You Have to Get Wet

Some will go way above and beyond to try and attract people to their method, while losing the message. Watering down the gospel story, leaving the name of Jesus out for fear of offending someone. Some will go to the other extreme, being extremely careful not to have any appearance of the world and culture around them. Should the church use culture to reach people? Or should the church remain completely isolated, never having anything that even has the appearance of the world around it?

We have to find the balance. We have to meet people where they are. If people are drowning in this culture, we have to be willing to go to where they are.

Think about it this way... You can't rescue a drowning victim without getting wet. Imagine trying to save someone who is drowning by shouting to them from dry land. "Hey, move your arms like this! Kick you legs! Come on, you can save yourself if you will just listen to me! I used to be drowning just like you! I made it out - and I know you can too!" That would be ridiculous! If you see a person out in the water drowning, you have to swim out to them, grab them, and help them find their way back to the shore! You don't join them in the drowning process, you've already been saved from that. But you have to use methods that meet their current needs. You have to do what it takes to get their attention, to swim and lead them out of the danger they are in. At the same time - you don't go swimming out with fancy strokes, showing off your amazing ability to survive in the dangerous waters around. No - you go in with one purpose, one focus - to get out to them and help them find their way safely back to land.

Should the church use culture to reach people drowning in this culture? The church cannot avoid getting wet if she intends to help people find their way safely to Jesus. It will be messy. You will get wet. But we have been commissioned to go into all the world and make disciples of all people.