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 The Fad That's Here to Stay By Sarah K. Asaftei
So why should postmoderns get special treatment? Won’t they just fade into memory in five years? But what if they don’t? What if this emergent culture isn’t a fad? What if, as some assert, it is one of the most important cultural transitions in 500 years? Postmodernism won’t last forever. But what if its impact on our culture changes things so dramatically that our evangelism field never looks the same again? Are we prepared? Or are we clinging to what makes us comfortable instead of effective? There are 100 million people unchurched in North America.1 That’s one in three Americans. In the United Kingdom, only about 13% regularly attend church.2 In Australia the figure is even more staggering: 92.5% are unchurched.3 Obviously, our current evangelistic strategy isn’t getting through to very many. Some of you read this and are muttering to yourselves. “But we must stand strong against the wave of worldly culture!” And so we should. But reaching postmoderns isn’t just about your tastes in worship music, or the order of your church service—although some would like to make it that way. Your convictions on worship style are fine with me, as long as you are seeking to glorify God according to the Holy Bible. So let’s not get sidetracked with a side issue. Reaching the postmodern culture of today is about so much more. It’s about contextualization and community. It’s about connecting and caring. It’s about living out the gospel message in daily routine. It’s about authenticity instead of hypocrisy. About genuine friendship with unchurched people, the way Jesus spent quality time with those ignored by Jewish society. It’s not about new gimmicks, or fancy programs, or whether your song service has words on PowerPoint. It’s about returning to our roots. Getting back to the basics of the incredible life-transforming message that God has given us. It’s about truly living out what you believe as a Seventh-day Adventist, instead of pretending sanctity on Sabbath morning. About being wholly unashamed of your faith and identity as an Adventist Christian. And it’s about learning when to say something and when to keep our mouths shut and just listen. When to realize that someone needs a friend to trust more than they need to hear the gospel against cheese this minute. Some may say that mega-churches are the answer. Or Sabbath morning daycare programs. Or a huge production during every song service. Or fancy sermons. Or, or, or…. But what if we’re missing the point with all those things? What about the smaller churches who can’t provide huge programs? What if it is REALLY just about being authentic? Letting God transform your life into something so fresh and unrecognizable from your sinful self, that others can’t help but notice your glow? So many missionaries work cross-culturally around the globe, tirelessly attempting to contextualize the gospel message into local vocabulary and cultures. They learn the language, wear local clothing, memorize folk tales—all in an effort to make a lasting connection and build trust. Then they retell the gospel in words that their audience can understand. But in more developed countries it’s easy to forget just how many unchurched are in our communities. Just as we create tailored mission resources for other vast unreached people groups—Buddhist, Hindu, Muslim—should we perhaps begin thinking about those in our own back yard? Sure, many people in traditionally “Christian” countries already have a churched background, but what about those who don’t? What about the people who have no relationship with Jesus? Who have miniscule exposure to faith or religion? The Adventist church excels at providing Bible study courses for individuals who have an established relationship with Christ as their Saviour and are ready to study Scripture. But for the unchurched who are not classified as a “foreign mission field,” we have few resources. As long as we see evangelism as a series of isolated events rather than a daily lifestyle featuring “every member as a minister,” this isn’t likely to change. So how can pastors encourage lay members to pursue a paradigm of daily testimony? And where can they obtain authentic resources for contextualized evangelism within the unchurched postmodern context? The Centre for Secular and Postmodern Studies (CSPS) at the General Conference Office of Adventist Mission is working to provide discipleship pathways and other evangelistic supplements. CSPS is directed by Dr. Miroslav Pujic, who worked in ministry to postmoderns for more than five years and developed the LIFEdevelopment discipleship pathway. As a study center for Adventist Mission, CSPS researches postmodern culture and works to create resources based on Christ’s biblical methods of outreach for sharing the gospel. Consequently, the materials offered through CSPS focus on the full spectrum of evangelism, not just the Bible study segment. Instead, they start with creating video clips and sharing magazines, encouraging daily mingling with neighbors and friends, and internet outreach—building social capital in the local community. Using discipleship principles, pastors and lay members are encouraged to begin small groups and bible studies, and then to continue active training and equipping to new believers. In addition to research of postmodern culture and the development of fresh and relevant resources the CSPS office also provides regular international re:frame events, weekends of training for pastors and lay members on how to understand and connect with the unchurched in their communities. These weekends, presented by the CSPS director Dr. Miroslav Pujic, facilitate a deeper comprehension of the underlying patterns of contemporary culture through dynamic and engaging activities. “This re:frame weekend was the Rubicon in my ministry,” says Pastor Sam Chetty from Seattle, Washington. “I am hooked on this! It is absolutely relevant.” "Many Adventists don't fully understand the emerging culture, and just how much it impacts people’s thoughts and responses,” says Pujic. “Postmoderns are a distinct people group, just like any other mission field. As such, the culture requires the same purposeful research and contextualization as any jungle tribe or distant land. It’s just harder to do when we don’t have to leave home to find it. And the unchurched don’t speak a foreign language, or wear different clothes. Just turn on the television, or listen to the radio. It’s everywhere.” One of the main evangelistic resources provided through CSPS and at re:frame events is the LIFEdevelopment discipleship pathway. LIFEdevelopment (LD) focuses on reaching out through three aspects of evangelism: friendship, process, and nurture. It uses a multi-sensory approach including personal testimony, DVD, books, magazines, and interactive small groups. The LIFEdevelopment concepts of community, active involvement, and authentic relationship are also especially appealing to young Adventists. “I’ve tried to share Jesus with people of a postmodern mindset before, and it has been frustrating not knowing how to approach them,” said Carlos Cirilo, theology major at Southern Adventist University. “I can’t wait to learn more about how to apply LIFEdevelopment principles in my own ministry as a young pastor.” “Without paying close attention, we easily take cultural shifts for granted,” says Pujic. “But we’re often missing golden opportunities in the meantime. Sometimes we need to adapt what we’ve learned about discipleship in the past to meet the needs of the present, without altering our foundation in biblical truth.” LIFEdevelopment is an evangelistic update for a specific culture group. It doesn’t throw out what’s tried and true, only builds onto what we already know while encouraging Adventists to return to biblical roots. Built around concepts of getting connected with people (friendships), walking together in a journey of sharing (process), and encouraging newfound faith (nurture)—LD helps you get connected in a biblical way. It puts every member to work as a minister. It reminds us that we are each commissioned to tell our story of what Jesus has done for us (Mark 5:19). The LD model was initially implemented in 2002 in the United Kingdom, and has since spread globally to include events in Denmark, Norway, Japan, Korea, Australia, Canada, Slovenia, Serbia, and the United States. LIFEdevelopment materials are available to pastors and lay members throughout the world church through the CSPS office. CSPS also seeks to link practitioners and scholars together in a global network. You can browse links to churches and ministries on their website to get connected. Or search “Centre for Secular & Postmodern Studies” to find the CSPS group on Facebook.com and dialogue with others around the world. Subscribe online to re:frame, the CSPS newsletter, to read news, share ministry tips, and enjoy profiles of men and women active in relevant ministry. Whether your church is small or large, rural or urban—each Adventist member and pastor is faced with a challenge to return to the biblical principle of living out daily evangelism to others. While culture continues to change and shift around us, we can either bury our heads in chosen isolation from those around us or we can get connected with passion and enthusiasm. In His ministry on earth, Jesus befriended people, met their needs, and only after they had a relationship of trust did He urge them to follow Him. As we consider and evaluate both the success and the biblical authenticity of our accepted evangelism strategies, we might be wise to remember that “Christ's method alone will give true success in reaching the people. The Saviour mingled with men as one who desired their good. He showed His sympathy for them, ministered to their needs, and won their confidence. Then He bade them, Follow Me.”4 Eventually, postmodernism will morph into the next cultural shift. Knowing biblical prophecy, that next cultural shift is likely to bring fundamentalism. While some among us may welcome the return to morality that fundamentalism would bring, we might be wise to recognize the oppression and narrow-mindedness that will come also. Right now, postmodern culture provides the most tolerant and accepting mission field that North America has ever seen. EVERYBODY will listen to your story if you tell it in a personal and engaging way. And even when the next cultural shift arises, the postmodern elements of today will have left an imprint. It isn’t a fad. And it isn’t something we can sit back and ignore. Not if we want to fulfill the Great Commission. For now, postmodernism is here to stay—and we are faced with a choice. Are we satisfied with the status quo? Or will we allow this challenge to get us back to the gospel foundation? Sarah K. Asaftei is assistant director of the Centre for Secular and Postmodern Studies for the Office of Adventist Mission and writes from Silver Spring, MD. All rights reserved © 2008 Church Support Services. Click here for content usage information. ______________________________ 1 The Barna Group http://www.barna.org/FlexPage.aspx?Page=BarnaUpdateNarrow&BarnaUpdateID=267 2 European Social Survey 3 Wikipedia.com 4 Ellen G. White, Ministry of Healing, pg. 143. Centre for Secular & Postmodern Studies www.reframe.info (ministry resources, newsletter, training events, event calendar) www.youtube.com/tedMEDIA (video clips, media resources) www.facebook.com (CSPS group, discussion board, announcements) www.lifedevelopment.info (outreach) |
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