Relevant. To be totally honest, I'm not completely sure what that word really means. The dictionary defines it as "connected with the matter at hand," so it would almost make sense to say that many would equate relevant with being modern, trendy, or hip. If that was the case, then there are a lot of relevant churches out there that on the surface seem to "get it" when it comes to being connected with our culture and the time at hand.
But is that what relevant truly means when it comes to the church that Jesus started?
As a guy who is only 40 (yes, that is young), I consider myself more of a partaker in what is new and modern than what is classic (however I do prefer classic rock because today's top 40 music stinks). I love technology, I think Hillsong is putting out some of the best praise music that exists, neck ties constrain me to the point of being choked, and I'm just as comfortable meeting with the body of Christ in a gym than I am in a sanctuary filled with pews. But does this make me relevant?
No, it doesn't.
What makes me relevant is when I am committed to the timeless truth of the Bible, God's word. I can stand in front of you and tell you fascinating and funny stories and even make an attempt at moral application, but if I fail to deliver the truth of God's word then I am not relevant. Instead, I'm just trying to be cool, which in the grand scheme of things doesn't impress God at all.
You see, I have no problem with guys who lead contemporary style churches and rock it out during their worship time. If I were so led to start my own church, that's probably the style I would prefer to emulate. But what makes a pastor/teacher/leader relevant is when he/she teaches the truth of God's word, choosing to expound on what God has said instead of clamoring on with pithy anecdotes. That sounds like connecting to the matter at hand to me.
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