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BEYOND RELEVANCE MUSINGS ON CHURCH, STRATEGY, AND CULTURE

BY RICHARD REISING

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RT @DailyKeller: “It is not the strength of your faith but the object of your faith that actually saves you.” Tue Jun 16 03:14:27 +0000 2015

RT @DailyKeller: “Truth without love is harshness; it may be right but you ignore it because of it's bite. Truth and love together transfor… Thu Apr 09 13:12:00 +0000 2015

RT @DailyKeller: Love is never primarily defined in the Bible as a feeling. At its foundation love is at least a commitment and a promise. Fri Mar 27 19:12:01 +0000 2015

RT @CSLewisDaily: “#Christianity, if false, is of no importance, and if true, of infinite importance, the only thing it cannot be is modera… Tue Nov 11 03:47:45 +0000 2014

First 5k ever. First selfie without my daughter. :) #secondrunselfie http://t.co/TNe5SK6w9q Sat Nov 01 15:25:31 +0000 2014

RT @DailyKeller: “Anxiety is a daily statement to God saying, ‘I don’t think you have my best interest in mind’.” Thu Oct 09 14:01:58 +0000 2014

RT @timkellernyc: The heart of the gospel is the cross, and the cross is all about giving up power. Wed Sep 17 00:58:27 +0000 2014

RT @CSLewisDaily: "I don’t believe that good work is ever done in a hurry." ~ The C. S. Lewis Bible Sat Sep 13 12:57:25 +0000 2014

RT @mattedmundson: Our captivity to teach should never take precedent over our capacity to learn. #traidcraftAGM14 Sat Sep 13 12:57:04 +0000 2014

RT @DailyKeller: “You don't fall into love. You commit to it. Love is saying I will be there no matter what.” Sat Sep 13 12:56:38 +0000 2014

Very excited to be asked to speak this coming Wednesday on "Marketing God's Way" at Gateway Church http://t.co/PVKc31cGWB Sat Sep 13 12:55:03 +0000 2014

RT @CSLewisDaily: I believe in Christianity as I believe that the sun has risen: not only because I see it, but because by it I see everyth… Fri Sep 12 00:41:41 +0000 2014

RT @DailyKeller: “If you don’t preach like there are lost people present, there won’t ever be any.” Mon Aug 18 05:06:29 +0000 2014

RT @timkellernyc: Jonah stands as a warning that human hearts never change quickly or easily even when someone is being mentored directly b… Sat Aug 16 02:19:46 +0000 2014

RT @DailyKeller: “Putting our faith in Christ is not about trying harder; it means transferring our trust away from ourselves and resting i… Sat Aug 16 02:17:19 +0000 2014

In life, there are people you can count on to DO THINGS & people you can count on to GET THINGS DONE—how exactly do you describe the rest? Thu Jul 03 03:07:02 +0000 2014

Excited to share some unique principles on Kingdom Influence next week. Visit if you can. Gateway Church: http://t.co/hlsoLtg05i Fri Mar 28 18:54:21 +0000 2014

The Video: Real Men Love Java

Nov 17 4:30 PM

You’ll notice that there are some great bumper stickers in our video, What If Starbucks Marketed Like the Church?. “Real Men Love Java,” “Think this coffee’s hot??” and of course the Starbucks logo eating the Juan Valdez logo. Now, this was not meant to be a cheap shot at all Christian bumper stickers, as bumper stickers are not the issue when it comes down to it. We specifically chose bumper stickers that had a combative undertone. Of all of the props we used, we admit this is the one that any given church has the least control over (except in our video, where they were sold inside on the bookshelf). It can, however, reflect your church's culture or tone towards people who do not think the way you do.

Most of these bumper stickers started out as great inside jokes between Christians. We laughed about them and made them into bumper stickers but maybe never really tried them out through one-on-one situations in personal evangelism. I mean, can you imagine? Someone at the gas station goes up to the person at the next pump and says, "Real men love Jesus. Are you a real man?" It might work, but I doubt it’s the most strategic and effective opening line.

While I fully believe that Christ portrayed the ultimate man, I’m wondering how many non-believers on the highway today fell to their knees seeking manhood after reading "Real Men Love Jesus" on the car in front of them. Jesus is awesome. He doesn’t need us telling non-believers they aren’t "real men." Knowing scripturally that only God knows our heart and that "man looks on the outside" (1 Sam 16:7), I just wonder what we are showing unspiritual people about what God is like. The chances are, my only reaction as a non-believer would be to close myself off even further. You might as well drive by and yell to someone at a stoplight, "You're not a real man!" and then drive off. If you have 10 seconds to say something to someone with your car, is that what you want to tell them?

"Think this Texas heat is hot? Wait till you get to hell." This is along the lines of "Get saved or get microwaved." It might sound cute when we say it among believers, but would you ever kick off an evangelistic effort with this door-to-door opening line? Oh yes, and we are not the biggest Darwin fans, but does our fish have to eat his fish? I'm not saying it doesn’t work—just that combative evangelism is not necessarily the best way to open hearts. I assume most of the church world gets this, but let’s be aware of our need to develop a culture that loves people into the knowledge of God. Remember, it is "His goodness (kindness and patience) that leads us to repentance" (Romans 2:4).