The problems with the ‘relevance’ model of relating to culture

Tim Keller in Center Church:



  1. By adapting so heavily and readily to the culture, such churches are quickly seen as dated whenever the culture shifts or changes.

  2. Downplays the need for theological precision and the need for the insights of Christian tradition.

  3. The main energy behind churches that follow this model is often directed not toward the teaching of the gospel and seeking conversions but toward producing art, doing service projects, or seeking justice.

  4. It is especially in this model that the distinctiveness of the Christian church begins to get blurry. If, as some propose, God’s mission advances through historical processes moving toward increasing economic justice and social equality this ‘removes the church from the equation of how God works in the world’ (Van Gelder and Zcheile, Missional Church in Perspective.



    via Blog - Christian Reflections http://thegenevapush.com/blogs/xian_reflections/the-problems-with-the-relevance-model-of-relating-to-culture (NB: to comment go to thegenevapush.com/xian_reflections)