Thanks so much for your thoughts and your encouraging words. I particularly like the quote you gave. Sometimes I think that kids are smarter than we give them credit for. I like the idea of treating them with respect. In fact, how are they to learn to treat others with respect if we do not treat them with respect?

Love you,

Dee

Thank you so much for all of your encouragement. Olivia has been a joy to teach, and I pray that what I teach her and the other girls will somehow help them to see God and others more clearly. We love you guys,

Dee

I appreciate both of your comments. They are well-thought and well-written. You both have a gift with words, and I enjoy reaping the benefits of that gift.

I think the issue to which we have come at this point is that of relationship. I truly believe that one cannot be “relevant” in any form of ministry without there being some relationship between minister and the whom to whom he/she is ministering. That is the key to relevance. What is relevant to a person changes from person to person. Some people have so much money that they do not really need to learn how to handle their money — someone else handles it for them. Some people do not have children, some do. Some people are going to school, some have full-time jobs. Some people have experienced tragedy recently while others are exuberant with what life has given them recently. But, if we know these things about a person, we will know what is relevant to a person at that moment.

It has been a wonderful experience for Shannon and me to get to know you, Bro. Mike, and Sis. Lisa. You have been truly generous and hospitable. You are true friends — a brother and sister to us. Much of what we have learned about the community of faith, including how we should function and what we should look like, we have learned from you guys. That is true ministry that will leave a lasting impression through eternity. That is relevance.

Thank you both,

Dee

First of all, I would love for us to go visit our Old Friend Mr. Bear; although maybe not so “up close and personal” this time around because I am not sure my old heart could take such intimate fellowship with him again.

Secondly, as to the subject matter of relevance, don’t you sometimes wish that all of this “stuff” that we so often have to deal with such as worship styles, versions of the bible, generational gaps, gender gaps, socio-economical differences, cultural distinctions and bias’…. would simply vanish from our discussions with one another and even in our conversations with the world. I am not saying that they are irrelevant to the Christian witness and mission, but I guess I am frustrated with the ineffective and practically non-existent nature of meaningful relationships with one another and the rest of humanity. I apologize if I sound depressing or negative, but I sometimes feel like my life has lacked the sense of inter-connectedness with humanity which would then enable me to have a meaningful impact, for Christ’s sake, upon their lives.

I am going through something in my life right now which I can’t exactly describe nor that I fully understand. I am not sure if it is God preparing me for a new work in my heart and life (one can only hope), or if it is the awful sting of regret that one experiences when you realize that life has swiftly passed and a lot of the dreams or aspirations that once defined your life are now a distant memory. I envy Paul’s declaration that “to live is Christ and to die is gain” because the sum total of his existence was measured, after he came to Christ, by his doing the will of God–nothing else mattered. That is a simplicity of life for which I have longed, but I am afraid I have been unable to achieve. I reaize that there are certainly mundane aspects to life such as going to work, school, the grocery store etc…, but the shortage of meaningful (relevant) relationships which impact eternity is where the real value of life is lost.

I thank God for the richness of Godly love that both of you have brought to my life and I look forward to developing that friendship in even greater ways.

I appreciate that “big ‘bear’ hug”! BTW, we need to go ahead and plan another trip to Bear Country for sometime next May, maybe… We miss you guys!

Dee,

Just some thoughts…

Your post reminds me of many conversations concerning the emerging church that bro. Mike and I had during those times last year that he and sis. Lisa housed a poor-Georgian-going-to-seminary. How that there are many aspects of the emerging movement which are commendable (e.g. a strong emphasis on small groups which focuses on building strong relationships within the local assembly). Yet, there are some in their camp that go too far and become too lackadaisical in the approach to the Scriptural witness (usually this camp is referred to as the “emergent” branch).

After we talked about your post, on one hand, I think your struggle with relevance concerns more of a “Kingdom Relevance” than so a “worldly relevance” (as you make mention). In other words, there are some local assemblies who attempt to be relevant by simply a change of dress, style of music, preaching style, meeting setting, etc. In so doing, some contend that their ministry (services) is more “acceptable” or drawing to the unchurched, lost folks around them. And in many cases, in my opinion, this is true. For too long, our 50′s style of music, dress, etc. doesn’t have much appeal as it relates to persons simply wanting to check out what’s going on at the church down the street.

On the other hand, we know that the ministry of Jesus was relevant, not simply by style but by meeting the needs of humanity. Jesus didn’t let rules stand in the way of his meeting the needs of hurting people (e.g. his not condemning the “unclean” woman in Luke 8… he called her ‘daughter’ because of her faith in Christ; also, Jesus healed on the Sabbath). The emphasis was always on the truth of God in that Jesus is the Truth; yet, his compassion and ministry to the hurting, lost world was flexible and dynamic and found various forms of expression.

I think this flexibility is what you are getting at. For so often, we are so ingrained in a style of fellowship (eating in a social hall), evangelism (handing out tracts door-to-door), preaching (the ninja assassin of our hearing), worship (hymns only or choruses only), discipleship (Sunday School), etc. that we miss the point behind such endeavors. I don’t think it necessary to compromise the gospel in being relevant to those around us. However, I do know of various folks who think that they’re upholding the integrity of the gospel but, for the most part, are just being downright mean and inflexible as it relates to style.

So, again, I would say that if we follow Jesus, we are led to relevance. The Spirit knows what is “closely connected or appropriate to the matter at hand” (def. of “Relevant” in Oxford’s Dictionary). It’s when we value certain traditions, preferences, etc. over the dynamic, flexible leading of the Spirit (in the ways of Christ) that we miss the opportunity to be relevant in accordance with the Kingdom of God.

Shannon

You have hit on yet another vital and difficult subject for the Church today. I struggled with this subject for many years and have come to the conclusion (whether right or wrong I guess God will judge) that our desire to be relevant, while noble and sincere, is often misguided. I certainly understand and appreciate the desire to meet the young people “where they are at,” but quite frankly, if they do not know Christ as Savior then where they are at is no different than where a young person in Jesus’ day was at–bound in the death of sin and in need of the truth to set them free. I realize that this statement may sound preachy or flippant, but you know my heart, that it is not intended to be so. It is simply true that there is “nothing new under the sun” and that is true also as it relates to the nature of sin and it’s effect upon our lives; as well as the remedy for those effects–forgiveness by God’s grace through faith. Truth transcends the barriers of religion, culture, ethnicity, and socio-economical strata–all of which are often seen as barriers to presenting the gospel. However, if the role of the Holy Spirit is both to convict and reconcile then all of our attempts to “package” the gospel in a way that is relevant (by our definition of relevancy), is at best misleading and at worst exacltly what you indicated–an attempt to compromise the one and only thing which can bring true freedom to their lives–TRUTH.

It is not my truth, your truth or any particular generation’s truth. It is God’s truth and the scripture speaks to the constancy and continuity of God’s truth–it will never pass away or change. If we share anything but the unchanging truth as revealed in Christ and His Word then we are sharing “another gospel” which will not only, not set them free, but will ultimately lead them to utter destruction and ruin in their lives. This is what disturbs me so much when I hear Pastors, leaders and the members of the organized church crying out for the relevancy of the gospel. It is as though the gospel or truth has either changed or become inadequate over the course of time. The problem is not with the inadequacy of God’s Word nor with the Holy Spirit’s ability to transform lives–the problem is with the heart of men, women and children who reject the truth and instead believe a lie unto their damnation. I am afraid that much of the modern church, in its attempt to be relevant, is not only leading this generation unto the abyss, but is responsible for pushing them into it.

Please understand that this response is not directly related to your question because I know you and know that you would never compromise truth on the altar of relevancy. My response is directly intended to address issues, for example, surrounding church movements such as the Emerging Church who, in my opinion, have thrown the baby (truth) out with the bathwater (that part of the organized church which they feel is totally inadequate as it pertains to being relevant to present and future generations).

Thanks for the opportunity to share what is on my heart as it relates to this subject. We continue to pray for Robert and the family. Give Shannon a BIG “BEAR” HUG for me.