cutting edge?

i've decided something:
growing up in a fairly conservative church proud of our commitment to doctrin and the teaching of the Word of God was not a bad thing.

right now there's a lot of concern that we as a church make sure we're relevant and speaking the language of the culture and stay cutting edge...which i think is extremely important. how is our fluctuating, experimental culture that is heavily impacted by post-modernistic philosophy going to understand the words coming out of our mouths and the actions pouring out of our hearts if we can't speak a language they know?

but ya know...sometimes i just miss being able to talk about the firm foundation i'm standing on.

maybe it's just me.
maybe i've just gotten so caught up in "reading" and "learning" the culture and trying to speak their language, that i've neglected to pour myself into the "reading" and "learning" of the precious, rock-hard truth of the Word of God.
it's not that i don't believe it. i've tasted....i know it's good...no, it's AMAZING!
so why have i spent so much time lately thinking about philosophies and worldviews and cultures and strategies for reaching those cultures (and aren't those good things to be studying?) to the neglect of digging and mining for the gold and jewels in God's Holy Word?

so much emphasis is placed on relationships now. build into people's lives. don't just go out on a sidewalk and preach fire and brimstone through your bullhorn...you have to love and live life with people. so is solid teaching of the Word of God irrelevant now? is it really just about loving people and listening to them and learning their language and living in community with them?

or is theology cutting edge?

what if i learned to really listen to people, and love them unconditionally, and lived with them in community...and then had something solid to tell them.

do you think that community could then be inflamed with passion to know the Words of God? to dig deep. to mine the precious gems. to see the Truth as a treasure. not just the scholars sitting in white towers surrounded by ancient texts...not just the pastor who brings me my spiritual shot of encouragement and enthusiasm for practical living. we're talking a raging hunger for more! to know the Truth. to know the One and Only. a community on a quest. growing in their worship of the Holy One in truth.

i think i might pick up my worldview, philosophy and strategy books AFTER i've gone under the knife of the cutting-edge sword of the Word of God (Heb. 4:12).