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Relevant Gospel presentation.

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I have been pastoring for over 40 years and much of that time I have been seeking ways to make the gospel relevant. I don't mean alter the gospel, but seeking methods to make it's presentation more relevant and effective to the people in todays world. The pace of life, rampant materialism and plain old human nature requires an approach suited to it. Any thoughts or ideas?
 
Hello John
With so many people disenchanted with organized Christianity; I think, as Christians, we need to think "outside the box", so to speak. Just inviting people to come to church doesn't seem to be working very well anymore.
I have always believed that the best way to present the Gospel to unbelievers is by actually living the life of an AUTHENTIC Christian. We need to do more than "talk the talk", we need to "walk the walk". I really believe that when we practice what we preach, people will take notice. We need to really show love to people and let them know we care about them. So often, when we get busy with our own lives, we forget this. People who know and feel loved by us, will be more willing to listen to us.
When it comes to witnessing; I think it depends on the individual Christian and the person / people they are trying to reach. What works for one group / person might not work for another. I believe it should be a matter of prayer. God is not willing that any should perish; therefore, we know that He will direct us in the way we should evangelize the lost. God is always faithful ! :)
Blessings,
Fairlight
 
Good question, John; equally good response Fairlight. Here's another idea, up to y'all to figger out whether it's useful or not.

Jesus used parables apropos to the society in which he lived -- agrarian and herding. So His listeners connected with them. What would happen if we did the same?

I'm thinking of sermon titles like:
** God the Capitalist -- who invests in us all, and has a right to the return on His investment, else someday he'll ... quit investing.
** My Selfish God -- who refuses to share His possessions (you and me) with the devil.
** Looters, Moochers, or Producers -- who's gonna be in heaven? Which am I? If not of the right breed, how do I change?
** Helpless Producers -- Why is it so hard for the truly wealthy to get into Heaven? Cause they can't buy their way, and they find it repugnant to accept something for which they cannot pay. What is their response when forced by circumstance to do so? Extreme gratitude evidenced by a life ready and willing to serve. NOT a wishy-washy "Thanks, Dude! Now leave me be,"

Could we teach improved family dynamics by discussing business organizational models (which most folks understand) and how they are found in the Bible describing the home?

Ok, ... they're ideas. :D
 
Cecil,

Love your input on this one! How true and helpful these stories/ice breakers could be to open up lines of communication with the lost. Great topics on which to build truly uplifting, thought provoking and Godly knowledge/sermons to the masses. Not changing the gospel message of course, but as we're discussing here, maybe just the approach. But being prayerfully careful not to water down the gospel, turning it into the " PC version!" ;) Great shared thoughts & insights here.

F.S.
 
In what way could preaching the gospel be irrelevant? What Christ did is so simple you need only basic linguistic skill to communicate the important points and so profound it is relevant and applicable to absolutely everyone who hears it.

It is valid to ask 'how can I communicate this most effectively' but as soon as you implicitly say 'the gospel is irrelevant' you're pretty much guaranteed to change and adulterate it. I suggest starting from scratch and re-assessing the problem from square one, assuming the sufficiency of the gospel rather than assuming it is insufficient.
 
Tlaloc said:
In what way could preaching the gospel be irrelevant? What Christ did is so simple you need only basic linguistic skill to communicate the important points and so profound it is relevant and applicable to absolutely everyone who hears it.

It is valid to ask 'how can I communicate this most effectively' but as soon as you implicitly say 'the gospel is irrelevant' you're pretty much guaranteed to change and adulterate it. I suggest starting from scratch and re-assessing the problem from square one, assuming the sufficiency of the gospel rather than assuming it is insufficient.
Click to expand...

Tlaloc
You completely misunderstood what Pastor Whitten was saying !
I suggest you re-read his message again. He wasn't saying the Gospel was in any way insufficient ! He was asking for opinions and ideas reagarding the most effective ways to witness and evangelize our current generation. His message concerned the issue of "communication"...NOT relevancy.
Blessings,
Fairlight
 
Weather its subconscious or not I know I got his point,

I have been pastoring for over 40 years and much of that time I have been seeking ways to make the gospel relevant.
Click to expand...

If something is naturally relivent you can't make it relivent, and there really isn't anything we can do to make the Gospel more relivent than it already is. In so far as something is not relivent it is not sufficient. I don't intend to be especially harsh but he said what he said, and it at very least shows that he has been thinking about the problem in the wrong way.

I agree with what you said by the way, and as far as the issue is communication you have a good point.
 
Mr. Tlaloc,
Please read the next sentence before writing your book report. "I don't mean alter the gospel, but seeking methods to make it's presentation more relevant and effective to the people in todays world.". Pardon me for not being specific enough in the first sentence. Thank you, my Brother.

John Whitten
 
Hello Pastor Whitten,

Like Fairlight said, I think we need to walk the walk even more so today. Our actions are going to speak louder than our words.

I also think that a good step towards reaching others would be to get to know them. Too often we just go to work, go home, go to church, and visit only fellow friends. What about the neighbor down the street who has a hard time keeping their yard up because of age, or heath? Why not be friendly and offer to do free yard work with the motivation of only being their friend.

Or how about volunteering at a soup kitchen, food bank, Gleaners store, etc...! Loads of people there who are just craving some kind of friendly hand and love.

There are the elderly who would love to have visitors. The young mother who would love to have a free babysitter from time to time. The lonely housewife who would enjoy a cup of coffee with a good friend. How about the teens who could use something to do on summer break!

The possibilities for reaching out are endless! By living our religion around them, by showing them kindness and friendship, and love, I'm sure we could win their hearts for God! :-D

WomanSeekingGod
 
We recently began attending a church about 30 miles away. Been there three times and didn't go this last Sabbath.

Each and every week, since we FIRST walked through their doors, including the week we "missed", we've gotten a brief phone call from one of the elders / deacons (not sure precisely which), asking how we're doing, how the kids (who haven't gone) are doing, if we need anything, how can they help, let 'em know if we do. That is overwhelming (good) and 100% unprecedented in my 49 years of experience in a lot of churches. Something to think on.

As to relevance of the Gospel ... Yes, Tlaloc, the Gospel is ALWAYS relevant, completely. The methods of presentation can use modification from time to time. Ex: "... they shall be white as snow." Snow? If I live in Haiti, how'm I gonna relate to that?

I'm reminded of the story about a missionary to a tribe in New Guinea who was getting nowhere at all until he told how Jesus spit on the ground and made mud and put it on a man's eyes and healed him. All of a sudden the tribe connected, "Oh! Jesus was a spitter! And a great one." It cracked the door for them as their healers did much the same, using muds made with spit.

A member of modern society, say a lifelong resident of The Big Apple, may intellectually understand the agrarian models Jesus used in parables to a point, but not really connect with them, having no similar experiences with agrarian life. The sower went forth to sow...? But give him a story about a diversified portfolio, some of which produced and some of which were duds, and how the portfolio managed / kept / discarded, etc. and he might well connect on that deep "I get it" level.
 
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