I used to obsess over being relevant. My days were spent thinking how my church or my ministry could keep up with all the cool trends. Now that I’m older there’s no way for me to keep up with all the cool trends. Now my relevance comes from something more than cool trends. I think the Western church needs to think the same way when it comes to being relevant in the 21st century.
Contrary to popular belief the cool church down the street is not the most relevant. All the bells and whistles are no match with what the world has to offer. Skinny jeans and lattes are not what makes you relevant. It just makes you the same.
The churrches who are most relevant in the 21st century are going to be more diverse and younger. To stay relevant the Western church needs to look to our brothers and sisters in Africa, Asia, and Latin America.
We need to realize the world is flat and the South is the most Christian. Why is the church in the global south and east growing like wildfire? What can we learn from them? How are they relevant in their context? Because when we figure out how they are connecting with their audience we may have a key to connecting with ours.
Besides it’s the ethnic churches in United States who are experiencing the most growth. It’s not necessarily the mega churches either. There are hundreds of smaller churches being started by ethnic immigrants from Nigeria, Korea, and Mexico. How are they being relevant to their people?
We also need to realize the church is missing a whole age demographic. In the Western world the younger you are the less the church is a priority. How do you reach a generation who now sees church as an option and not a societal expectation? How do you reach a generation who doesn’t have the same moral compass?
In order to stay relevant in the 21st century churches need to focus on the young. This is the sweet spot. By focusing on the young you focus on the present and the future of the local church.
But reaching the young isn’t just about having cool music. It’s about meeting the needs of the young and inviting them into a community of acceptance. We cannot compete with the entertainment industry. The dollars are stacked against us.
The church can offer something more. Something genuine and real. The church can love. And most young people are looking for a community where they can experience sincere love and acceptance.
So trying to be “cooler” is not going to make you relevant. Relevance is so much more than outward things. Trivial things. It’s about meeting needs.
If we look to the global church we can see how they meet needs and are relevant to their specific cultural context. If we look to the youth around us we can see how to meet their needs. And hopefully we can move forward with Jesus’ mission in the 21st century.