Louie Giglio's messages have convicted me since I first heard him speak almost 20 years ago.

At the recent Q conference, Louie displayed a photo of a scene viewed from a Hong Kong hotel. Workmen were busily excavating the site adjacent to the hotel to build yet another skyscraper, business as usual in crowded, booming Hong Kong. But what was unusual was that instead of demolishing the site competely, razing everything in their path, the workmen were very carefully digging around ancient trees to preserve them. The buliding had been designed in such a way that the good and the beautiful from the past -- the ancient trees -- were preserved, while that which was no longer useful or necessary, the former buildings, were demolished to make way for a bigger, newer, better skyscraper. While this method of construction is more costly and time-consuming, it serves to keep the past a central part of the picture, while still moving forward.

Louie used this example to draw a parallel to the Church in answering the question "Can the Church be Relevant in Going Forward?" He proposed that like the Hong Kong workmen, we need to go about the business of excavaction and renovation, rather than demolition and reconstruction. We can go up, or out with our ministry and message, but need to save what is relevant and meaningful to the story -- and if you know anything at all about Louie's primary message -- that which is relevant and meaningful to the story is Jesus and the Gospel.

He reminded us that God is inside and outside of time all of the time, and as a result, as Christians we can transcend culture and transcend change. Christ in us, the hope of glory.

With Jesus as our Constant (could it be that Louie is a LOST fan?!), our lives locked into His, there is both a way and a why forward for the Church to remain relevant in culture.

What are some examples you've seen of the Church practicing excavation and renovation instead of demolition and reconstruction?