Sometimes I stand in awe of how Christians cause Christianity to become irrelevant.  I am not speaking about the language we use when we preach or even the types of programs we have at church.  We have somehow become convinced that if the church is not a certain way, then we will not be “relevant”.

I would like to propose a different view and it has to do with something beyond the church.  As Christians, we are the church.  We are a representative of Christ to this world.  Wouldn’t you say that it is more important to be relevant as an individual and then maybe the church would have more credibility in this world?

The word relevant is over-used.  Relevant is defined as : having significant and demonstrable bearing on the matter at hand; affording evidence tending to prove or disprove the matter at issue or under discussion.  We make the church relevant, when we as believers give evidence of Christ working in our lives. 

Relevance is not the songs we sing or the style of service we have at church.  Relevance is living for Christ and displaying to the world that we can be in the world and not of it.  Relevance is purity in an impure world.  Friends, being relevant is being different, not more like the world.  I know some say we must appeal to the people.  We must appeal to the sinner and I agree.  When I came to Christ, however, I didn’t expect the church to become like me, I wanted to become like them.  I wanted to change.  Relevance is not making salvation more comfortable.  Relevance is living like Jesus lived.

Recently, when we were in Oklahoma City, Hannah and I took a walk across a foot bridge.  When we got to the other side, we went down some steps and I saw the classic example of a Christian becoming irrelevant to this world.  It was Christian Graffiti.  It was a painting on the sidewalk that posed the question, WWJD?  What would Jesus do?  Perhaps the graffiti artist should have asked themselves that question before they spray painted.  Jesus wouldn’t deface property with Christian Graffiti. 

Irrelevance is proclaiming to be a Christian and cussing like a sailor.  It is wearing a Christian T-shirt and being rude to your cashier.  It is leaving a tract for your waitress with a worthless tip.  Irrelevance is speeding down the road with a Christian bumper sticker on your car.  Do you get the point?  We must be relevant by living like Jesus would.  Then maybe the world would find the church worth something. 

Read this article on the Between World’s Blog today.  It gives some helpful insight into how to regulate our time in front of the television.  Thought this might be helpful for those who need some guidelines for their home.

From Between Worlds Blog

Randy Alcorn has some helpful thoughts about taking charge of the television. You do not have to agree with all of it to benefit from his advice. Here are his points (but click through to read his reasons):

1. Keep track of how much time you spend watching.
2. Decide in advance how much TV to watch per week.
3. Use a schedule to choose programs for the week–then stick to your choices.
4. Keep your television unplugged, store it in a closet, and/or put it in a remote part of the house (prevents mindless flip-on).
5. Periodically "fast" from television for a week or a month. Notice the "cold turkey" effects. (Avoids addiction, reminds you of all that can be done when TV off).
6. Choose programs that uplift rather than undermine biblical values.
7. Use the "off" switch freely. If it’s wrong and you keep watching, you’re saying "I approve." (Unless it doesn’t present temptation and you’re critically analyzing it).
8. Use the channel changer frequently.
9. Watch and discuss programs together as a family–to avoid passivity and develop active moral discernment through interaction. (Avoid the second TV set that splits the family and leaves children unsupervised).
10. Don’t allow young children to choose their own programs–that’s the parent’s responsibility.
11. Don’t use television as a baby sitter.
12. Spend an hour reading Scripture, a Christian book or magazine, or doing a ministry for each hour you watch TV.
13. Consider dropping cable, Showtime, HBO, or any other service that you determine is importing ungodliness or temptation into your home.
14. If you find you can’t control it–or you’re tired of the battle–get rid of your television.

We have been working on my office for a couple of months now.  We expanded the size by tearing out a wall and making 2 rooms into 1.  Needless to say, the new office is roomy.  I am well pleased with the way it turned out and appreciate all the workers who made it possible.

Today, I finished the bookcases and that is the final leg of the project.  I am glad it is done!

It has been a busy couple of weeks.  Especially since getting back from vacation.  Lots of mail and other things to sort through.  Too much to do and not enough time to do it.

Yesterday, I put together new bookshelves and moved them in the office.  I had to hurry home to clean up for our Light For The Lost Banquet last night, so I had no time to clean up my office yesterday.  When I came in this morning, it was a mess.  You couldn’t see the bottom of my desk.  It was buried with mail, junk, files, junk, books, and junk.

This afternoon, I cleaned house.  I sorted through everything and now, the once buried desk, is now clean.  What a feeling!

Life is often like a desk that is buried with stuff.  We try to make headway, but things continue to be piled on.  Before we know it we are buried under.  Pressures weigh us down.  Hardships surround us until we feel like we can’t make it anymore.  That is when Jesus comes along and begins to pull the stuff away.  He begins to lift the burdens and to help us see the light at the end of the tunnel.

When life gets too hard and you feel buried under, remember Jesus was once buried but now He is alive and well.

If Christians had ever been brave enough to make Christ alive, nobody would now be saying that Christianity is dead.

— Winifred Kirkland

Part of our vacation was spent at Oklahoma City.  We enjoyed the sights of the Riverwalk through Oklahoma City.  By far it is one of the most beautiful downtowns I have been to.  We enjoyed eating at Zio’s Italian which overlooks the Riverwalk and then the river wraps around to Bass Pro Shops.  It doesn’t get any better than that.

Last week, we went to Bass Pro Shops in Oklahoma City.  We were looking at the boats just for fun, that is not in the budget for our household.  However, Bass Pro Shops provided us with the answer to our dilemma.  See Picture Below:

If she only knew:)