It's Time For The Church To Stop Being Relevant

ENGLISH

On the contrary, when they saw that I had been entrusted with the gospel to the uncircumcised, just as Peter had been entrusted with the gospel to the circumcised (for he who worked through Peter for his apostolic ministry to the circumcised worked also through me for mine to the Gentiles) — Galatians 2:7-8

So for about three decades, I have been working in ministry. But it's only been about ten of those years that I've worked exclusively with men. And it took me a while to get comfortable speaking with all-male audiences. Not because I don't understand men but because many tried to persuade me to work with or incorporate other groups of people. Like women and teens or just mixed audiences of people. But God kept drawing me and my ministry back to men.

And I have learned a lot about reaching men for Christ over the last decade. For example, that men are easily enticed by things of the world. Men struggle to seek support unless the issue is too much to bear. They don't easily see the need for spiritual relationships with other men. They have trouble understanding theological matters, not because they are stupid, but because they fail to see the day-to-day application. And along the way, as I spoke more and more to men, I learned more and more about the gospel (their sin and the need for salvation). I got better at understanding the unchanging truth of the gospel. But just because I focus my ministry on men, this doesn't infer that I preach a different gospel than I would to women or even to a mixed audience. It's the same gospel presented by me to a particular audience of people — men.

In the same way, Peter and Paul had different focuses. It was one gospel presented by two different men to two different audiences of people. One with foreskin and one without foreskin. And I use the term "foreskin," not just to be funny or to get your attention, but because it's true. The Jerusalem Council in Acts 15 made this decision. That circumcision was an external rite that had no bearing on the gospel of grace. So foreskin or no foreskin, grace was the same for Jews and Gentiles. It was not circumcision of the flesh that saved, but the circumcision of the heart.

In every age, we are going to struggle with these tensions. As people who present the gospel, we are entrusted with this task — to present the gospel as the gospel and only the gospel. But as I say this, one of the most prominent trends in the church over the last few decades has been the attempt at "relevancy." It's the effort to present a more "relevant gospel" that meets with the culture to reach the culture. Yet I propose that the attempt at gospel "relevancy" is no different from the foreskin issue here. It's our generation's attempt to adapt the gospel to meet our needs. And at first glance, it looks appealing, like we are helping lost people to know the gospel. But we are not.

You see, the gospel does not need our help. In fact, if we helped it, we would only screw it up. We were so incapable of helping that God had to send someone else to bring the gospel to bear. And this man, his son, Jesus, did what we could not do—brought the gospel and gave us the gospel message. When we "help" the gospel by making it "relevant," we might actually be making it irreverent and irrelevant! Because the gospel is greater than culture and, by the way, saves us from it.

So gentlemen, be leery of cultural adaptations of the gospel. Some will make futile attempts to soften sin, adapt the message, or accommodate people. They might be human adaptations to something divine, holy, and given by God. They might lead you away to another gospel that is no gospel at all. And remember, the real gospel is hard on sin. This is what calls men out. But the gospel is also hard on grace. This is what makes it good news. Don't be captivated by delusions that make it irreverent and irrelevant.

ASK THIS: What sin is the gospel calling out in your life?

DO THIS: Call out that sin, and call out for grace.

PRAY THIS: God, you and your gospel are all I need.

PLAY THIS: All My Hope — David Crowder.

SPANISH

Al contrario, cuando vieron que se me había encomendado el evangelio a los incircuncisos, así como a Pedro se le había encomendado el evangelio a los circuncisos (porque el que obró por medio de Pedro para el ministerio apostólico entre los circuncisos, también obró por mí para mía a los gentiles) — Gálatas 2:7-8

Entonces, durante unas tres décadas, he estado trabajando en el ministerio. Pero solo han pasado unos diez de esos años que he trabajado exclusivamente con hombres. Y me tomó un tiempo sentirme cómodo hablando con audiencias exclusivamente masculinas. No porque no entienda a los hombres, sino porque muchos trataron de persuadirme para que trabajara o incorporara a otros grupos de personas. Como mujeres y adolescentes o simplemente audiencias mixtas de personas. Pero Dios siguió atrayéndome a mí y a mi ministerio de regreso a los hombres.

Y he aprendido mucho acerca de alcanzar a los hombres para Cristo durante la última década. Por ejemplo, que los hombres se dejan seducir fácilmente por las cosas del mundo. Los hombres luchan por buscar apoyo a menos que el problema sea demasiado difícil de soportar. No ven fácilmente la necesidad de relaciones espirituales con otros hombres. Tienen problemas para entender los asuntos teológicos, no porque sean estúpidos, sino porque no ven la aplicación del día a día. Y en el camino, mientras hablaba más y más a los hombres, aprendí más y más sobre el evangelio (su pecado y la necesidad de salvación). Mejoré en la comprensión de la verdad inmutable del evangelio. Pero solo porque enfoco mi ministerio en los hombres, esto no implica que predique un evangelio diferente al que predicaría a las mujeres o incluso a una audiencia mixta. Es el mismo evangelio presentado por mí a una audiencia particular de personas: hombres.

De la misma manera, Pedro y Pablo tenían diferentes enfoques. Era un evangelio presentado por dos hombres diferentes a dos audiencias diferentes de personas. Uno con prepucio y otro sin prepucio. Y uso el término "prepucio" no solo para ser divertido o llamar su atención, sino porque es verdad. El Concilio de Jerusalén en Hechos 15 tomó esta decisión. Esa circuncisión era un rito externo que no tenía nada que ver con el evangelio de la gracia. Así que con o sin prepucio, la gracia era la misma para judíos y gentiles. No fue la circuncisión de la carne lo que salvó, sino la circuncisión del corazón.

En cada era, vamos a luchar con estas tensiones. Como personas que presentan el evangelio, se nos confía esta tarea: presentar el evangelio como el evangelio y solo como el evangelio. Pero mientras digo esto, una de las tendencias más prominentes en la iglesia durante las últimas décadas ha sido el intento de "relevancia". Es el esfuerzo por presentar un "evangelio más relevante" que se encuentre con la cultura para alcanzar la cultura. Sin embargo, propongo que el intento de "relevancia" del evangelio no es diferente del tema del prepucio aquí. Es el intento de nuestra generación de adaptar el evangelio para satisfacer nuestras necesidades. Y a primera vista parece atractivo, como si estuviéramos ayudando a personas perdidas a conocer el evangelio. Pero no lo somos.

Verás, el evangelio no necesita nuestra ayuda. De hecho, si lo ayudáramos, solo lo arruinaríamos. Éramos tan incapaces de ayudar que Dios tuvo que enviar a alguien más para llevar el evangelio a cabo. Y este hombre, su hijo, Jesús, hizo lo que nosotros no pudimos hacer: trajo el evangelio y nos dio el mensaje del evangelio. Cuando "ayudamos" al evangelio haciéndolo "relevante", ¡en realidad podríamos estar haciéndolo irreverente e irrelevante! Porque el evangelio es más grande que la cultura y, de paso, nos salva de ella.

Entonces, caballeros, desconfíen de las adaptaciones culturales del evangelio. Algunos harán intentos inútiles de suavizar el pecado, adaptar el mensaje o acomodar a las personas. Pueden ser adaptaciones humanas a algo divino, santo y dado por Dios. Podrían llevarte a otro evangelio que no es evangelio en absoluto. Y recuerda, el verdadero evangelio es duro con el pecado. Esto es lo que llama a los hombres. Pero el evangelio también es duro con la gracia. Esto es lo que lo convierte en una buena noticia. No se deje cautivar por delirios que lo hacen irreverente e irrelevante.

PREGUNTE ESTO: ¿Qué pecado está llamando el evangelio en su vida?

HAZ ESTO: Llama a ese pecado, y pide gracia.

ORA ESTO: Dios, tú y tu evangelio son todo lo que necesito.

JUEGA ESTO: Eres todo lo que necesito: una iglesia de Jesús.

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26 thoughts on “It’s Time For The Church To Stop Being Relevant”

David Josker says:
Spot on. Thank you Vince for being faithful to us. Praying for you all.

05/19/2022 at 10:20 AM
- Vince Miller says:
  Right on!
  
  05/19/2022 at 10:33 AM
Mike says:
It’s all about Jesus!

05/19/2022 at 9:40 AM
Eddie Ackerman says:
there is a HUGE difference between making the Gospel relevant and making it understood to the audience. I know that when I am explaining the Gospel to a younger crowd, spiritually or physically, I try to use more common words to explain the harder to understand words, but I don’t try to change the message so much as simplify it. Even the apostle Paul had to simplify the message for a church that back slid, but I forget which one, he had to give them spiritual milk instead of spiritual food because they weren’t mature enough to eat solid spiritual food, so he had to give them spiritual milk.

05/19/2022 at 9:35 AM
Chaplain J J says:
Amen, Pastor. We neither add too nor take away from the Word of Father God. If we do, then indeed, it’s not the real Gospel.

05/19/2022 at 9:09 AM
Alex Riddle says:
God is calling out my sin of anger that has driven my wife and child away. I also need continued victory over online sexual temptation.

1

05/19/2022 at 8:07 AM
- Vince Miller says:
  There you go AR
  
  05/19/2022 at 10:34 AM
  - Alexander Riddle says:
    Thank you, Vince. I’m praying for reconciliation in my family. Will you join me?
    
    05/19/2022 at 2:42 PM
    - Vince Miller says:
      Uhhh. Of course. Praying now.
      
      05/19/2022 at 3:48 PM
Paul L says:
Each time I pick up scripture I am looking to anchor myself to TRUTH before I go about my day. Before I was saved and found a bible-centered church I accepted ways that scripture was presented to me and twisted to be made relevant to the situations I found myself in. Today when I read scripture I remind myself WHO was the author of that book and WHO was the intended audience to understand its message and content. ON another note the book of James was so helpful for me to clearly understand Christian behavior and identify hypocrisy while still being heavy on grace.
I’m very grateful that God led me to your men’s ministry, Vince, it has been awesome to grow in spirt under your pastoral guidance.

05/19/2022 at 7:16 AM
- Vince Miller says:
  Thanks PL!
  Great pics at the derby!
  My wife and I want to go some day!
  
  05/19/2022 at 10:35 AM
Sheldon says:
Very timely message Vince blessings

05/19/2022 at 7:05 AM
Don says:
This was good message today. I am having a difficult time tight now, I like to things myself, fix my cars, household tasks, etc going through a time now where things are not working out, it seen every task I take l tackel has challenges and things don’t hold right, and these are things I have done before. The word that stood out today is grace, I think many men including me have a difficult time with grace, accepting it, understanding it, giving it even to ourselves when we screw up

1

05/19/2022 at 6:39 AM
- Vince Miller says:
  So true.
  
  05/19/2022 at 10:35 AM
Ted says:
As a pastor, this is by far the best teaching/ Devo you have shared. The cry from the modern body is for relevance , yet each step towards relevance is a step away from the reality of Christ life changing work in all of us to be the strangers in this world. Thanks Vince

2

05/19/2022 at 5:46 AM
- Pat says:
  Agree 100% with you Ted. Very convicting message. God didn’t say it was going to be easy, Truth is hard and the reward is loving grace. What a message.
  
  1
  
  05/19/2022 at 7:45 AM
  - ted bichsel says:
    The temptation comes in little by little. Then you wonder how you got there. Daily at His feet is the only way
    
    05/19/2022 at 11:27 AM
- Vince Miller says:
  Right on TB
  
  05/19/2022 at 10:35 AM
Tom Fredericks Sr. says:
Thanks Pastor Vince. Tough words but necessary and liberating to hear. Preach Christ, and Him crucified. Great words of wisdom today! 🙏

05/19/2022 at 5:46 AM
Robby says:
Powerful message. PTL for your dedication Vince.

1

05/19/2022 at 5:34 AM
- Vince Miller says:
  Thanks Robby!
  
  05/19/2022 at 10:35 AM
Russ Chitwood says:
Thankyou, God has been calling me out on food addiction and I need his strength to over come it! He is my hope!

05/19/2022 at 5:22 AM
Keith Chalstrom says:
Be resolute
Grace has us covered
PTL

05/19/2022 at 4:50 AM
Marko says:
Woohoo!!! What a devotion and what a song! Praise the Lord and may we never dilute the gospel message for it is truth, light, and life!!!

1

05/19/2022 at 4:40 AM
Bill says:
Bullseye brother!

05/19/2022 at 3:14 AM
- Vince Miller says:
  BOOM 👊🏼
  
  05/19/2022 at 10:36 AM

Devo, Galatians

It’s Time For The Church To Stop Being Relevant

It's Time For The Church To Stop Being Relevant

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26 thoughts on “It’s Time For The Church To Stop Being Relevant”