There's a lot of buzz in ministry circles about being relevant. I hear pastors and ministry leaders talking about their struggle to be relevant in the way they minister to the people in their community. We are constantly searching for ways to gain inroads into the hearts and minds of people, that we might win them to Jesus. 

I believe in relevant ministry. After all, our methods change, but the message remains the same: Jesus Christ, crucified, risen again, ascended to Heaven, coming back again! I, like many leaders, constantly evaluate my methods and their effectiveness. I believe there is a delicate balance between changing our methods to relate to our culture, and changing to the point of losing our pentecostal distinctive. Being relevant is not about being like the world. Scripture warns against that. "Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him." (1 John 2:15 KJV). Being relevant is about being real.

Urbandictionary.com defines the word "relevant" as "the most amazing group of people ever, having to do with things that are real and that matter." Isn't that exciting? Think about it this way. If being relevant is about being the most amazing group of people ever, because we care about things that matter and we are real, then the church should fit that description! We carry the life changing message of a life giving Savior! That makes us the most amazing group of people ever.

What I'm saying is this. We are relevant, not because we adapt to culture and cater our methods to our target demographic, but because we are real people serving a real Savior, and are endeavoring to fulfill the Great Commission by spreading THAT message! What makes us relevant is not our method, it's our Message!"