It Edifies (builds up) its Own 1Th 5:11 Therefore comfort each other and edify one another, just as you also are doing. Via Teaching in the Corporate Assembly Via Christian Association


The Mission of the Church :The Mission of the Church It Relieves its own Needy The Poor – 1 Cor 16:1-2 The Widows – 1 Tim 5 The Biblical Pattern is that the Church Supports Only its Own Needy! The Church is not authorized to support any institution bigger or separate from the local congregation.


The Church is Relevant :The Church is Relevant Because its Maker is Relevant Eph 1:1 Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, To the saints who are in Ephesus, and faithful in Christ Jesus: 2 Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ, just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love,


The Church is Relevant :The Church is Relevant Because its Mediator is Relevant 1Ti 2:5 For there is one God and one Mediator between God and men, the Man Christ Jesus, 6 who gave Himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time,


The Church is Relevant :The Church is Relevant Because its Message is Relevant Ro 3:23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, Ac 2:38 Then Peter said to them, "Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; The Church was Relevant to the 1st Century because its Message was Simple and Pure. They offered NOTHING but the gospel!


The Church is Relevant :The Church is Relevant Because its Medium is Relevant Ro 1:16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek.17 For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, "The just shall live by faith."


The Church is Relevant :The Church is Relevant Because its Method is Relevant 1Co 1:18 For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. 19 . . . For since, in the wisdom of God, the world through wisdom did not know God, it pleased God through the foolishness of the message preached to save those who believe.


What Retards the Relevancy of the Church? :What Retards the Relevancy of the Church? Trying to keep up with the world’s trends and methods. Offering other products muddies the purity of what we are authorized to give away. Unholy living retards the relevancy of the Church. Mediocrity in worship retards the relevancy of the Church.


Final Thought :Final Thought It is not so much that the New Testament methods of reaching the lost have been tried and found wanting . . . Rather it is because New Testament methods have not been tried. The Church was Relevant to the 1st Century because its Message was Simple and Pure.


Conclusion and Warning :Conclusion and Warning The Church is Relevant because mankind has the same needs as on the day of Pentecost. Any method we employ to “reach the community” must be authorized by scripture. The Church will NEVER appeal to the masses. Trying to make the church “relevant” to cultural trends and changes is an unwinnable game!