JOIN ME AND LINDA FOR Our Annual Summer Conference in Green Lake, Wisconsin

 

In less than a month from now Linda and I and many of our friends will spend five days together at our Annual Summer Conference in Green Lake, Wisconsin!

2021 HIS IDENTITY ~ OUR AUTHORITY CONFERENCE

REGISTER NOW FOR THE 2021 CONFERENCE

June 27 - July 1, 2021 at the Green Lake Conference Center in Green Lake, WI

We are excited to announce our speakers for 2021.

William Hinn Jr. and Clay Harrington will join us along side our HSRM leaders as speakers for a spirit filled week starting June 27 at 6 pm to July 1 at 10 pm in Pillsbury Hall at the Green Lake Conference in Green Lake, WI. 

• You are invited to the Holy Spirit Renewal conference at Green Lake, Wisconsin for a week of spiritual renewal, healing, transformation, equipping and empowerment to walk the Spirit-filled life as described in the New Testament. 
• Experience God throughout the week in anointed worship and teachings from nationally known guest speakers, HSRM leaders, and gifted workshop presenters. 
• Youth Ministry, children’s Ministry and childcare make it possible for the whole family to enjoy and fully participate in the conference and receive a touch from the Lord. 
• Free time every afternoon allows time to enjoy the great outdoors on the beautiful conference grounds of Green Lake Conference Center. 
• The fellowship among the conferees at the Holy Spirit Conference is a special feature and has earned it the tag line “More than a Conference, It’s a Family!” 
• Holy Spirit Renewal Ministries has been serving the Body of Christ for 45 years though conferences, seminars, and retreats and has the distinction of maintaining a great balance of word and Spirit-expounding God’s uncompromised truth and sound scriptural teaching while experiencing and releasing God’s New Testament power that was promised to all believers. 
• He is the same yesterday, today and forever! 
• Love yourself and your family and make it a priority to “press in” for all the Lord has for you and wants to do in your life. 
• The conference is a Paradigm shifter that will bless you in every way! 
• For Lodging at the Green Lake Conference Center (www.glcc.org)  please make your arrangements with the Center by phone at 920-294-3323. 
• The Green Lake Conference Center offers a wide range of lodging options, from tent camping sites to cabins/homes and hotel rooms. 
• Holy Spirit Renewal Ministries does not make arrangements for conference lodging. Off-site hotels are also available in Ripon and Green Lake, WI..
• ON-GROUNDS DINING is available in the Kraft Center Dining Room 

HIS IDENTITY ~ OUR AUTHORITY CONFERENCE GUEST SPEAKERS

William Hinn Jr.

William is the Senior Pastor of Risen Nation Church alongside his wife Emily; he also travels extensively as an international speaker. Their hearts are to see a generation run wholeheartedly after Jesus — walking in power, identity, intimacy, and righteousness.

During William’s teens and early twenties, he served faithfully at the church of his father, Pastor William D. Hinn. William has directed ministry events in large venues, arenas, and stadiums for both Benny Hinn Ministries and Lifestyle Christianity. He has also served as a personal assistant to Todd White as well as an itinerant speaker under Todd’s ministry.

William and Emily have two beautiful children: William, Elizabeth (Ellie), and one on the way! They are eager to see God’s people come into an encounter with Jesus & see this world invaded with the Kingdom of God.

http://www.risennation.org/

https://www.facebook.com/RisenNation/

Clay Harrington

At an early age, Clay was immersed in timeless teachings about God through his mother – a powerful woman of God. Today, 

Clay travels as an itinerant evangelist who inspires others to press into a rich relationship with the Father, equips the saints to live naturally supernatural lifestyles, and provokes the church to live radically for Jesus. 

Clay is married to his wife, Regina, and has two sets of boy-girl twins. 

He currently works as the Evangelism Pastor at the Vineyard Church in Urbana, IL.

 http://www.clayofgod.com/ 

https://www.facebook.com/clayofgod77/

You Are a Temple of the Holy Spirit - Sunday 5/30/2021

Tim Curry and I co-preach on "You Are a Temple of the Holy Spirit."

Adventures With God - Episode 01 - Desperation

I am with Robby Dawkins, Brian Schwartz, and Jamie Galloway in this episode of the TV series Adventures With God.

My Reading for Memorial Day Weekend...

 

                                               (Path in our back yard that leads to the river.)

It's Memorial Day weekend!

Linda and I are avid readers.

We read. Therefore, we are.

My reading for this weekend is:

The biblical book of Romans. Along with reading the actual text, I've added six commentaries to my studies. I LOVE doing this! And, so far, 46 others have joined me in this summer Bible study. 

This weekend I will begin moving into Romans chapter 2.

I am also reading Why We Are Restless: On the Modern Quest for Contentment. I enjoying, and learning, from this well-written text.

The Uninterested, Uninvolved God of Moralistic Therapeutic Deism

Moralistic Therapeutic Deism, argues Rod Dreher in The Benedict Option, has won in the West. Mere Christianity has lost.


Moralistic Therapeutic Deism (MTD), argues U of Notre Dame's Christian Smith, is the de facto, default religion of American teenagers today. MTD's core beliefs are:


1. A God exists who created and orders the world and watches over human life on earth.

2. God wants people to be good, nice, and fair to each other, as taught in the Bible and by most world religions.
3. The central goal of life is to be happy and to feel good about oneself.
4. God does not need to be particularly involved in one’s life except when he is needed to resolve a problem.
5. Good people go to heaven when they die.

Smith writes:

"Moralistic Therapeutic Deism is also about providing therapeutic benefits to its adherents. This is not a religion of repentance from sin, of keeping the Sabbath, of living as a servant of a sovereign divine, of steadfastly saying one’s prayers, of faithfully observing high holy days, of building character through suffering, of basking in God’s love and grace, of spending oneself in gratitude and love for the cause of social justice, etc. Rather, what appears to be the actual dominant religion among U.S. teenagers is centrally about feeling good, happy, secure, at peace. It is about attaining subjective well-being, being able to resolve problems, and getting along amiably with other people."

The God of MTD is "one who exists, created the world, and defines our general moral order, but not one who is particularly personally involved in our affairs—especially affairs in which we would prefer not to have God involved. Most of the time, the God of this faith keeps a safe distance."

I met MTD-ers all the time in my MCCC philosophy classes. Some thought they were Christians, or that the worldview of MTD was the worldview of Jesus. The reason for this is that, while MTD is not an official, organized religion, MTD is "colonizing" other religions. Think now of the alien in the astronaut's body who is waiting to bust out of his chest.

Read Smith's entire article for the details. See also Smith's book Soul Searching: The Religious and Spiritual Lives of American Teenagers.

One more quote from Smith:

"When teenagers talked in their interviews about “grace,” they were usually talking about the television show Will and Grace, not about God’s grace. When teenagers discussed “honor,” they were almost always talking about taking honors courses or making the honor role at school, very rarely about honoring God with their lives. When teens mentioned being “justified,” they almost always meant having a reason for doing something behaviorally questionable, not having their relationship with God made right."

For Smith's research project see National Study of Youth and Religion. 

Foucaultian Postmodern Irony

  

                                                  (I saw this classic car in Monroe today.)

Ross Douthat writes, perceptively:

"If [Michel] Foucault’s thought offers a radical critique of all forms of power and administrative control, then as the cultural left becomes more powerful and the cultural right more marginal, the left will have less use for his theories, and the right may find them more insightful."

That... is so true..., ironic, and therefore so funny!

ROMANS SUMMER 2021 BIBLE STUDY - Bibliography

 

Here is my working bibliography for my Romans Summer Bible Study.

Gordon Fee, God's Empowering Presence: The Holy Spirit in the Letters of Paul

Fee, Pauline Christology: An Exegetical-Theological Study

Craig Keener, Romans (New Covenant Commentary Series)

Keener, The IVP Bible Background Commentary

Douglas Moo, Romans: The NIV Application Commentary: From Biblical Text to Contemporary Life

Grant Osbourne, Romans Verse by Verse 

Ben Witherington, Paul's Letter to the Romans: A Socio-Rhetorical Commentary

N. T. Wright, Paul for Everyone: Romans Part 1 

Wright, Paul for Everyone: Romans Part 2

Wright, Paul and the Faithfulness of God

I use the NIV Cultural Backgrounds Study Bible. 

My Greek New Testament. 

And... http://www.greekbible.com/ 

Blessed Are Those Who Wage Peace, Not War

(Wellspring Lutheran Home, Monroe)

(I am writing this for a pastor friend who feels shame that his church is having problems.)

Thirty years ago a church in the Detroit area took out a large advertisement in the local paper. The advertisement had these words: "________ Church: The Friendliest Church in America!" When I read it I felt like jockeying for position. I could advertise my church as "We're #2!" Within three years, this church had massive internal conflict, many people left, and the church imploded.

At this stage in my life as a pastor one thing I have concluded is: no church is problem free. 

I can prove this. My church is not without problems, because I am in it. 

We all are troubled people, growing (hopefully) into Christlikeness.

Misunderstandings and arguments and conflicts are inevitable, even among the righteous. What if God shows you someone else's problems? Francis Frangipane, in The Three Battlegrounds, says, if God shows you someone else's mess, it is only so you can pray for them, not talk to other brothers and sisters about how horrible they are.

If you are part of the mess, do not leave others with the mess. Be part of cleaning it up. Be the solution, not the voice of the problem.

As a follower of Jesus you are called to do far more than just love peace. You are to make peace. (One of the best books I've read on this is Making Peace: A Guide to Overcoming Church Conflict, by James van Yperen. See also Henri Nouwen's beautiful The Road to Peace.)

Any fool can wage war. Followers of Jesus are called to wage peace. As a pastor, I have found this to be ongoing in marriages, families, and churches. Waging peace never stops this side of the Age to Come!

"But the new church I am going to doesn't have problems." It does; certainly it will. This is important, because it is within conflict that peacemakers and reconcilers are built. These are people who run towards the battle, not away from it.

I know people like this. They say things like, 

"Come, let us reason together."

I have seen people do this in my church family. When I hear of this, I cannot tell you how thankful I am and how blessed I feel!

Blessed are those who put things together, 

rather than tear things apart.

Blessed are those who, more than loving peace, 

make peace.

Blessed are those who stay when the going gets tough,

rather than leave because the going is tough.

Blessed are those who go to the other person,

rather than tell others about the other person.

Blessed are those who deal lovingly with their anger,

rather than sleep on their anger.

Blessed are the problem-solvers,

rather than the complainers.

Blessed are the understanders,

rather than the judgers.

Blessed are the participants,

rather than the observers.

Blessed are the doers,

rather than the talkers.

Blessed are those who wage peace,

not war.


***

My two books are:

Leading the Presence-Driven Church

Praying: Reflections on 40 Years of Solitary Conversations with God.

Read This Book, and Link Here, BEFORE You Get Married!

                                   (Cloud formations, taken from Redeemer's parking lot.)

Read this book, and link here, 

BEFORE you get married.

Jesus Wants Followers, Not Admirers

 

                                                             (Near Wilberforce, Ohio)

Soren Kierkegaard wrote: Jesus' "whole life on earth, from beginning to end, was destined solely to have followers and to make admirers impossible." (Provocations: Spiritual Writings of Kierkegaard, p. 85)

Rod Dreher expands on this idea.

"Admirers love being associated with Jesus, but when trouble comes, they either turn on him or in some way try to put distance between themselves and the Lord. The admirer wants the comfort and advantage that comes with being a Christian, but when times change and Jesus becomes a scandal or worse, the admirer folds." (Dreher, Live Not by Lies: A Manual for Christian Dissidents, p. 190)

Dreher then quotes Kierkegaard.

"The admirer never makes any true sacrifices. He always plays it safe. Though in words, phrases, songs, he is inexhaustible about how highly he prizes Christ, he renounces nothing, will not reconstruct his life, and will not let his life express what it is he supposedly admires. Not so for the follower. No, no. The follower aspires with all his strength to be what he admires. And then, remarkably enough, even though he is living amongst a “Christian people,” he incurs the same peril as he did when it was dangerous to openly confess Christ."

Preparing for Pentecost - Tim Curry and John Piippo

Scroll forward to 1:09.

If You Want to Learn How to Think Clearly...

 

                                                                 (Our grandson Levi)

If you want to learn how to think clearly, see this new book by two brilliant philosophers, who are also followers of Jesus. 

Philosophy Made Slightly Less Difficult: A Beginner's Guide to Life's Big Questions

by Garrett DeWeese and J. P. Moreland.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"This book, written by two men who are both high-level philosophers and exemplary Christians, will serve to initiate neophytes into the significance, joys, and challenges of philosophy as well as offer journeymen philosophers (such as myself) a rich banquet of philosophical reflection. I applaud the inclusion of new chapters (on aesthetics and the philosophy of religion) to this edition."

-- Douglas Groothuis, professor of philosophy at Denver Seminary, author of Philosophy in Seven Sentences

"I think the title of this book is misleading. DeWeese and Moreland, who have trained countless students to think clearly and pursue truth, don't make philosophy slightly less difficult, they make it incredibly more accessible. It is no easy task to simplify without being simplistic, to explain without short-selling the essentials, but by succeeding they've served us all well."

-- John Stonestreet, president of the Colson Center for Christian Worldview and host of BreakPoint

"Fuzzy thinking leads to careless living. This is true even for Christians. The world cries out for meaning but many believers remain silent, embarrassed by their shallow faith. Philosophy Made Slightly Less Difficult is a boot camp for the mind led by two 'drill instructors' who are at the same time highly respected philosophers and committed Jesus followers. DeWeese and Moreland help the reader think more clearly about thinking and also about reality, knowledge, ethics, and the good life. Don't read this book just to have your mind tickled. Read it to sharpen your thinking so you can love God with all of your mind."

-- Jeff Myers, president of Summit Ministries

"In my opinion, Philosophy Made Slightly Less Difficult is unrivaled among introductions to philosophy―Christian or not. DeWeese and Moreland cover all the philosophical terrain with clarity, depth, and insight. More than that, they weave their conclusions into a fully integrated, captivating, biblical world picture. This is a rarity―certainly not something you can do on your own. The result is a Christian and intellectual tour de force. I have assigned this book to students for fifteen years and more. I can tell you this with confidence: it will sharpen your thinking and increase your faith. It is indispensable for prevailing in our spiritually troubled times."

-- Richard Brian Davis, professor of philosophy at Tyndale University

"Philosophy is never an easy subject to master, but it can be made easier! Here two well-known, well-respected, and excellent philosophers, Garrett DeWeese and J. P. Moreland, provide an outstanding roadmap that attempts to do just this―provide an overview with easier explanations and punctuated with many examples and illustrations to help along the way. Highly recommended!"

-- Gary R. Habermas, distinguished research professor at Liberty University

"Here's your chance to learn the fundamentals of philosophy in an accessible, easy-to-understand format. In the end, you'll wonder how you ever got along without this essential foundation to your faith."

-- Lee Strobel, author of The Case for Christ and God's Outrageous Claims

"If you want clear thinking on thinking clearly, this book's for you. DeWeese and Moreland undertake an ambitious project, explaining philosophy to nonphilosophers, with a good sense of subject and audience. Readers receive a working introduction to philosophical vocabulary and concepts in an accessible, applied style. It requires effort (they promised it would be only slightly less difficult!), but the reward is greater clarity on what is real, true, and good―a worthy goal for any Christian."

-- Robert Drovdahl, Seattle Pacific University

"Few writers in philosophy are as accessible to the novice as Garrett DeWeese and J. P. Moreland. Once again, they have filled a great need for an introduction to philosophy in Philosophy Made Slightly Less Difficult, second edition. Two features contribute to making this book an excellent introduction. First is its comprehensiveness. With the addition of two new chapters on aesthetics and philosophy as well as the expansion of a number of other chapters, the book now covers a host of subjects on the traditional topics in philosophy. The metaphysics chapter itself is worth the price of the book. Second, they write in such an accessible style that it makes philosophical discussions not only clear but also enjoyable to read. The book is full of excellent examples and illustrations that clarify many philosophical concepts. I would highly recommend this book to anyone interested in the basics of philosophy and would especially recommend it as a text for an introduction to philosophy. I plan to use it for my future classes."

-- Mark W. Foreman, professor of philosophy and religion at Liberty University and coauthor of How Do We Know?

PENTECOST AND RACISM

Prayer Is an Education

 

                                                     (My Back Yard, after an April snow.)

In Dostoevsky’s The Brothers Karamazov Father Zossima offers this counsel on prayer: Young man, be not forgetful of prayer. 

Every time you pray, if your prayer is sincere, 

there will be new feeling and new meaning in it 

which will give you fresh courage, 

and you will understand that prayer is an education. 

Here are some takeaways from this quote for me. 

• To pray is to learn praying. We learn more about prayer by actually praying than by reading about prayer.

• To pray is to learn about God. An intimate education in the being of God is gained in a life of praying. We learn things about God by praying that we cannot learn by reading about God. 

• To pray is to grow in discernment regarding the ways of God. Praying teaches us the distinction between deciding and discerning. 

• To pray is to learn to hear the shepherding voice of God. In a life of praying we learn discipleship. 

• To pray is to gain and feel the heart of God. To pray is to grieve and rejoice with God. Praying educates us in sorrow and joy.

• To pray is to learn trust in God. To pray is to trust. I cannot authentically pray without trust-jumping into the arms of God. 

• To pray is to gain an education in obedience. Where there is disobedience, the prayer life screeches to a grinding halt. In the obedience that emerges from the act of praying trust grows, hence prayer grows and flourishes. 

• The praying person graduates with a PhD in patience.

(From my book Praying: Reflections on 40 Years of Solitary Conversations with God.) 

Faith Is a Shelter in the Storms of Life

 

                                              (Levi, Josh, and Linda in our back yard)

Have I ever felt afraid? Of course.

After our twin son David was stillborn, and our surviving twin, Josh, was fighting for his life, I had moments of fear. Fear is the emotion a person feels when facing something bad that is happening or is about to happen. Fear is the emotion I feel when my well-being, and that of those I love, is threatened.

To fear is to feel unprotected.

Today a tiny virus is expanding its kingdom of fear with mighty human institutions bowing before its path. What shall we do? Keep following normal precautions, such as sanitizing your hands, often. If you feel sick, stay home, isolated from the public. Follow guidelines like these.

Beyond that, what can I do? Here is where I have found my faith functioning as a shelter in the storms of life.

Consider Jesus’ disciples, in their fishing boat, on the Sea of Galilee. A “furious storm” assaults them. The waves are sweeping over the boat. And Jesus is sleeping.

I think of my trip to India. I’m riding in the back seat of a car, being transported from Hyderabad to Kurnool. A five-hour car ride that brought me a lot of fear. Many times I thought the driver would hit another car, or go off the road. To me, his driving was reckless. I was dead tired from a long flight, but could not sleep. Several times I turned to look at my Indian friend who invited me on this trip. Each time, he was sleeping like a newborn baby. Obviously, he had no fear.

Unable to take the storm any longer, Jesus’ disciples - experienced fishermen - woke Jesus up, begging for help. Jesus wakes, and asks them, “Why are you so afraid?” Had I been in that boat I would have answered, “I’ll tell you why. We are going to drown!”

Jesus responds by getting up and rebuking the wind and waves, as if they were demon-inspired. Upon which the waters calm down. Jesus’ disciples were amazed, and ask, “What kind of man is this?”

When our son Joshua was going under, I prayed and told God, “If you will allow him to live, I shall never have such fear again.” Josh lived. And while I have had bouts of fear since then, I remember how Jesus brought Linda and I through this terrible storm.

What kind of man is this, who is with us in the furious storms of life? His name is Jesus. And we are His followers, people of faith, who love Him, and in whom He works all things together for good.

Churches Drunk on Earthly Power

Wildflower by our kitchen window.

 Richard Foster wrote a book called The Challenge of the Disciplined Life: Christian Reflections on Money, Sex, and Power. Tim Keller wrote Counterfeit Gods: The Empty Promises of Money, Sex, and Power, and the Only Hope that Matters. John Piper wrote Living in the Light: Money, Sex, and Power. The Big Three temptations in life are, arguably, money, sex, and power.

To quest after money, sex, and power is to desire the "world," as understood in Romans 12:1-2. Church leaders have done this, led their churches to follow, and in so doing have lost their way. Hence, the Consumer Church. The Entertainment Church. The Metricized Church. People-pleasing. Happy. The worship of Numbers.

See, e.g., The Way of the Dragon or the Way of the Lamb: Searching for Jesus' Path of Power in a Church that has Abandoned It, by Jamin Coggin and Kyle Strobel. Their focus is on churches that have succumbed to earthly power, and how to walk in the power of Jesus.

When I began to read I found this book was delivering more than I expected. For example:

"In a culture drunk on power and in need of an intervention, the church has too often become an enabler. In many places, churches openly affirm the way from below. Instead of being told how desperately I am in need of God, I am repeatedly told how much God needs me. Instead of being exhorted to pick up my cross and follow Christ, I am told that Jesus wants to be my partner in the plan I have to rid my life of all struggles and challenges. We hear gospels of moralism, centering on my power to become a better person, and we hear sermons offering up God as merely another resource along my journey for successful and happy living. Sermons become pep talks amid a quest for power and significance. Instead of worship being an invitation to come before God in humble awe and reverence, worship becomes an experience meant to lift us above the travails of everyday life and give us a sense of transcendence. Instead of hearing God’s vision of redeeming all things in Christ by the power of his Holy Spirit, we hear of the pastor’s vision to grow an even bigger church that does bigger things so that he can be powerful and we can be powerful with him."  (pp. 14-15)

***

My two books are:

Leading the Presence-Driven Church

Praying: Reflections on 40 Years of Solitary Conversations with God

The Allure of Toxic Pastors

(Cancun - 3/1/19)

Linda and I read The Way of the Dragon or the Way of the Lamb: Searching for Jesus' Path of Power in a Church that Has Abandoned It, by Jamin Goggin and Kyle Strobel. It's excellent! The interviews with Dallas Willard, Eugene Peterson, and others are inspiring and instructive.

Chapter 8 is on the allure of toxic pastors and leaders. A toxic leader is:

• "someone who maintains power and significance by manipulating followers through their own fundamental drive to be powerful and significant."
•  someone who dominates and controls others.
• someone who wields their personality to cement their power.
• someone who relegates others to positions of dependence on them, rather than on Christ.
• someone who subverts systems designed to hold themsselves accountable.
• someone who quickly establishes scapegoats when they fail.
• someone who does not develop other leaders, because they pose a threat to their own power.
• someone who creates "an unhealthy symbiosis between themselves and the organizations they lead, such that their absence would equal the collapse of the organization."
• someone who has ceased living "according to the way of Jesus - the way of love,  humanization, and truth, giving himself (or herself) to the way of manipulation, dehumanization, and deception."

Why do churches with toxic leaders do nothing about this? Because, say Goggin and Strobel, this is what we want. "These are precisely the people we believe possess the "it factor." This is what we are looking for." 

"The reason we desire toxic leaders, according to Jean Lipman-Blumen, is because toxic leaders promise to “keep us safe, anoint us as special, and offer us a seat at the community table.” We want a sense of safety, significance, and belonging, and they are offering it in exchange for loyalty." (P. 148)

To Be Free Is Not to Be Relevant

(Pelican, in Cancun)

The only fish that goes with the flow is a dead fish. Beware of the flow.

The person that only goes with their desires is a slave. The one who reacts in response to an urge, a feeling, that they have to do something, is not free. 

Thomas Merton writes:

"No person who simply eats and drinks whenever he feels like eating and drinking, who smokes whenever he feels the urge to light a cigarette, who gratifies his curiosity and sensuality whenever they are stimulated, can consider himself a free person." (Thomas Merton, New Seeds of Contemplation, 85)

The fish that swims against the flow is alive. Free people swim upstream.  "Freedom," for the follower of Jesus, is choosing what God wants, against urges, feelings, and desires. Against culture. This is a higher form of living.

When God interrupts your evening agenda, and calls you to help the needy person, freedom is getting out of your jammies, putting on your clothes, and heading into the snowy night on a rescue mission in spite of your feelings. 

Interruptibility is a mark of freedom.

To serve others selflessly is a sign of freedom. To self-deny is to be free. To be free isn't to do what you want, it is to be free of what you want. 

Can a person freely choose according to their desires? Yes. This happens when both mind and heart have been morphed into the "mind of Christ." This person is one who, "whether he eats or drinks or whatever else he does, does all for the glory of God." (1 Corinthians 10:31)

Merton writes:

"This does not mean that he merely registers in his mind an abstract intention to glorify God. It means that in all his actions he is free from the superficial automatism of conventional routine. It means that in all that he does he acts freely, simply, spontaneously, from the depths of his heart, moved by love." (Ib., 15)

Trying to be "relevant" places too much emphasis on "the flow." "Relevance" is the wide gate that leads to destruction. Jesus goes against the flow of culture. His followers swim with him, upstream. 

The Jesus Movement is not relevant, but counter-cultural. In many cases, it defies relevance.