Not a sentence I thought I'd ever say.
Currently in attendence at Relevant Life Church in
Salem, Oregon
My artist friend goes here.
Alli came with me, bless her heart.
Glad she has a good sense of humor.
I went in with low expectations, thank God.
The Pastor has a soul patch. Killer.
The Sunday bulletin is mostly dedicated to the chair fundraiser which is currently at $9,000, apparently pughs are now irrelevant in todays relevant church.
I'm really trying not to be critical.
My friend is a cool twenty-something year old guy, he creates incredible art and really loves Jesus so I guess I was expecting something a little more edgy or artistic... maybe something more 'relevant'.
Maybe my own prejudices make me incapable of looking beyond the pugh and
pulpit, the polyester preacher and his pious peritioners.
These days the trend is to amp up Sunday service with flashy lights and fog machines, hip preachers with frosted-tip boy-band haircuts and cutting edge audio visual presentations.
The worship service is like a rock concert. Half the songs we sing we couldn't possibly mean. We say things like "I could sing of your (Jesus) love forever" and "(Jesus) Your all I want."
Bullshit.
I wish I could say those things to Jesus without being a flat out liar. I don't know of many people that could say such a thing honestly. How can we lie to Jesus and call it worship?
Not this relevant church, this relevant church is very old fashioned, as are most of it's congregates.
So what, should the leadership of a local church body comprised of mostly older believers change?
Maybe they like dressing up for church and singing hymnals?
And maybe changing from pughs to chairs is a big step for them.
Maybe I think Rhythm and Blues is the best music in the world, but you like Rock N Roll; is there a right and wrong?
Is one more relevant then the other?
Not this relevant church, this relevant church is very old fashioned, as are most of it's congregates.
So what, should the leadership of a local church body comprised of mostly older believers change?
Maybe they like dressing up for church and singing hymnals?
And maybe changing from pughs to chairs is a big step for them.
Maybe I think Rhythm and Blues is the best music in the world, but you like Rock N Roll; is there a right and wrong?
Is one more relevant then the other?
What is 'relevant', is it not truly on the eye of the beholder ?
And more importantly, does Jesus really care?
Jesus is relevant. The true gospel is relevant. Everything else is just packaging.
I think the blessed church that Jesus cared enough to die for is one that doesn't care how the pastor looks, doesn't care what sort of furniture we sit on, and most importantly doesn't say things it doesn't mean.
A church that is wholly in love with Jesus. A church wholly in love with it's brothers and sisters through the love of Jesus. Wholly in love with lost because we are lost without Jesus' love and we know that loving the lost is truly loving Jesus.
So am I wrong for finding humor in the customs of a more traditional church?
Are they wrong for finding humor in kids with silly haircuts and tattoos?
No and no!
We are all brothers and sisters in Christ!
And we are all unique with particular tastes and beloved customs, and that's good!
Have a sense of humor about it but please don't be ignorant.
Dont pretend not recognize the differences and maybe even laugh at them as I did today but remember to also appreciate them!
Maybe then we can learn from each other and in doing so, learn from Christ in you, in me, in we.
Some people in other cultures call it 'Namaste'.
So yes, I don't think Relevant Life is for me, but a brother in Christ named Duke McKlusky would love this place probably almost as much as he hates rap music.
More power to him and you and Relevant Life Church, GodBless!
Gabe.
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