Waterfalls....

Today one of the hot button words 
 In the Christian world is “Relevant”.  I myself am guilty of using, and over using, the word.  Almost making the word pointless.  It seems to me at times that the word relevant has become one of the less relevant things that the Christian Church does, or talks about, today.  I mean sure I understand that all we are trying to do is find a way to impact the world around us, and yes if we are impacting the world than we are, by default, “relevant” to the world because they are being impacted by us, and when one is affected by something it must become relevant to him and as such we as the church, in my opinion, by even seeking relevance have fallen into a grave problem[a]. The problem lies in the fact that we, as God’s people, are seeking to make God relevant and I would hate to say it but GOD DOESN’T NEED OUR HELP TO BE RELEVANT.

God in fact is relevant
Because he is transcendent….. Before I finish that thought lets look at two definitions. 
Relevant: having significant and demonstrable bearing on the matter at hand.  
Transcendent: universally applicable or significant……
God is Transcendent and is therefore applicable in any situations and because of this he is above relevant.  So by us even talking about relevance we are saying that, in a non overt way, God has lost some of his relevance. 
Now here is where we must “toe the line”.  Because on one side. Yes we as the church want to be with, or a head, of the times.  We should be on the cutting edge of every trend that happens here in America, and the outside America.  Not because we seek to be relevant but because we are just as capable of doing great things as is the non-christian world, maybe even more capable. We should be the best at everything we do.  we should have the best Musicians, the best Artists, the best Writers.  Christian people should be involved and leading the way in so many more fields than we are now. The reason I believe this to be true is that fact that we are all humans created in God’s image but we as Christians have Jesus to be our inspiration, and this alone should lead us to making top quality stuff.
However on the other side of things we must not “jump over the line” because doing our best to be on the cutting edge does not mean that we should do whatever it takes to get there.  Christian people should be able to find a way to make as good of products as non-Christian people and make it so they don’t have to step on people on there way to the top. This I believe is something that would make our example of Christ even stronger because than people would take notice of us living up right lives and still being the best at what we do. 

Now Back to Relevance.
 I think the thing about God that is so powerful is the fact that he is always relevant and therefore us acting like we need to work to become relevant is a very painful miss step on the part of the church, and myself. 
Just a few days ago I was walking around at a park by the Mississippi River, and this park is right by a waterfall, that is also a power plant.  And I got to thinking “How is God like a waterfall” (weird thought right?) And I think that is kind of the thought that I am writing about here. Because God is like a waterfall, I think, in a lot of ways. 
1. He never stops.  (I mean have you ever thought about the fact that waterfalls are always going, its pretty crazy I think.)
2. He is not something to mess with. (Think about getting a boat to close to a waterfall…. it ends badly!)
3. He affects everyone that crosses his path, which in God’s case is everyone.  (Think about the fact that even if you can get passed a waterfall on a river it slows you down because you have to use the Dam.)

Now I know
This seems like a bit of a stretch to talk about God as a waterfall but the point that I’m trying to get at is that just being in the area of a waterfall effects you, there is no way to avoid the power of the waterfall.  And I guess I think God is like that.  There really is no way to avoid him and as such he is Relevant because he is Transcendent.  I guess my idea is just that we need to spend less time being relevant and more time pointing to the Transcendent. Does this seem like splitting hairs?  Because if it does then I guess, I think, we have a lot of hair to start splitting!

So how does pointing toward Transcendent
Look different than trying to be relevant?   Well for starters Transcendent doesn't look toward programs to show people Christs.  Instead a person, or Church, who points toward the Transcendent lives a life that says 'My life is made better because I know the The Way, The Truth, and The Light'.  Now think about how that view point differs from the VBS which spends more time hyping people up than it does talking about the Bible, the B in VBS.  Or think about modern worship songs which are a roll-coaster of emotion trying their best to create a newer, bigger, "high". [b]

Next Transcendent Focused lives love
Unconditionally. Whereas a Relevant focused life (or of course Church) on what a person can do to make you more Relevant.  A Relevant seeking Church is happy to have people who aren't hip come to Church on Sunday but being involved in the worship band or youth leadership or pastoral-ship is just not gonna happen.  Relevant places value on what a person can do for you, or the Church, Transcendent places value on you as a person because you being you is enough.

Finally God is Transcendent
Why would we want to focus on anything else?  Why would we try so hard to be Relevant when we have a connection to the Transcendent? The waterfall will always be Relevant because it is always Transcendent.  

[a][I have in the past talked about relevance and fallen into this same problem of seeking to make the church relevant and in doing so admit it, falsely, that God is not relevant no matter what time or place or situation.  I think looking back that relevant was the wrong word.  I believe now that what I was think about was more than relevance and was in fact being “up to date” or “with the times”.  Because the church has in fact fallen behind the culture of today in many areas and I believe that is a problem, but Relevance has never been the problem.]

[b][I am not saying the today's VBS' or worship music is wrong or sinful.  I am simply trying to make the point that if we are looking toward the Transcendent we will spend less time focused on emotional driven programs and more time focused on living a life of love.]