Comments on: Redeem the Day: Journey Towards Relevance

By: Chris

Chris — Wed, 31 Dec 1969 16:00:00 +0000

Justin, it’s good to be back in the blogging neighborhood. I’ve been away for a bit, but I’m glad I came back today.

I appreciate your post. We must continue to evaluate what we mean by relevant. If it is becoming more like “the world”, then is that relevance or compromise? I truly believe that if we listen for God’s heartbeat, then He will make us relevant in a way that will point to Him, not our clothes or our music…

I look forward to reading more.

By: Geoff Holsclaw

Geoff Holsclaw — Wed, 31 Dec 1969 16:00:00 +0000

is “conformist; separatist; transformist” similar to the distinctions that H.R. Niebuhr makes in “Christ and Culture” about “of culture; against culture; transform culture”?

In Niebuhr’s system, their is no really role for ecclesial activity as its own politic, just that of individuals. is this guy saying something different?

By: Justin Baeder

Justin Baeder — Wed, 31 Dec 1969 16:00:00 +0000

I’m not sure…I’ll let Kary field that one.

By: Kary Oberbrunner

Kary Oberbrunner — Wed, 31 Dec 1969 16:00:00 +0000

Geoff,

To be honest I have never fully read “Christ and Culture”. However, I am somewhat familiar with his 5 models of Christ and culture. Intentionally, I chose not to fully read his book prior to writing my own. You might call that choice stupidity, you may call it wisdom. I am not sure at the moment which one it is. Only time will tell.

Your question reads: “In Niebuhr’s system, there is no real role for ecclesial activity as its own politic, just that of individuals. is this guy saying something different?”.

If I break this down into layman’s terms, I believe you are asking, Is there a role for Church activity as its own governing and ruling entity.

Now that I have broken that sentence down, I am not quite sure what you are asking. Could you please define your question?

My book addresses two camps (the separatists and the conformists) that have become unbalanced and therefore irrelevant. Unbalanced in what? Irrelevant in what?

Media often presents two pictures of Christians.

#1 Christians boycott everything. They can never enjoy anything in culture. They are resurrected Pharisees.

#2 Christians are just like the world. They are hypocrites. They are the ones sitting on the barstool next to them getting drunk.

Neither Christian transforms anything. My book is a fresh view of a struggle that plagues each one of us. These camps have plagued humanity since the beginning of time. It presents a model that is simple to understand (and like anything, tough to live out).

It gives a solid Biblical definition of what RELEVANT truly means. It invites the reader to take the Journey Towards Relevance. Hope this helps. Let me know if it doesn’t.

Kary