Is the Modern Church Losing Its Relevance?

By Richard K. Marshall · Originally published February 12, 2025

Is the church still making an impact, or are we just preaching to the choir?

I've been thinking a lot about the state of the church. No sugarcoating: the world is changing fast, and I'm not sure the church is keeping up.

Secularism is rising. Younger generations are tuning out. Social media never stops making noise.

So is the modern church losing its relevance? Or is this a wake-up call to get back to what matters?

Let's be honest

Church attendance is dropping in a lot of places. Plenty of people would rather spend Sunday morning scrolling or binge-watching than sitting in a pew.

And some churches seem more focused on flashy lights and feel-good sermons than on the hard truths of the gospel.

Jesus didn't call us to be comfortable. He called us to be "salt and light" (Matthew 5:13-16).

So are we still shining, or just blending in?

What the Bible says the church is for

Jesus told us to "go and make disciples of all nations" (Matthew 28:19).

The early church in Acts wasn't sitting around. They were devoted to teaching, fellowship, breaking bread and prayer (Acts 2:42-47). They were out in the mess of the world, living their faith.

Today? I'm not so sure.

Are we so focused on tradition that we miss people where they are? Are we dealing with the real stuff, like mental health, inequality and the chaos of technology, or pretending it isn't there?

And some churches are so afraid of offending people that they've watered down the gospel.

Here's the truth: the gospel is offensive. It's supposed to challenge us, convict us and change us.

The big questions

Is the church stuck in its ways, or just adapting poorly to a changing world?
Are megachurches with big productions helping the mission or hurting it? What about small community churches?
How do we stay "in the world but not of it" (John 17:14-16) when the world is this loud?
And the big one: are we showing the world that Jesus is still the answer, or just talking to ourselves?

My take

I'm not here to bash the church. I love the church. It's the body of Christ, and it's God's plan to reach the world.

But we have to be honest about where we fall short. If we're not careful, we'll end up like the Pharisees, clinging to rules and traditions while missing the heart of the mission.

I'm also not saying we should chase relevance for its own sake. The gospel doesn't need a makeover. It's timeless.

But we do need to meet people where they are, the way Jesus did. He didn't avoid the outcasts, the sinners or the mess. He went straight to them. So should we.

It's us

The church isn't a building or a program. It's us.

So ask yourself: what is your church doing well, and where is it dropping the ball? How can you engage a secular world without compromising the truth?

Don't just talk about the problem. Be part of the solution.

If we're not shining, the world stays in the dark.

— Richard K. Marshall Lexington, Kentucky

Originally published on X: https://x.com/RichMarshall/status/1889876365261873240 · February 12, 2025. Refreshed October 10, 2026.