Have we become an irrelevant church in a world that progresses by the minute? I do not say that to imply that our message is irrelevant, as the message of Christ will always be relevant in every life and in every church. We use too many excuses to explain why our churches are small. I once heard a church member say the “small church” was God’s plan for the Church of God of Prophecy. Do we really believe that? Looking into the future, the existence of the Church of God of Prophecy is largely in the hands of the local churches and their desire to be relevant churches. Large corporations such as Apple, Google, and Amazon became relevant in our society because they adapted to trends and met the needs of their customers. These three companies did not reach the top four market cap companies by sitting idly by, waiting for increase. I recently visited a church for their services, and my senses - the sights, the smells, and the things I heard - told me I had stepped back in time 30 years. How can we face the future, when we are already behind?
As local churches, we need to determine within ourselves that we have a relevant message to share. In Closing the Net, Bishop Elwood Matthews emphasized that everything must point to Jesus. If at the close of your sermon, you do not point people to Jesus, what was the point to your message? This is the first and most vital step to becoming relevant. Our churches need to introduce Jesus again, opening the altars for people to meet Him, and ultimately for them to build a relationship with Him. If your church is not having altar calls, then you are saying your message is enough for salvation, and that is simply not true. People need Jesus, and you need to give them an opportunity to meet Him. The relevant message IS Jesus Christ.
This world is moving fast. It is ever-evolving, changing, shifting. Are we adapting with these cultural shifts in order to maintain our relevance? Ask yourself - and maybe even your pastor, “How are we adapting to the world around us?" As a pastor myself, I have eighty-year-old members who are using iPads and tablets more than most middle-aged adults. (By the way, we are a country church too!) As a local church, we have embraced technology. It is no longer a thing of the future; technology is now. Do not be intimidated to make the shift by assuming the world will use these resources for evil. God is at work in these things too. As a small church in America, streaming our services to Facebook Live has netted over 1,500 weekly viewers at times. Our culture is lived largely online these days, and we need to use it to our advantage. Social media has its flaws, but the church can be there to see what is happening in the lives of its community and meet their needs in real-time. Social media can be used to share the message of Salvation with the masses. Our churches need websites, mobile apps, giving kiosks, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Snap Chat, and whatever new media might be developed next. Matthew 28:19 Therefore “GO”… The great commission does not tell us to wait for our churches to be filled so that they may hear the message of Christ. It tells us to “GO” and take the message of Christ to the nations. The technology of today can make us relevant to the world around us, and they will hear the message of hope. Offering an updated way to give (online, mobile app, or kiosk in your church lobby) can increase giving. Making these shifts helps to make us relevant in a changing world. As local churches, we can either look to the future or remain in our past. But if we choose the latter, how long will our churches survive?
Finally, who are we? We, as an international body, have defined who we are in our core values, through prayer, harvest, leadership development, and stewardship. Local churches must place value in their members and community by setting attainable goals for success in their local church. When the membership can see results from goals, it re-ignites a passion to be a church who is relevant. Set three to four values for your church, and share the vision with passion to motivate others to buy into the success of your church. If your community does not need your church, it is because they do not yet know what your church has to offer. Your church has become irrelevant. In order to regain your relevance, the community needs to know who you are and why you are there. The church is where sinners meet Jesus and develop into disciples, who make disciples, who make disciples. Promote your church like any business would, put your church name in lights if you must, and make your church known in every home you can.
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