Relevancy or Anointing?

I am a firm advocate of "relevancy" when it comes to church and ministry. In order for our ministry to be the most effective, there must be a keen sense of relevancy to those we desire to target. Relevancy is a crucial tool in hitting the target we set.

However, relevancy can never replace the presence and power of the Holy Spirit. In so many cases God's precious and powerful Spirit is relegated to the position of a hopeful bi-product of relevancy. What I mean is, if our methods are the newest, latest, and of course what other successful churches are doing...then...that must be what God is doing. That must be the Spirit, right?

Relevancy is often mistaken for the presence and power of God's Spirit. "If it's working for them, it must be God. So let us do it." The problem with this is God may want to do something totally different at your church or ministry! And to know what this is, church leadership must be the first ones to get before God and seek Him earnestly! Don't observe the fruit of another's prayers and assume that's exactly what God has in store for you! Seek Him. Hear from Him.

The effort to get the "unchurched" into the local house of God is a noble one. But being relevant to them without the presence of the Spirit doesn't mean they will stay, let alone their lives changed. There may be a good show, with the best of talent...even professional. But again, people will never be changed in the absence of the Holy Spirit. When folks are genuinely touched by God's Spirit, and genuinely changed...they will come back. They will also bring others. The relevancy of the Holy Spirit cannot be manufactured or duplicated. He simply must be there!

My Post is not to criticize churches and ministries who are cutting-edge in their methods. You must be relevant. Our methods can be up-to-date in order to connect with people. But our methods and procedures, cutting-edge or not, must be born of the Holy Spirit. And He must be there. No one can be more relevant that the Holy Spirit. He knows everything about us. He knows our hearts. We need to get that! Without His presence there really is no relevancy. We need His presence - not in name alone - but in presence and power! Relevancy without the presence of the Spirit will eventually turn to stale religious tradition. 

If your church is "trying something new" every year or so, the truth is the church leadership is not praying and needs to. Changing to something new is not bad. But when the Spirit brings about the change, lives are changed. That's the fruit of Holy Spirit relevancy!

In my humble opinion relevancy is far less important that His presence. It's a lot easier too! Therefore God's Spirit is more than enough.

LIFE'S ULTIMATE PRIVILEGE

This book unlocks a glorious new perspective-- and God glorifying perspective that can give life full meaning and enlarge one's narrow universe a per-spective that will surely strengthen and sustain the human spirit for real fruitfulness even amid adversity.