Evaluation of the Post-modernism seminars

 

koot van wyk (DLitt et Phil; ThD)

Kyungpook National University

Sangju Campus

South Korea

 

 

1. Never a speaker and spiritual Adventist should have sympathy with those who criticize the Adventist worship or liturgy. The reality is that Truth seekers will even  go to one person to worship. The problem is in the cities, there are no truth seekers among those who stop coming to church. The problem is the inside not the outside. It is in the person, not in his environment. Can there be any good from Nazareth?

 

2. The cafe-church concept is an outreach gimic but the work of the Holy Spirit is far more effective than underground or masked evangelism. The  troyan horse evangelism is not necessary when one is filled with the Holy Spirit.

 

3. There are hardly any cafe churches in Africa and millions are streaming to the church walking for miles to reach the church. They sit on the  grass and on stones, in the rain under trees to listen for hours.

 

4. Nowhere in the Old or New Testament is there any indication that one should substitute churchgoing with "picnic with my family".

 

5. Post-modernism is a disease not an example. It is a problem as rationalism is a problem.

 

6. Whereas Modernism is sceptical due to Rationalism and its inroads in all its forms, Post-Modernism don't care at all.

 

7. If one starts a cafe church in order to evangelize people the people will not go back to the church, they will attend the cafe church.

 

8. A cafe church concept is simply a concept that is seeking a license to be different. Under the notion that they are reaching out, they want to be  different and not be expected to go to church.

 

9. Drinking coffee in a cafee is more entertaining than going to church.

 

10. The cafe protagonists are quick to mention words like: "they found the Adventist preaching boring, the liturgy is boring, the same things over  and over".

 

11. It is your "picnic Adventists" that substitute picnic for church that are now coming up with cafe Adventism.

 

12. Think about it, in the whole of the  Old or New Testament, there is no evidence of "troyan horse evangelism."

a. Elijah did not go undercover as a Baal priest "sheep-stealing" the other Baal priest to true Yahwism one by one.

b. The message to the Remnant is constantly one of: "Come out of her my people so that you do not get her plaques".

c. Daniel opened his window on the roof of the palace and prayed in the sight of anyone. He did not bend down pretending he is washing the floor  so that he can pray.

d. "My people perish due to a lack of knowledge, a knowledge of the Word of God". This is the true problem. Not post-modernism.

e. Post-modernism is a symptom of a problem of spiritual emptiness due to a lack of reading the Word of God.

f. Thousands of young people today are converted by simply returning to Bible Study.

g. There were Theaters in every city in the time of Jesus with performances regularly but not once do we read in the  New Testament that Jesus or  his disciples attended those theaters.

h.  Worship of God is very special. David danced in front of the ark as king, not as priest, only him, not the whole nation, only because he could  play a harp very well and not because dancing should be in worship, not in the tabernacle but on the street.

i. David did not suggest hip-pop, tango, or any styles to be introduced into worship.

j. The Baal priests in Elijah's day were dancing around the altar since dancing was part of their worship. Elijah did not dance.

k.  Do not be conformed to the world and its standards.

l. It is a pseudo-concept that the community has a role to play for worship. Worship has a role to play in the community.

m. Nowhere in the Old or New Testament did worship conform to the projectories or configurations of the society the remnant lived in.

The environment was reshaped to conform to worship. The worship was never undercover or "Troyan horse style". See the bitter resentment  problems that Nehemiah had with the secularists in Jerusalem when they tried to rebuild their place of worship.

n. If all the people in a congregation become secular in heart, then they will go on picnics on Sabbath since they find the church boring. They will  refuse to attend church. Floaters.

o. If you want to evangelize floaters, do not float yourself. A cafe church cannot substitute the totality of spiritual development that one find in a  congregation.

p. Where do you baptize the cafe church member? What about ear rings for men or wormen? Necklaces? The Adventist church is against these  due to God's negative words about it, not because they want to be just otherwise.

q. What about Sabbath school study? The role of SS is to systematically build the member to a fuller understanding of the Bible. What topic do  you study with one not interested in the Bible at all? Do you always remain  on a primary level of "Jesus loves you, I am happy you are here"  without entering into all the other wonderful opportunities of spiritual growth in sanctification due for the glory of God?

r. Paul said that he is not ashamed of the gospel. He was persecuted for it, rejected for it, boldly proclaiming and preaching in a style regardless of community styles that existed in the Greek and Roman world of his day.

 

13. Finally, I do not think we need to embark on this "thinning out of the gospel" with a undercover evangelism that does not bring the worshipper to a full understanding of the content of the Bible and content of the Remnant Theology.