Relevance

I write these questions well aware that I have a link on my page to a magazine called Relevant. That said: what exactly does it mean to be relevant? Derek Webb might be referring to this when he uses the term "dress me like the culture." It could be that Paul wrote about relevance when he said that he became all things to all people that he might win some. But what about us? Today, there seems to be little difference between the church and the world, yet still the church seems to be shrinking in numbers. If changing the sound of the music, the facade of the building, and other cosmetic trivialities are supposed to make us relevant and more acessible, then why is there no change? Why do we even need to be relevant? Do we not trust God enough to let him work through us despite the differences? Last time I checked, there is supposed to be a difference between the Christian and the non-believer. Galatians alys out for us the fruit of the Spirit and the deeds of the flesh. Though we remain sinners, we are to be progressing so that there is more fruit and fewer deeds; more of Christ and less of us. I've begun reading a book called In the Name of Jesus by Henri Nouwen. The first chapter talks about going from relevance to prayer. I'm still chewing on what he says there, but so far what I understand is that we cannot offer anything to people or to God except what we are. We surrender ourselves to them because we may not always be talking to someone who we are easily relevant to. We may have nothing in common with them, but we are still called to love them. I'll add more later. give me your thoughts.