When you say the church is “outdated”, what do you mean? Are you thinking churches use words which no longer have meaning, or sing dull and dreary hymns? Do you think the church is composed of boring people who regularly meet to listen to a boring speaker tell them to be even more boring?
Some church services may be dull and dreary, but Jesus’ story of salvation can never be outdated or boring. During His earthly ministry, Jesus was called a liar, a devil, a blasphemer and an insurrectionist. One reason Jesus was crucified was because He was considered too dangerous to keep alive. Today that same Saviour who gave His life to save us continues to comfort and forgive troubled consciences. He comforts mourners, gives hope to those who are discouraged, and gives direction to those who are lost. All of which says the church’s message may be old, but it is hardly outdated.
Check the Book
St. Paul, writing to a young pastor says: “Preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, and exhort, with complete patience and teaching. For the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions, and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander off into myths. As for you, always be sober-minded, endure suffering, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry” (The Bible, 2 Timothy 4:2-5).
“Where is the one who is wise? Where is the scribe? Where is the debater of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world? For since, in the wisdom of God, the world did not know God through wisdom, it pleased God through the folly of what we preach to save those who believe. For Jews demand signs and Greeks seek wisdom, but we preach Christ crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and folly to Gentiles, but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. For the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men” (The Bible, 1 Corinthians 1: 20 -25).
