Relevancy and the reactive Church

“Relevant” is a hot word among many Christians, in many churches, right now. Congregations and their Christians strive to be seen as relevant within their own culture. Sunday morning services employ a myriad of technologies in an attempt to fit in with and speak to the culture around it. A Christian magazine calls itself Relevant.

While pondering this current Christianese about two days ago I realized something: The church’s attempt to be relevant is reactionary. It takes what it sees around it and basically tries to emulate this culture in a “Christian” manner.

Christ-followers, and subsequently the Church, need instead to be proactive when engaging culture. The leading scientists, artists, politicians and so on should have among them grounded Christian people, lest we concede the culture at large (as we did over the last century) to all other interests while we pursue solely pious activities.