Every few years there are “hot topics” that make their way through the Body of Christ. Over the last decade God has highlighted topics such as revival, evangelism, prayer and fasting. At times, as God highlights an issue, we receive the message, but we change it to make it more palatable for our personal ministry. Our editing of heavenly mandates ends up watering down the message that’s on the heart of the Lord. As God speaks prophetically to His body, it is imperative that we do not change His message but instead relay it with faithful accuracy in the fear of the Lord.
One of the “hot topics” that has emerged is the issue of relevance. Much has been said in our day regarding relevance. It is common to hear relevance being espoused as a value that the church should maintain and strive for. While I do believe it is important that the church be relevant to the culture I also believe it is perhaps more important that we have a proper understanding of what relevant Christianity truly is.
True relevance is not only the ability to relate to the society but also the ability to influence and transform it. Any entity that doesn’t influence the society has become irrelevant to it. The church has lost much of her relevance in our society, and it is evident because of the current state of moral decline. The church must once again become relevant to the society in order to impact it for righteousness. One key way the church will regain the relevance she has lost is by manifesting the power of God.
The Lord wants to restore the prophetic voice of the church so that she not only exists in the culture but also engages and influences it. God desires the church to be relevant so that she will impact the society with righteousness and justice. He wants the church shift the culture from darkness to light.
We live in a time where sin has accelerated perhaps like never before. As I consider the moral decline of our day, I hear the words of the Apostle Paul echoing through my mind, “Where sin abounded, grace abounded much more.” (Rom. 5:20, emphasis mine) The prophet Isaiah described our day when he declared, “Behold, the darkness shall cover the earth, And deep darkness the people; But the LORD will arise over you, And His glory will be seen upon you.” (Is. 60:2)
The very glory of the Lord will be seen upon the people of God and it will have a compelling affect upon the world! God’s glory revealed upon God’s people will cause the nations to turn to the Lord in a dramatic way. Though sin is abounding, a global awakening is coming! (Is. 60:3-4) When there is power and revelation upon the church, the world not only takes notice, but the lost are also drawn, convicted and converted.
Many have heard God’s call to relevance, it appears however that we have either misinterpreted it or changed it altogether. In our quest for relevance we have become too reasonable, acceptable and accommodating to the world. As a result we have focused on relating without producing the reality of the power of God. Some have even begun to re-write orthodoxy in the name of relevance. At the least this is unacceptable at the worst it is heretical.
I agree that we should communicate in a way that makes sense to someone who is unsaved. Relevant communication methods can be extremely helpful to build bridges and clarify the gospel. However, I also contend that the only thing that is going to stem the tide of darkness that is sweeping the earth is a authentic witness of the gospel, manifesting power that attests to the truth of Jesus’ resurrection. (Acts 2:22) We should do the former without neglecting the latter.
George Otis, producer of the popular “Transformation” video says, “We have gone out into the mission field with tools and paradigms that are too weak. We cannot compromise the supernatural. It is the only thing that will truly touch the felt needs of the world.”
In our quest to be relevant we have become more acquainted with pop culture and marketing techniques than we are with the Holy Spirit. There is nothing wrong with having up-to-date technology and communication methods. But if we focus on presentations and programs and sacrifice the power of God, we will remain unable to shift the culture and ultimately irrelevant in the earth.
It is not more palatable to the lost to offer a “miracle-less” gospel presentation than the raw power of God in manifestation. The human heart is made to be shocked and thrilled. We were created to encounter the supernatural. The Holy Spirit is still the greatest “draw-er” of the human heart. His ministry is to reveal truth, convicting the world of sin while empowering believers to do mighty acts that testify of Jesus. (Acts 1:8)
I am convinced that the most relevant thing the church can do is manifest the indisputable power of God. The most relevant thing the church can offer to someone with cancer, or any disease, is healing by the power of God. The most relevant thing we can do for an unbelieving atheist is to manifest the power of God right before his eyes. Paul declared that prophesying to the lost would convict their heart and convert them. (1 Cor 14:24-25)
The church is facing a great challenge today. Will she become relevant to the society through the power of the Holy Spirit or will she merely be relevant through marketing and media? Without a powerful witness of the gospel the church will only relate to society and never reform it. The most relevant thing she can do is passionately pursue Jesus to see supernatural ministry and breakthroughs of revival released. The church is the most powerful when she is least like the world. The church has the greatest capability to change the world when she manifests the power of the gospel. This manifestation of the power of God in turn makes her the most relevant to the culture.
Jesus promised that we would receive power from the Holy Spirit and testify to His resurrection because of that power on our lives. Let’s not stop until we see the authentic power of God flowing daily through our lives and ministries. Let’s not settle for modern methods that do not focus on the means that Scripture says declare a true gospel witness. It is only through the power of God that we will see the lost soundly convicted and converted to Jesus. The acceleration of sin in our society is an invitation to you and me to go after the greater works that Jesus promised. As the church manifests power she will once again influence society and regain her position of authority and relevance in the culture.