Staying Relevant Over Time

Ways to remain connected to the culture and not be cluttered by it.

• Be aware of the iconic...those symbols that take on larger than life meaning for the culture.
• Understand the shifting nature of the position of "my generation" within the larger historical/social context.  The view of the World War II generation by the larger culture and by the gen X is much different than that of the Boomers.  It is just reality and we have to deal with it...it will shift as time goes on.  If I were to guess it would be the difference between selfless verses selfish.
• Be aware of the really important movies and shifts in art, cinema and entertainment.  Network television is largely irrelevant as a avenue that brings together the culture. The era when Walter Cronkite bringing us the news and there by defining a nation has pasted. CNN and Anderson Cooper does not and can not fulfill the same role.  So where are the outlets that define us?  This may be a full time job in and of itself.  
• Who are the heroes and who are the villains. It says something about culture when the most visible heroes are comic book characters. I loved the Avengers great action...got to admit character development was a bit minimal.  But then that wasn't the point.  I get it...
• Fashion is an indicator of where the center of gravity is in a culture.  I don't mean the high end, can't afford it if I wanted it.  I  mean what the average person wears most of the time. What is acceptable in public and what is not.
• Judgement/evaluation of value is not the point. Choice of participation is not the point. Context and connection is the point. 

Why? It's simple really.

Great cartoon.  It sums up my thoughts on the matter.  IF...that is a big if...the church is to be relevant to this culture we have to get out of the fish bowl...out of the box and into the culture that surrounds us.

These are just scattered thoughts on a Tuesday morning but it really points to the need for the body of Christ to be practical cultural anthropologists...why?  Paul summed it up

1 Corinthians 9:19-23
19 Though I am free and belong to no one, I have made myself a slave to everyone, to win as many as possible. 20 To the Jews I became like a Jew, to win the Jews. To those under the law I became like one under the law (though I myself am not under the law), so as to win those under the law. 21 To those not having the law I became like one not having the law (though I am not free from God’s law but am under Christ’s law), so as to win those not having the law.22 To the weak I became weak, to win the weak. I have become all things to all people so that by all possible means I might save some. 23 I do all this for the sake of the gospel, that I may share in its blessings.