Emerging Churchgoers Demand Relevance not Religion
By Darryl Izzard
How many times have you gone to church and left saying to yourself, “This was a waste of my time.� Then you are among thousands. Though this cry can be heard from coast to coast, few pastors have responded. GT highlights two trendsetting pastors who have responded to the call and decided to make church relevant, not religious. The question is, in an effort to be relevant, are there any limits?
“When it comes to ministry, says Lester Love (New Orleans, Louisiana), I believe that our terminology needs to penetrate to the current generation. It goes back to Jesus. The Scribes and Pharisees got mad with Jesus because they felt like he was changing religious tradition with his terminology. They got mad when Jesus would compare God to fish, but he was talking to fisherman. They got angry when Jesus would compare God to tares and wheat, but He was talking to farmers. Jesus was a master at taking the language of the day to explain the principles of yesterday. We need to be relevant. I think you can be relevant and not be vulgar; relevant and still be spiritual. We are showing people that we can connect to them where they live. We can’t present an 8-track Jesus in an I-pod generation.â€
Eleven years ago, at 35, Lester Love was “sent†to the Greater Antioch church (by Bishop Paul S. Morton, Sr.). Ten years after he arrived, Greater Antioch became “The City of Love.†The name change went into effect Easter 2009. Love’s tenure has also witnessed amazing numeric growth—from a few hundred to over 5000 each week. Today Lester Love has become a YouTube/Facebook sensation with over a million views that capture the attention of churchgoers worldwide with music and the word as a part of worship.
Terrence Johnson (better known as “Pastor Jâ€) established “Higher D†11 years ago with 29 people. He was 27. Currently the weekly attendance is over 6,000. 
“Houston is a big town with a lot of church tradition; but at 38, Johnson is establishing a new tradition. “I think the key to my ministry is my personality,†said Johnson. “I bring a unique approach to the ministry. I’m relevant without compromising reverence. Our intention in the ministry is to create a church for “unchurched†people. In our approach, our attire isn’t typical. I may be in the pulpit with blue jeans and a jersey on; not to say I don’t do the suit and tie thing, but we aren’t traditional in our approach. Our services last about 80 minutes. We understand that our demographic’s attention span is limited. Even so, we’re still (Holy) Spirit-led. We may start the service out with a game (pre-service). Which makes people feel comfortable and have fun. That way, when we ask people to get involved in worship, they’re more apt to do it.
All in all the main goal of these two ministries is to engage people. However, is there a limit to how far one can go to be relevant in church today. Getting people excited with songs of the day and beats that grove is infections to some, but should there be a difference between our songs and the world’s. Is there a set of guidelines that must followed in the house of God. Also, can someone tell me exactly how should churchgoers dress? Can I really wear anything I want to God’s house and it is accepted?
These are questions that these pastors have boldly faced and dared to be different. At the end of the day, it’s about reaching more people and bringing about change. Maybe you agree or disagree with the method, but one thing is true, people today want a living Jesus who is real, helping them to make it through there everyday, ordinary lives.
What is your church like? Is it reaching the people where they are, or do people just come to church as a part of their weekly routine?
Here more from Lester Love and Terrence Johnson along with Gospel Today’s Teresa Hairston live on the Word Network’s Rejoice in the Word with Gregg Davis on November 12, 2010.
If People receive what they need , they will attend Church We as Pastors have to pray and seek the Lord for the wisdom & knowledge to reach the entire family from the youngest to the oldest, from the greatest to the least
I feel that we as a church body have gotten lost in the fact that we do not change as times change. We as a church body try to keep things the same and try to have them work for others as they have worked for us which is not working. The same thing that got grandma out is not the same thing that is going to do the same for me necessarily. With this I feel the church should change with the times but can also link the young with the old by incorporating both types of worship in a worship setting. I have still found it amazing how many churches so not have websites or are streaming online. This makes me wonder are we really trying to go and tell the nations about Jesus or are we saying it is to expensive? Church should be a place where their is conviction and the time spent there should be time that makes one reflect and have to change! I feel that we have gone through the service so many times we are just checking the block instead of changing up are method and allowing it to stay fresh.
Our view of God is so shallow and distorted that we have lost all sense of reverence. Being relevant = being just like the world. I believe it is accurate to say that much of the church has not only adopted a pragmatic philosophy in the effort to reach unbelievers, it has also done this to try to keep those within our churches “entertained.” The predominant message which is being preached today seeks to focus on man, rather than on God. ‘Biblical preachers’ are becoming ‘user friendly’ . . . and taking their cues from us ‘boomers’ and ‘busters’ rather than the excruciating demands of the Bible. The motivation is to try to be “relevant.” That is what has gotten us to where we are today: trying to be relevant. The belief that being relevant is good for Christianity has caused us to draw our eyes off of God, and put them on man. (Taken from Grace Bible Church – Is The Church Today Man-Centered?)
its true, for us to reach out to the unchurched we have to be relevant, but the problem is, most people compromise to get there or most people get lost on the way to being relevant.if we can be relevant and dont compromise then we are headed in the right direction.Big Pastor and may God give you plenty of wisdom to do that.
I believe you can be traditional but relevant and reverent. In my opinion, to be traditional is to be respectful of the way that brought you through. In most cases, when churches abandon traditionalism they are introducing a way that “seems right unto man”. You can be traditional and not religious. To be relevant is to ensure that you take the word as Jesus did and make it applicable to both the church goer and the un-churched. Both teen and mature adult show walk away with an “A HA” moment. The only true way to be relevant today is to be led by the Holy Ghost. To be reverent is to ensure that God is at the center of the worship experience. If the attender of your church, whether first time or multi-time visitor, see God influencing the personality of the pastor/preacher then you will be relevant and reverent.