Relevance

Is your church relevant? Do you wish for it to be? Do you value that about your church?

Thinking about this recently, my gut reaction was to reject the word, reject the category altogether. I do not even use that category -- relevance -- when thinking about my church. I think, rather, about the care of my soul, the exaltation of and exultation in God, the re-tuning of my heart as I am drawn away from the things of the world and away from myself, toward God himself, by God himself, through what happens in corporate worship.

So I don't like the word 'relevant'. Seems too world-centered.

Looking up this word, the main definition for this context is simply:

      'directly bearing on the matter at hand'.

Now I see the crux. I have been converted, for now I love what is relevant. Now, I wish to be relevant, and I revel in the relevance of my church and my pastor.

For the issue is: What is the matter at hand.