Kent joseph . Joseph cmon, do we really wanna talk about church over lunch . Kent well, its the target of the clients xt campaign. Hed like to see the day when the church is irrelevant. Male good luck there. Everybody goes to church. Well, almost everybody. Joseph hey, i congregate with others on sundays. I sit under a steeple. I give moneyto the racetrack. Hey, janet and the kids go to church but sundays are the only day that i have to have a little fun. Besides, church is for women. Male thanks a lot. Kent most people think that church is the moral compass of society. Church is the foundation of an honorable culture. Joseph so you go to church . Kent no, but i should. Anyway, i just read that fewer people are going to churches on sundays than ever before. Joseph cause theyre all at the racetrack with me. Male well, this campaign should be a breeze, right . Vincent you know, you just may have something ent he may be right. Vincent its a different kind of steeple but it could work. Joseph well, what could work . Kent we take the shame out of not attending church. We position the church as just another social option for the weekend. Vincent we show a racetrack with the tagline, steeple chasing. Kent then copy reads, people congregate other places on sundays and theyre not betting on eternity. So, cmon, live a little in the winners circle. Male its wrong. Kent but it works. Male im sorry, but well never see the day when Church Becomes insignificant in our society. [music] announcer and now here is the host of turning point, dr. David jeremiah. A 2000yearold question. Has the church of jesus christ become irrelevant . Youre watching a series of messages called, i never thought id see the day culture at the crossroads. Trust, me, i never thought id see the day when the church was viewed as irrelevant by so many, including many christians. Even people who profess to be christians are no longer totally convinced of the churchs relevance. Lets face it, people attend church for lots of different reasons, and the title of todays message, i never thought id see the day when the church would be irrelevant, suggests that many people are looking for a religious experience outside of the church. However, i believe the church is very relevant and ill explain why on todays edition of turning point. Announcer dr. David jeremiah explains how our culture collides with the bible in his book i never thought id see the day culture at the crossroads. Carefully examines nine cultural shifts he never imagined he would witness in his lifetime and explains how we, as christians, should respond tour changing society. Receive this much needed timely study as a thank you from dr. Jeremiah when you give a gift of any amount in support of this program. If your donation totals 60 or more, dr. Jeremiah will send you the i nev thought id see the day study set which contains i never thought id see the day paperback book; dr. Jeremiahs complete Teaching Series on dvd including the account miniseries, plus two messages not seen in this television airing; and a correlating study guide. This program is soly supported by viewers like you. Dr. Jeremiah will send you these resources in appreciation when you give to the ministry of turning point today. [music] david the issue today with most people that the church has become irrelevant. That the church has nothing to say to the world in which it exists. That the world cares nothing about the church because they perceive that the church cares nothing about the needs of the world. Now, we have some responsibility in that regard and i agree with my friend, chuck swindoll, who wrote a book called the church awakening. And in this book, he kind of vented his spleen about some of the things that have happened in the church in recent years. One ofhe paragraphs in his book, he says, we live in a time with a lot of technology and media. We can create things virtually that look real. We have hightech gadgets that were not available to previous generations. And we have learned that if we can attract a lot of people to church if we use these things, itll work. I began to see that happening about 20 years ago, said swindoll. It troubled me then, and its enormously troubli to me now of an entertainment mentality leads to biblical ignorance. Some time ago a group of Church Leaders decided that they didnt want to be hated, so they focused just on attracting more and more people. But if were here to offer something the world cant provide, why would we copy the world to do it . Martyn lloydjones said it this way, when the church is absolutely different from the world, she invariably attracts it. It is then that the world is made to listen to her message. So if the church is being ignored and considered irrelevant because we preach the message of jesus christ and him crucified, so be it. But if we are deemed irrelevant because we arent playing the worlds game nearly as well as the world does, then thats a tragedy. If were gonna be attacked or ignored by the world, let it be for turning the world upside down not because were just trying to be like the world around us. Somebody has said, theres so much church in the world and so much world in the church you cant tell the difference between the two anymore. So were here today to talk about why we have church. And i wanna start by talking and discussing the reality of the church because i wanna make sure were all on the same page. What is the church . Often, people confuse the church, big letter c, with the church, little letter c. Big letter c represents the Universal Church; little letter c represents the Church Building or the local assembly of the church. Now, let me explain what i mean. The bible says that when we become christians, as soon as we accept christ as our savior, we become immediately part of the church of jesus christ. Its called the Universal Church because it is not bound by the boundaries of nations everywhere in the entire world where people have accepted christ as their savior, they immediately become a part of the body of christ, which is big letter c, the Universal Church. We used to call the Universal Church the invisible church but then people thought we were talking about wednesday night and so we dont do that anymore. In the new testament, the word for church is a word which refers to the assembly of people. Actually, its a wormade up of two greek words ek, which is out of and kaleo, which is to call. So the word church means to call out of, in other words, ekklesia, to call together. The church is a calling together of gods people. And the new testament writers use the term church 114 times. It is interesting, it always refers to people. Not 1 time, not 1 of the 114 times, does it refer you see, when we talk about church today, we talk about a building. When somebody said to you, what are you going to do today . And you said, i am going to church. Thats true, you came to the Church Building, little letter c. Unfortunately, wt happens is sometimes our buildings and our facilities and our equipment becomes to us the church when it is only meant to house the church. Church buildings are places where gods people meet to be encouraged and equipped and to be ready to go out and serve him, but the real church is not here. The real church is out there. And thank you for being salt and light in this community and being the church of jes christ, discussing the reality of the church. Remember, the church, big c, is the Universal Church, little c is the local assembly, often referred to in the building. Discussing the reality of the church is followed by determining the relevancy of the church. Agn, who needs the church . People today are doubting the importance of the church. Why go to church . I have a whole spate of books in my office that have titles that ask that question. Heres one quitting the church, life after church, so you dont want to go to church anymore . They liked jesus but not the church, and the American Church in crisis. The irrelevance of the church has become a very relevant topic among christians and nonchristians alike. Now, when i read from history how the Christian Church was described in the ear years and this is not a good old days story, this is just going back to the early days of the churc its evident that they were having an impact in their culture tt somehow we have gotten away from. Christianity in the beginning was a salt and Light Ministry that created a huge difference of transformation if you went into a city and there was some semblance of civilization there, and there was a semblance of goodwill there, if you looked around, normally you would end up finding a church, a group of christians. Recently, we had one of our missionaries telling us the story of a place where they went where there was no language, where there was no bible, and where the culture was primitive. In fact, had recently finished being so primitive that they were eating one another. They were cannibals. This couple went there and they created a language for these people. They had no written language. They had nothing to memorialize the sounds. And th listened and they got em and they found a way to write it. They created the whole alphabet for the language. They created the whole language itself. And then, taking the new nguage, they translated portions of the new testament. First of all, some of the key stories from the new testament and, ultimately, the entire new testament. Now, watch this. Theyrwriting out of a language that did not exist befo they went there. They taught them the new testament d the natives began to understand the gospel and become christians. Where there had been no culture, where there had been no civility, where there had been no language, all of a sudden, churches began to pop up all around, and now, if you go back there, its like walking into an oldtime village with concern and care and medicine and hope and help and godliness. The church of jesus christ made a difference. That story has been told in church over and over again in albania, in russia, in other places where the gospel has made a difference. And friends, i wanna tell you, the gospel is supposed to make difference wherever it goes. James Russell Lowell was a harvardtrained lawyer who established his place in American History he was at a banquet where they were ripping christianity to shreds, just criticizing christianity, and especially its missionary endeavor like i have just described. James Russell Lowell stood up and sa these words, i challenge any skeptic to find a 10 square mile spot on this planet where they can live lives in peace and safety and decency, where womanhood is honored, where infancy and old age are revered, where they can educate their childr, where the gospel of jesus christ has not gone first to prepare the way. Ladies and gentlemen, the gospel doesnt just change our hearts imperceptibly, it changes our hearts, it changes our lives, and it begins to change our families and then it changes our culture. The gospelf jesus christ is the most powerful, transformational agent there is in the world. Of the gospel. And when we do the gosl the way the word of god tells us to do so, we make a differen in our community. Unfortunately, biblical christianity is not preached from every pulpit in our land anymore. As a result, america is losing r spiritual way, and it is due in no small part to the fact that the church has lost her way. I firmly believe that as goes the churches, so go the nation. Well, ive discussed the reality of the church and ive determined the relevancy of the church. I wanna finish up by defining the role of the church. And im gonna do it quickly and do iin a summary fashion because i think theres value in seeing all of this in a very shorspan of time and being reminded that while the church is a very complex ganization, its values and core purposes, its dna, is very, very simple. Perhaps we stumble lets begin by asking this question, what is the purpose of the church . The purpose of the church is to glorify god. The purpose of the church is to glorify god. Say that with me. The purpose of the church is to glorify god. That may come as a surprise because you very rarely hear that. But were here primarily, first and foremost, to bring glory to almighty god. Now, no one really knows for sure when a builder or architect decided to put a steeple on a church. What we do know is the practice goes back at least 1,400 years. A steeple manufacturer whose company manufactured the worlds tallest steeple, which is 229 feet, and its atop the First Baptist church of huntsville, alabama, which is right next door to the hospital where i had knees replaced. Theres a little sign in the church that talks about the importance and heres what it says, a steeple points people to heaven. Through city streets, across the valleys through the countryside far and wide, the steeple declares jesus christ. And the picture is that here in this town, the tallest spire in the structures of the town is the church with its finger pointing straight to heaven and saying, its about him. Its about him. In fact, theres another thing about a steeple that you should know. A steeple ts smaller as it gets closer to heaven, which is what happens to all of us when we really get to know the lord, isnt it . The closer we get to him, the more we realize what a wonderful thing it is that he should care for such a one as i. So every time you see a steeple, you should remember that the lesson of the steeple is that the churchs purpose is to what . To glorify god. Sometimes when ive been in church services, ive sensed in my spirit something didnt feel right. I wasnt sure then what it was, but as i look back over my shoulder now and review se of those moments, i think at least some of them were the sense that in my own heart what was happening wasnt bringing glory to god. My friends, we ought to look atverything we do through that lens, shouldnt we . Does this bring glory to the god that i love and that i serve . Does this honor the creator who gave me life and the savior who gave me salvation . Does it honor god . For the purposof the church is to bring honor to the lord. When you read the book of acts, and the discussion of the early church, its always in the narrative that they brought glory to god. Secondly, whats the priority of the church . The priority of the church is the Great Commission. And what is the Great Commission . The Great Commission is to go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature. God left us here with a message and that message is the gospel of jesus christ. Is not a stepping stone to something greater. It is the greatest. And the gospel of jesus christ is what this lost world desperately needs in this decadent age. And where is it to come from . Its supposed to come from the church, not little letter c but big letter c. Were to be out into the culture as salt and light and were to constantly be telling people that jesus christ has come to pay the penalty for their sin, that god loves them, that christ died for them, and theres a way to heaven that is through him. And it is only through the gospel that we see gods love and his justice. It is the gospel which is the strangest thing that people hear, what you cant get out ofhe culture of the world, which in many ways is counterintuitive. It is that gospel that the world needs and, as weve already illustrated, when the gospel is set free in a culture, no matter where that culture is, the gospel of jesus christ makes all the difference in the world. If were to be a Relevant Church in this culture, we must first of all remember that were here to glorify god but, secondly, we must not forget that our purpose is to be a vehicle by which men and women come to know this savior that has come to mean so much to us. So we need to always be about evangelism. We need to always be about outreach. We need to always be about reaching into a community with the message of jesus christ and, yes, use every creative method that we can. But make sure its the gospel. One of the confrontative things about all of this is were talking about big c. You see, big c is people, big c is you and me, big c is the church scattered. And so im gonna be a little uncomfortable. This is one of those moments where youre gonna say, i wish youd have left me alone. But let me just tell you churches gathered dont share the gospel. Individual christians share the gospel and individual christians make up the church. And sometimes we say, well, i go to the church and they preach the gospel and they share the gospel and people come to christ, and thats true. But people usually come to christ primarily because somebody has talked to them personally about their need of god. So heres the question that makes all of us uncomfortable. How long has it been since you shared your faith . And how long has it been since you tried . You see, we cannot be the church, a cutting edge, Relevant Church, without the priority of the Great Commission. But that priority is resident in every Single Person who comes here. When we become men and women on fire with the gospel on our lips, we become the church god created us to be. Then theres one last thing. I told you there were three. The message of the gospel, and the great commandment. Did you know theres a Great Commission and theres a great commandment . The great commandment is found in matthew 22 where we read that were to love the lord our god and mind. And the second part of it is and were to love our neighbor as ourself. The bible tells us that were to be men and women of compassion for people all around us. Let me set you straight on this. Not just christian people, but people. Pele of any kind and sort god created and we are to be the meage of gods love to this community. Did you know that when ware criticized by the people who criticize the church, they can often criticize us for our incorrectness, they can criticize us for the fact that we arent always as consistent as we ought to be. But when we are doing acts of kindness and compassion to those around us, it shuts the mouths of the critic. They dont knowhat to do with that. From 1 peter chapter 2, having your conduct honorable among the gentiles, that when they speak against you as evildoers, they may, by your good works which they behold, glorify god. Thats what god has called us to do. Not only to bring glory to god and to share t message of the gospel, but to love the people in our community in his name because the old adage is true, people do not care how much you know until they know how much you care. If were gonna be the church in this world that is filled with hurt, god has to help us have compassion for those around us who need what we alone cant provide. So there it is the three things that make the Church Relevant today. Theyre not historically different than what weve learned in the past. It is the glory of god, the message of the gospel, and the compassion of the great commandme. I kind of like those motions. A childrens choir but do those with me, will you . The glory of god. The Great Commission. And the great commandment. To love one another. My friends, here is the dna of a Relevant Church. It is simple but it is also profound. The church of jesus christ runs on three tracks the glory of god, the Great Commission, and the great commandment. When we do those things, this church will never be irrelevant, no matter how long the lord tarries or how long the church is here. But we must always be on guard that these things do not slip to the perimeter of what we do, but they always stay at the center. We must not let the things of the world pour us into its mold so that the things we do to do church become church. The church must always be about these priorities and that is my prayer, to always be salt and light in the community to which hes placed us. David if you have been watching our turning point telecasts for very long, youve heard me encourage you to be vitally involved in a local church in your community. Besides the family, theres no more important social institution on earth than the local church. And i trust you are strengthening a church in your community by yr active involvement. While we grow spiritually by attending a strong church, we also grow through our individual efforts. And to help you connect faithfully with jesus christ every day, have two turning Point Resources i would love to send you free of charge. One is a booklet called your greatest turning point and the other is our monthly devotional magazine called turning points. Well gladly maksure you receive both of these all you have to do is contact us today. Announcer dr. David jeremiah explains how our culture collides with the bible in his book i never thought id see the day culture at the crossroads. Inside, dr. Jeremi carefully examines nine cultural shifts he never imagined he would witness in his lifetime including marriage becoming obsolete, the bible being marginalized, america turning its back on israel, and more. Dr. Jeremiah doesnt just identify these dangerous trends, he delivers a message of hope for the future and explainsow we, as christians, should respond to our changing society. Receive this much needed timely study as a thank you from dr. Jeremiah when you give a gift of any amount in support of this program. If your donation totals 60 or more, dr. Jeremiah will send you the i never thought id see the day study set which contains i never thought id see the day paperback book; dr. Jeremiahs complete Teaching Series on dvd miniseries, plus two messages not seen in this television airing; and a correlating study guide. This program is solely supported by viewers like you. Dr. Jeremiah will send you these resources in appreciation when you give to the ministry of turning point today. Female announcer this program is solely supported by viewers like you. Your partnership is helping us deliver the unchanging word of god to an everchanging world, and securing solid bible teaching for generations to come. Thank you. Male announcer for a complete audio or video copy of todays message by dr. Jeremiah, or to request a free copy of turning points devotional magazine, simply contact turning point today. In the us, write to post office box 3838, san diego, california, 92163. In canada, write to p. O. Box 187, next week, on turning point. David israel today, right now, this very day, is in the most serious situation she has been in since the nation was born in 1948. Mark larson this is mark larson. Thank you for being with us today. Join us next week for dr. Jeremiahs message, i never thought id see the day when america would turn her back on israel. Here on turning point. [music] announcer thousands of christians take cruises for their vacations. So why not take a cruise with turning point . Enjoy a bible conference on the water when you set sail with david and Donna Jeremiah to alaska. Youll experience exciting ports and activities and uplifting daily times of worship, bible teaching, and fellowship. More than just a getaway, its a time to refresh, renew, and reconnect with god and loved ones. For more details. Dr. Michael youssef Todays Church is caught up in our societys mad pursuit for instant gratification and narcissistic indulgences. And yet, heres the truth. Genuine longing for heaven can truly make this life more