form the common ground as preachers Singing along may represent a way of pre-
attempt to bridge the gap from life as it is venting mediums from transcending content
now to life as it can be in Christ. Culture is and of preventing content from suffocating
a launchpad, a starting point to give people mediums that illuminate. The point is that
different lyrics to sing or the opportunity to the energizing force for ministry is the aston-
move to a beat other than the ones on Bill- ishing scandal of the Gospel that challenges
board’s Hot 100. our most deeply held presumptions.
Ask, “Why?” Just Believe
The goal must be that the lyrics and In Mark 5, Jesus is on His way to the
rhythm of the gospel of Jesus Christ are house of Jairus, a synagogue ruler, whose
sung by the Church in the world from a daughter is dying. On the way, the
deep sense of confidence in that gospel. entourage is alerted that the girl has already
Some may emphasize cutting-edge style died. Jairus is pressured by the messengers to
even as others emphasize religious tradi- release Jesus, to give up his struggle to save
tions. We cheat one another, however, his daughter’s life. Jesus responds, “Don’t be
when methods or memories become more afraid; just believe” (Mark 5:36, NIV).
critical than a radical faith in the God who Jesus’ statement is quite a bold assertion.
is in us, with us, and for us. At the point Jairus has come to Jesus in search of an
Jesus is not at the center of our ministry answer to his daughter’s sickness. Upon her
mediums or our ecclesiastical memories, death, it seems—at least to the household
then we can never sing along together in a messengers—that there are no more answers
meaningful, transforming way. to be had. After searching the world over for
It is here that the conflict between gener- the right treatment and finding nothing
ations must make way. For the greatest issue capable of reviving his ailing daughter, the
facing the Christian church is not a matter search has come to an end. There would
of contemporary style or of simply striking seem to be no answers for death. And that is
the propositional note more emphatically. precisely the scandal of Jesus’ bold claim.
The greatest issue facing the Christian church is Jesus’ statement is a challenge not only to a
that it no longer believes Jesus is the answer. As world frantically digging for answers in bar-
long as the substance of our disputes ren locations but also to a world that has
revolves around better technology, more given up on answers altogether.
finances, or strategic marketing, then Jesus is Jesus’ assertion is a challenge to those
not the answer. As long as memories of the who would go digging for answers in the
past ingratiate us in the present, then Jesus fields of an agnostic relevancy or in the fields
is not the answer. Intergenerational conflict of dogmatic traditionalism. We are challenged
arising from concerns like these may be the as Christian leaders to believe that what we
sort of distraction and confusion that pre- and our people need more than anything is
vent intergenerational unity. Jesus Christ. A relationship of faith in the reli-
“Jesus is the answer” is not merely a ability of our holy God, an unapologetic con-
more adamant, fundamental proposition to fidence in the Gospel—this is the song we as
be dogmatically imposed. It is not an ambig- believers, young and old, are called to sing.
uous, idealistic abstraction. What is at stake There are cultural obstacles to overcome;
in the Christian church is expressed in a there are traditions and memories that need
word we toss around often, dispensing it in to be translated; but these are not answers.
breadth but with little depth—relationship, Jesus is the answer to everything, or we as the
namely, a relationship nurtured by faith in Church have no answers.
God and faith in His being the kind of God
(loving, holy, true, just) He said He would
Derek Knoke serves as pastor of
be. Singing along may be a fitting image for
ministry development at New Life
envisioning an intergenerational unity that
Worship Center Church of God in
honors the memories of the past and en-
Canton, Georgia.
gages the real and felt needs of our world.
EVANGEL • FEB 2009 17
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