I take a lot of 'heat' for my determination to be relevant with today's post-modern culture.

You see, I'm not a big fan of 'religious disassociation'. Shouting from a street corner or waring Bible arguments on a T-shirt don't get it for me.

I'll confess, there was a young, zeal-filled day that I was there, so it is safe to say, "Been there, done that!" Funny thing, I'm still looking for the fruit from that branch of desperate, distant reach.

I believe the gospel's answer is somewhere inside of a relational 'critical mass', hot with grace and filled with friction's conversational truth. To be totally honest, I tend to like the marketplace and today's cultural people living in it with me. Guess what, Jesus does too. 

The gospel's positive friction is found when we embrace a life of "critical mass".

Critical Mass (noun); (1) Physics, the amount of a given fissionable material necessary to sustain a chain reaction at a constant rate. (2) An amount necessary or sufficient to have a significant effect or to achieve a result: a critical mass of popular support.

Have you ever played pyromaniac with your kids?

You know, "don't play with matches kids", and yet you light the candle on the backyard patio table and run your finger through it to show off. They're amazed and you're entertained with your hypocritical stage show.

After the amusement wears off they get around to asking, "Dad, how did you do that?"

You laugh and explain the secret; "Girls, it's not really hot unless I place my finger in the middle of the flame, near the blue portion and keep it there for a period of time, that's when it gets hot." There's no risk of heat when you run past the flame!

As I deal with cultural issues each day, I'm amazed at the number of Christians who simply want to run their finger past this culture and not engaged with a sincere relationship.

Today, more than ever, the risks of sin's results are higher and heavier than ever before. We live in a generation that is seeking, speaking and soaking in spiritual 'things', as well as answers.

"I have voluntarily become a servant to any and all in order to reach a wide range of people: religious, nonreligious, meticulous moralists, loose-living immoralists, the devastated, the demoralized - whoever. I didn't take on their way of life. I kept my bearings in Christ - but I entered their world and tried to experience things from their point of view."

"I've become just about every sort of servant there is in my attempts to lead those I need into a God-saved life. I did this because of the Message. I didn't just want to talk about it; I wanted to be in on it." (1 Corinthians 9: 19-23)

I personally believe the church is re-awakening to the missional "love deeds" of the gospel, a move of something more than resting upon our determined creeds and shouting from a distance.

When we are determined to 'place ourselves' inside of the friction, (and you'll take some heat, believe me it's hot in here), the critical mass of today's post-modern culture, and love them for the good of the Message we begin to make a real difference, not just an intimidated difference.

When it's hot, I mean close proximity laced with great respect and love, it burns everything that is not desired. For the ragamuffin in the marketplace, and for the ragamuffin walking in faith through Graceland. When it is loving, relational and committed to critical mass fusion, a crucible is produced.    

Let me encourage you to love people, every person. Remove your distance, take off the T-shirts and communicate. Drop your signs of sloganized insults and grab a neck for the purpose of God's great grace for mankind.

Learn to listen to understand their perspectives, hear their reasons for non-believe and opinion. Desire to see their world view as your own; so to understand their fears, their ideology and their confusion. Risk it and relate your own. 

Nothing meets a homosexual's heart more than a non-judgmental conversation that doesn't have all of the formula-magic answers.

Be emotional and committed. I 'm redeemed by a great Abba Father who has met me at my place of emotion in a committed relationship that will never leave let go. Stop looking for the 'ejector button' in conversation, something for you to be offended about, to 'hang your hat' on and run for the religious hills in isolation.

I guarantee you it will be tough, friction filled, messy at time relationship of truth inside of pure love. Be there, stand there and don't run from the flame. Take the heat - "from both sides" (sometimes the heat is unbearable from friendly fire) of the fire. 

Know that our campaigns won't bring this critical mass, although they may create a different type of friction and fire storm that smears the entire Christian community in its wake .

Our distant judgments, venomous condemnation written upon a T-shirt or shouted by a placard, will not bring about God's desired 'critical mass'. Our 'dependency upon politics or religious creeds' will keep us removed from the friction that is needed to fuel the heat of critical mass. The goal is a person's heart, an eternal soul...not another notch in your self-righteous belt.

We should be determined to be located inside of the hottest places of culture, wrapped with a grace-filled, truth-filled, humble relationship. I want to be relevant, relational and consumed with the friction that produces in me and others, a pure love that is not confused with anything but Jesus for today's post-modern, spiritually hungry culture.

Lose the distance, and relate with a relevant relationship that will cause you some friction in the heat of critical mass.

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