Progressive Christians often say that the Church in America is failing because it is stuck in the past. If only Christians would lose their hang-ups about sex and doctrine, then young people might find the church relevant and listen to what it has to say.

The reality is different. Take the PCUSA denomination, which has been at the forefront of shifting stances to be more inclusive and up to date.  They’ve been hemorrhaging members for years, going from over 2 million in 2010 to 1.2 million last year. That’s a 40 percent drop in just a decade.

Of course, conservative churches have their issues too. But to say that the only way to win the world is to become like it just flies in the face of the evidence. Theological fads come and go—mostly go, in fact. Yet, the Bride of Christ and the Faith it proclaims have endured for two thousand years. She has a surer Foundation than “relevance” can ever provide.