Do We Really Have A Problem?

I recently heard a talk by Tim Stevens, the author of Pop Goes The Church, on how his church uses popular culture as a hook to get people into his church. I think that is fantastic and am all for it. My church also intentionally (and I would say, effectively) uses the songs, tv shows, media and movies that this culture understands in order to provide some relevant "set up" on which we can share the Gospel. It only makes sense to proceed in this fashion. People feel more comfortable around what they know, defenses and prejudices diminish when a message is presented in an entertaining and engaging manner, and the young in particular will be more engaged when they receive the gospel in a package that looks--dare I type it--cool.

If I have any slight departure with Stevens, it's wondering if he perhaps is a little too focused on trying to "fix the problem" of the unchurched through cultural relevancy. In some cases, it may be that the problem may not need fixing, or cannot be fixed by us. When we look at the large number of churches out there today, and compare them to the vast numbers of unchurched, the first response from those in ministry is often "we have got to DO something," or "we are doing something wrong." And fact-finding missions are launched, and data is gathered, and Barna surveys are explored in great detail, and we agonize that the same perennial stereotypes about Christians--judgemental, hypocritical, homophobic, etc.--still abound. Please understand, I think this is all good stuff and I don't mean to belittle these exercises, and they are done by Christians who are agonizing over the lost and who are humble enough to admit they can do better. And I for one can always do better at loving the world around me, and a lot of the damage and stereotypes would be undone if Christians just got off their butts and talked to their neighbors and friends, served the poor, etc.

But I think there is an element to this problem that won't just be "fixed" if we'd only stumble across the right ministry model, or implement the best action plan, or use more relevant music, or play scenes from famous movies, etc. And the reason it can't be fixed is just plain and simply this: the Gospel is offensive, and a lot of people just don't like it. No matter how slick the packaging. And while we should do what we can to make that message of the Gospel as effective as possible, I don't think we should approach the problem of the unchurched in its entirety as one that we can and must fix. There is an element to the problem that will never be fixed so long as people remain free to turn their backs on God.

With this in mind, let's rock on. Let us become all things to all men so that by all possible means we might save some. Let us speak to the lost in a manner they understand. Let's at least save some through using the films, songs, TV shows and poems they love as platforms to reach them with the Gospel.

And let us be grateful that modern pop music involves electric guitars and not bagpipes.