Comments on: WHY IS CULTURAL RELEVANCE A BIG DEAL?

By: Larry Kirk

Larry Kirk — Tue, 24 Mar 2009 13:59:23 +0000

Hey Anonymous, thanks for the comment. I agree that contextualization should not take the place of our Lord Jesus Christ. But there are many things that are important in themselves that should not and need not do that. The incarnation of Jesus in itself was the supreme act of contextualization. Jesus was born of a woman in the fulness of time as Galatians puts it. God himself came into our world as a man in a particular culture. Philippians 2 speaks of this as part of his glory. He understood the world he came to reach. He didn't draws his parables from scenes in heaven but from common events in his own culture. He wore the clothes and spoke the language. Some attempts at cultural relevance are unwise. However if we were fail to work toward, think about, and pray concerning contextualization we would be naive, lazy and ultimately disobedient. Here's a link for another post on this subject based on Paul at Athens. How do we move toward being culturally relevant and Biblically uncompromising?

By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Sat, 14 Mar 2009 02:00:41 +0000

This was a very interesting article to read. In light of the whole Scripture, we need to exercise care and be prayerful about the manner in which we are engaging the culture.
As a middle-schooler many years ago, I remember when a friend invited me to a church service his family had just started to attend. I’m sure with the best of intentions, he assured me I should come to the church because of the great music! I never attended the service….in fact it took probably about ten years before I came to know Christ.
After coming to believe and live in Christ, I remembered my friend – I was thankful for our friendship. But I also realized that it wasn’t the great music of the church that made me desire a relationship with Christ. In fact, I really had no interest in the music. It was Jesus Christ alone I realized I needed and longed for.
Contextualization of the Gospel should never take the place that our Lord Jesus should have.
In the midst of our efforts to lead people to repentance and faith, let us remember it is the Holy Spirit who opens spiritual eyes, it is the POWER OF GOD alone unto salvation.
Christians, be ready to answer for your faith and trust in Jesus. And continually live being led by Him – the Lord will give you a desire to love and pray for the people who come across your path. He will both open and close doors to sharing the Gospel.
Our culture does not need Christians who are trying to look like them and feel comfortable. John the Baptizer came as a man sent by God to awake the confused, darkened hearts to the coming of Christ. Jesus came into the world as one rejected by even his own, but he gave the right to life for those who believed in Him.
Shine the Light of Christ in you! Don’t be so concerned of contextualizing the Gospel in just the right way – but share the Truth, stand for the Truth, and live a life consecrated to God. You are in the world, but not of the world. In a life submitted to Christ, you should be the aroma of life to some, and the stench of death to others. Nonetheless, do so out of love and reverence for our Lord.

By: Larry Kirk

Larry Kirk — Tue, 03 Mar 2009 23:31:24 +0000

Thanks for the comment. Good point. Then again sometimes I wonder how much the locals really love bikes and Nascar. Those events clearly bring people and money to our community but the people that make up our long term core community might not really be represented adequately by Nascar and the biker world. I do get the principal though. We have to remain true to Scripture and engage our culture, and it really has to be our real culture so we can offer a true reflection of the love of Christ for the people and the place where we live. And yes, church-planters should love Jesus and this place to which he has called us.

By: Connie

Connie — Tue, 03 Mar 2009 23:21:58 +0000

This is a great article, it reminds me of all the advice to buy local! It gets us out of the stuffy confines of legalistic believers and into the freedom of listening to Jesus and the Bible. I think it also can lead us into deeper love for the people around us.—Give us Daytona. Maybe our next church planter should love bikes or Nascar as well as Jesus!