Am I Relevant Today?

Here I sit, in a hotel in New York City. I've had a coffee too late in the day and I just finished watching the Yankees drop game 5 of the ALDS, yet my thoughts are more directed towards a conversation from earlier in the evening. During our short stay here in NYC my traveling companion and I took a portion of the afternoon and rode the subway from Grand Central Station downtown to Bowling Green station. We saw sites such as Lady Liberty and Ground Zero. As well we stopped in to view several very old, and very cool church buildings. The architecture is amazing, as well as the wood work, carvings and statues.

It was too much to take in, in a single afternoon! But provided a terrific setting for discussion. We talked about the magnificent structures beautifully displayed in this awesome city. We read information about how these churches were of service on the days of 9-11. All this information is quite remarkable. Then came our discussion over dinner. The conversation at one point turned to what I now reflect as being about relevance.I heard a story that displayed a sense of disillusionment with the organized church. It must pain Jesus to hear these conversations about how the church has let people down. As I thought about that, I pondered a picture I'd taken in Big Valley, Alberta of an old church.



I've thought about different titles for this image, names like 'reflections', 'a view of the past', or 'hindsight'. One thing it makes me consider is the church's place in today's society.

Is it still relevant?
Does the church still have a place in our current society?
What value can the church bring to our society?

I believe many people in my generation have asked these same questions. Tonight it occurred to me, in reflection of the diner conversation, that relevance isn't about the church. I shouldn't be asking if the church is relevant, but rather am I relevant to today's society. Christians will refer to passages like 'salt and light' and then talk about how we are to live; apart from this world. Immediately we begin down the path of drinking, smoking, etc. and how the believer should refrain from all these things. We pass judgement on those around us for external things, yet in that moment committing the more dastardly crime of judging and criticism. Judgement and criticism is very prevalent in our society, so where is the 'salt and light' in that? Now before you get all worked up thinking that I'm condoning drinking and smoking, that's not where I'm going. What I am saying is that is that we are focussed on the wrong things, if you read through the gospel accounts of Jesus time on earth you will see that the actions of people where of secondary concern to him. His first concern? Reconciliation of the person with God. Our focus shouldn't be on what people are doing, but rather on delivering to them the message of Jesus Christ! Our heavenly Father cares more that we get right with him than anything else. His Holy Spirit can take care of helping the new believer with changes in their life later, but it's irrelevant prior to a person putting their trust in Christ.

As you consider this for yourself look at some simple passages like the ten commandments, Jesus's answer to which was the greatest of them, and our first glimpses of the early church in Acts. In all of these the focus is wrapped around Jesus' answer to the greatest commandments, not cleaning up society. Why? Because if we individually and corporately seek to: Love God and Love others, much of the clean up work will take care of itself - with God's spirit leading the way.

Are you relevant in your current circle of life?
Why or why not?
How can you I prove your relevance?

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

Location:NYC