This weekend many in our community will gather with friends, family and loved ones to celebrate Christmas.

In our regular worship feature, local pastors Brent Barry and Mark Wingfield discuss their thoughts on topics of faith in our community.

So this holiday season, we posed the question of relevance to our guest columnists.

As the gathering commences, and the celebrations begin, what is the church's relevance in those celebrations – and the other 364 days of the year?

"The church has to work harder than ever today to be relevant," says Mark. "The task is about a lot more than worship styles or theological positions."

"Because American society, even our Dallas society, no longer centers on the church as a moral compass or guide for life, we have to make the case for people to interface with the church intentionally."

"It's no longer a given that people will claim to be a member of a church even for the sake of keeping up appearances."

For Brent, it's all in the details.

"One way I reflect on our church's relevance is to ask whether faith is practiced once a week, for one hour on Sunday morning, or whether faith has gotten into the details of people's lives throughout the week."

"Of course faith being lived out in the details of our lives is not a new idea. Have you ever noticed how detailed the nativity story is?"

"Details appear at every plot turn: a baby born too soon to an unwed mother, the reality of labor and delivery, the ripe odor of straw and animals and unwashed shepherds fresh from the hills. And then the most concrete detail of all, God enters the world in the flesh as Emmanuel, God with us."

For Mark the issue of relevance also involves meeting people where they are.

"Relevance happens when the church meets people's needs and helps them order their lives," he says.

"Maybe that's why we have the greatest openings at times of major life changes and crises, like births, deaths, weddings, even illnesses. These are among the few times most modern Americans are willing to admit they have needs or seek order for their lives."

Brent agrees that it has very little to do with the type of worship service a church offers.

"Traditional, non-denominational, mainline – that's not what answers the question of relevance."

"Again, faith can be relevant if we look for God in the details of our lives," says Brent.

"At this time of year, God is in the wonderful smell of Christmas wassle. God is in the sound of kids belting out Jingle Bells half a note off key. God is in the deep red of cranberries. God is inside that overly-decorated tree. God is in four-year olds (and 40 year-olds) too excited to sleep."

And of course, God is in His people.

Mark points to a recent study by sociologists Chaeyoon Lim and Robert Putnam.

"They reported in this month's issue of American Sociological Review that the 'secret ingredient' of faith communities, what really makes people happier, are the friendships that form there."

So as we gather, in friendship and fellowship this holiday season, maybe it's the very act of the gathering that's most relevant.

"Relevance happens through relationships," says Mark.

"It's those relationships that give way to learning, worshiping, growing and service."

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If you have a question you'd like to pose to Mark & Brent, let us know by emailing .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)

We wish everyone a blessed holiday, full of love, grace, family and friends.