24 comments (+ Add)
Cultural Relevance
Understanding the culture is helpful for a Christian to reach those without Christ. Paul writes in 1 Corinthians 9:22 “To the weak I became weak, to win the weak. I have become all things to all men so that by all possible means I might save some.”
Jesus was the master at communicating God’s truth in a way that people understood. Unfortunately, as committed Christians, we can love Christ without being as effective at showing Him to those who don’t know Him.
Here are some questions we use in our interviews to help us understand how a candidate might relate to people outside the Church.
- What five or six adjectives best describe you?
- What words best describe your ministry style?
- What are the last three books you’ve read?
- What is the last movie you watched?
- How many unbelievers do you have regular contact with?
- Tell us about the last person you personally led to Christ.
Visit 
Very good questions! Thanks for always giving me the means to hold myself accountable. I love they way your posts get me thinking.
“Cultural Relevance” produces mixed thoughts for me. Perhaps because it’s been taken by many to mean “we have to look like the world to reach the world”. I disagree.
The church is called to be separate from the world. I think a church becomes irrelevant the harder it tries to adopt the dominant features of its culture in order to “fit in” or woo the lost into the pews.
I do, however, believe we need to have knowledge of our audience in order to figure out where our conversation leading to the gospel should begin.
Regarding some of the interview questions:
(Re: movies) - do you look to see if they’re up on all the latest flicks (regardless of how filthy they are), or if there’s some sort of standard they hold themselves to in order to remain pure?
(Re: last person led to Christ) - what if someone is witnessing to hundreds every week, but has never actually led anyone (yet) to Christ?
This is a challenging subject. Thanks for bringing it to the table.
I like the idea of asking about movies and pop-culture thigns. I think it’s too easy sometimes (not in all cases) for Pastors to operate behind the fear of seeming like they condone something as opposed to knowing what’s going on. One of my pastors says, “It’s important to know about things that you don’t agree with”. That doesn’t mean that we have to watch porn to stay ‘in the know’ but it does signal that it’s okay to be real and not try to be this ivory tower that doesn’t know anything about culture so that they can make sure that others see them as ‘pure’. Like my parents said, “it’s important to us that you’re innocent, not naive”.
Forgive my own naiveté but I believe that being ‘relevant’ is as simple as love. I may not be very relevant to someone in Thailand on a missions trip - unless I approach the situation and relationship with Love. I’d at best have a cursory understanding of the culture, communication would be difficult, many things would separate us from one another. But love covers over a multitude of sin and I believe that it keeps us relevant.
Maybe I’m way off base, but isn’t showing the love of Jesus relevant in every single situation? Love is timeless, and has no boundaries. Jesus was raised to despise the Samaritans, but when he met that woman at the well - whose story should have been very offensive to him - he met her with love.
I’m struggling with this ‘relevant’ issue that seems to be so pervasive in the church these days. I think perhaps we’re worrying about something that would take care of itself if we just lived life with the love our Lord showed.
FOR EXAMPLE:
Three years ago I was one of those women at the well and the people of my Church met me with love.
The two people who were the most influential in my choosing to follow Jesus were about as conservative a couple as you can ever imagine. They had silvery hair, and had been Christians all their lives. They could quote the bible, wore sweaters, penny loafers, and glasses too! They liked the old style hymns, played on an organ. I’m guessing at first glance no one in the ‘Youthful Church of Today’ would think them relevant. But when I slipped and let fly the ‘truck driver’ language that I was then prone to speak my cursing was met with loving, understanding smiles. I had a child out of wedlock, and when they found out they loved her too!! I was a practicing Buddhist and would spout sayings from the Dhammapada at every opportunity. And those two loving souls would ask me to explain, then answer with loving bible quotes of their own.
I wore black eyeliner and nail polish. They never seemed to notice. I was all about dying – and they were all about life. Every single thing about me at that time should have been offensive to them. But they loved me even though they didn’t have too. And because of that love I’m saved, a new creature in Christ, living in joy, peace and freedom. And my daughter is too.
These two people were FAR from being ‘relevant’ the way that I often hear it described. They didn’t listen to the music I listened too, or watch the movies and TV shows I was watching. They didn’t run in the same circles, and I’m betting they never once in their lives had been in a street fight. But BOY did they love, and that made all the difference.
Holy crap, I just realized I’m back-talking pastor Craig Groeschel. That’s a big old OOPS! *blush* While my opinion doesn’t change,
I just wanted to say that I’m loving the “One Prayer” series that we’re following here at our Church! good stuff! this isn’t butt kissing either! 
Mike, These words “cultural relevance” cause me to pause as well. I do think they are still important (although they have taken on a broader meaning to some than what I’m implying.)
You asked, “(Re: movies) - do you look to see if they’re up on all the latest flicks (regardless of how filthy they are), or if there’s some sort of standard they hold themselves to in order to remain pure?
(Re: last person led to Christ) - what if someone is witnessing to hundreds every week, but has never actually led anyone (yet) to Christ?”
On the movies, this question can lead to a lot of other discussions. It is really a lead-in question that can open doors to a lot of understanding about a person.
You also asked about witnessing. If a person has shared their faith with a bunch of people and no one responded positively, I would want to know more as to why not. Their answer might be a good one or they might have a very odd way of sharing Christ.
Cindy, I like the way you connected relevance and love. BTW, if that is back-talking, you can back-talk all you want.
Love your work CindyK …you know what i reckon it comes down to? Lack of that Christian “virtue”…judgement. They didn’t judge you. They offered you grace-giving acceptance (to borrow the words of John Burke) when you expected rejection. Such a powerful testimony! Thanks for sharing!
I think “cultural relevance” is all about speaking the Truth to a world that doesnt believe in absolutes. The Word of God is applicable to all situations and the life we are called to live as followers of Christ should allow us to do the same. CindyK’s testimony above is proof that when we really live like Jesus commands we can cross any barrier in meeting people’s need and introducing them to Jesus… Be real, live it real, surrender daily to God and watch Him use us for His glory!
Hey Craig,
I just wanted to tell you thanks for the sessions at
Catalyst One Day in Dallas. It was awesome.
It was my first conference, i work with the youth at my church.
Thanks!
I agree that the words “cultural relevance” can be taken way out of the realm of what some pastors may mean. I havent used it too much. However, we will do everything short of sin to win people to Christ. I just pray that some pastors dont cross the line.
Ooh! I know! Have them bring the last person they personally led to Christ to the interview with them! What? Is that asking 2MI? (grin)
C-Unit… great post. i have found when i ask someone “do you hate church”, they duck and say… kinda… which brings us to an introduction of Jesus. and his flavor that consumes me.
u got me thinkin…. thx. brah
Culturally relevant is a term that seems difficult at best. These days being CR means that you hang out at Starbucks, read Driscoll, McManus and Piper, enjoy the latest techy gadgets and live in some trendy, perpetual affluent state of youth.
I’m not saying that’s what you guys are after or that it’s wrong. But I see a lot of guys leave seminary headed for pastorates with a fixation on a wrong notion of what it will mean to be culturally relevant. To be CR where I went to high school would mean drinking your coffee at home, throwing hay with the guys and learning to shoot stuff, clean and eat it while ministering to people who don’t go to movies or know what’s playing on the radio or know what an app is. Instead we try to impose “real culture” on them by being trendy, then criticize them for being backwoods.
I guess what I’m saying is that your questions are good ones, IF that’s your ministry setting. I appreciate this post because it has helped me think through whether I’m being culturally relevant to the people God has called me to. I wonder if too often the gospel we (I) preach doesn’t have the hidden agenda of calling people to adopt our ideas of what real culture is.
I think Jesus demonstrated his take on “relevance” vs. being “in the world and not of it” when He took His meals with the sinners, tax collectors, lepers, and Samaritans. He reached out to any and all who were disenfranchised from “acceptable” society. Should we do any less? I’m not advocating participating in sin in order to reach the sinner; Jesus never did this. But to “become all things to all men” means partaking in a freedom from condemnation that allows others to feel accepted when they are around you. Blessings, Mary
Is it saying something about me, that while these questions are really good I would rather answer, “Who has the Holy Spirit brought to salvation using you?” Instead of ‘Tell us about the last person you personally led to Christ.’ Does this desire to edit the question mark me as a Hyper something or other? I’m really asking, no offence meant.
[...] An interesting blogpost from LifeChurch.tv by Craig [...]
So, Craig? What is the last movie you saw? And, what were the last three books you read? Just curious.
And don’t we walk a fine line between cultural relevance and cultural integration? By integration, I mean adopting the culture as our own, and the adapting our core values to reflect the culture. To be culturally relevant is to be “in the world,” but to culturally integrated is to be “of the world.” Just a random thought, but would be interested in your thoughts.
Great distinction, Lynn.
Hey Craig,
just dropping a line to say I’m loving your blog - keep up the great work mate.
Tim
Sydney, Australia
Cindy, that was beautiful. Thank you for the “back-talk”.
[...] I had a unique thought the other morning. It was spurred by a post Craig Groeschel wrote about cultural relevance. It’s a good post, and at the end he asked a series of questions. The last one [...]
good stuff- I think many of us in main stream Christianity are more defensive than we are liberated (Gal 5:1) in the real deal- a relationship that lives and breathes Jesus in, to and through us. If anything, cultural relevance necessitates a fresh approach that gets beyond 4 or 5 step programs that can bypass the process and relational aspect of evangelism that leads to salvation in cooperation with His Spirit.