Adventist Technological Institute (ATI) is a Seventh-day Adventist academy and college located in the town of Jimenez, in the Philippine province of Misamis Occidental. Evangelistic activities have been carried out on the ATI campus under the supervision of Pastor Rene S. Rosa of the Southern Philippine Union Conference. At that event, 550 young people were present. [1] Pastor Merzon Navarro, ATI’s chaplain, also leads the Jimenez Central Seventh-Day Adventist Church in the area. [2] In fact, the Western Mindanao Conference of Seventh-day Adventists is only 20 minutes away. Adventist Technological Institution recently expressed gratitude to all the local pastors, as well as those from other districts, for their prayers and support. [3]
However, even with all this moral support from the church, it wasn’t enough to restrain the students at Adventist Technological Institute from going wild and crazy as if they had no choice but to give themselves over to their raw motions during the 2023 Mr. and Miss Intramurals. This is a popular competition show that all the schools are doing, including ATI, and it features a beauty pageant, a fashion show, hip-hop dancing, and a singing competition. All of the spirituality that they had hoped to cultivate in the community was completely destroyed by this. The message that was transmitted to everyone in town and beyond is that Adventist Technological Institute knows how to throw a party.
Adventist Technological Institute did share a few “sanitized” pictures and videos from the 2023 Mr. and Miss Intramurals. However, as is frequently the case, it is always someone else who discloses what actually occurred. A professional photographer who attended the event posted hundreds of photos taken at ATI.
I’m not sure why any Seventh-day Adventist institution would center their ministry around this yearly Mr. and Miss Intramurals competition. This required extensive planning, training, money, and teamwork. This could never have taken place without the consent of the local and regional church leadership. They certainly outdid any evangelistic effort, including their annual camp meeting.
We need to remind our people that Seventh-day Adventists have a divine mandate from God to spread the Three Angels’ Message all over the earth. This carries the moral obligation to communicate these truths with our communities. Instead, the public is given pageant shows, worldly dancing, and loud music. This undermines the work of the Holy Spirit and fills the minds of people with so many errors that they are unable to comprehend the truths of the Bible.
Tragically, the administrators at ATI have mixed grave errors with the truth, and they are unable to know what is the truth, what God expects of them, or their own errors. It is not difficult or impossible to share the faith, but these entertainment spectacles make it impossible for God’s Spirit to do His work.
They have committed their campus completely to the world, thinking that they can then honor God on the Sabbath. They have lost their unique calling, they no longer fear God, and they are more afraid of losing their popularity and standing with the students than with God. The faith of Jesus does not have a switch that you can just turn on and off at your convenience. The faith is to remain continuous. Our personal relationship with Jesus is never to be interrupted. What is happening at Adventist Technological Institute is part of a phenomenon that is taking place everywhere today throughout Adventism.
Many will rationalize and justify this behavior because Adventism has simply become a theory for too many. Too many have their own version of the faith that has been stripped of the doctrines and standards that have made us who we are. Today, there is a version of Adventism that is cool, fun, and fully compatible with today’s culture. There are no demands, no crosses to carry, no self-denial, no Spirit of Prophecy, and no rendering unquestionable obedience to the word of God.
Unfortunately, it has been predicted that some will try to soften and make Seventh-day Adventism more appealing in order to make our message easier for the rest of the world to accept.
“I was told that men will employ every policy to make less prominent the difference between the faith of Seventh-day Adventists and those who observe the first day of the week. In this controversy the whole world will be engaged, and the time is short” (Manuscript 15, 1896; Selected Message, Book 2, p. 385).
“This is no time to haul down our colors. A company was presented before me under the name of Seventh-day Adventists, who were advising that the banner or sign which makes us a distinctive people should not be held out so strikingly; for they claimed it was not the best policy in securing success to our institution” (Ibid., p. 385).
In the effort to present our message as attractive and relevant in our modern culture, many are focusing on replacing truth with entertainment and fun. We are witnessing an unprecedented crisis that threatens to destroy the foundational principles and standards of the faith. This is a fulfillment of what the Spirit of Prophecy said would occur in our day. Sadly, the mission of the church has been aligned with the world. A complete reorientation of our priorities is taking place. We are witnessing with horror the landmarks of the faith, the pillars which we hold very dear, being abandoned, one after the other.
“The enemy of souls has sought to bring in the supposition that a great reformation was to take place among Seventh-day Adventists, and that this reformation would consist in giving up the doctrines which stand as the pillars of our faith, and engaging in a process of reorganization. Were this reformation to take place, what would result? The principles of truth that God in His wisdom has given to the remnant church, would be discarded. Our religion would be changed. The fundamental principles that have sustained the work for the last fifty years would be accounted as error” (Selected Messages, Vol. 1, p. 204).
We are losing our schools. They are becoming grooming centers to prepare students for everything except the final closing work. Our young people are being swept away by society’s corrupt, worldly culture, and those in responsible positions are letting it happen. Some church leaders are actually guiding our youth down this destructive path. Unless we repent and ask God to give us the moral fortitude to actually take real steps to stop this assault against our people, the floodgate of apostasy will continue to sweep away all the spirituality and sacredness of the movement. We will not receive the seal of the living God if we encourage this behavior, make excuses for it, or remain neutral during a time of spiritual crisis:
“Who are standing in the counsel of God at this time? Is it those who virtually excuse wrongs among the professed people of God and who murmur in their hearts, if not openly, against those who would reprove sin? Is it those who take their stand against them and sympathize with those who commit wrong? No, indeed! Unless they repent, and leave the work of Satan in oppressing those who have the burden of the work and in holding up the hands of sinners in Zion, they will never receive the mark of God’s sealing approval. They will fall in the general destruction of the wicked … Mark this point with care: Those who receive the pure mark of truth, wrought in them by the power of the Holy Ghost, represented by a mark by the man in linen, are those ‘that sigh and that cry for all the abominations that be done’ in the church. Their love for purity and the honor and glory of God is such, and they have so clear a view of the exceeding sinfulness of sin” (Testimonies, Vol. 3, p. 267).
Sources
[2] https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=9223620297678296&set=a.1193422130698193
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If it was just the Philippines this would be a bad situation, but it’s everywhere.
“Ah sinful nation, a people laden with iniquity, a seed of evildoers, children that are corrupters: they have forsaken the LORD, they have provoked the Holy One of Israel unto anger, they are gone away backward. Why should ye be stricken any more? ye will revolt more and more: the whole head is sick, and the whole heart faint. From the sole of the foot even unto the head there is no soundness in it; but wounds, and bruises, and putrifying sores: they have not been closed, neither bound up, neither mollified with ointment.“ Isaiah 1:4-6.
“A bedlam of noise shocks the senses and perverts that which if conducted aright might be a blessing. The powers of satanic agencies blend with the din and noise to have a carnival, and this is termed the Holy Spirit’s working…. Those things which have been in the past will be in the future. Satan will make music a snare by the way in which it is conducted.” —Selected Messages 2:36, 38 (1900). – {LDE 159.2}
This is truly a bedlam of noise.
Just like a rock concert.
It’s sad that it’s like this. But it has taken many years of slow compromise to get here.
This is sad and rather unfortunate. The enemy is stealing souls daily and persons are going blindly into perdition. But this is what Jesus said would happen.
We can only pray that hearts & minds are changed before it’s too late.
May God have mercy on us all. 🙏🏼
This is the Philippines. They are culturally Christian, and therefore a lot of evangelism and Christian fellowship takes place, but it’s only cultural. It’s skin deep. They have the same problems as we do in western countries with how they actually live their lives. And yes, they do like to party and put on a show. In fact, I’d say a lot of church activities they put on are also for show.
Overall, just like many developing countries, their Christianity is a mile wide but an inch deep. Contrast that with developed countries where it is only a few feet wide but also an inch deep.
A new organization would be established. Books of a new order would be written. A system of intellectual philosophy would be introduced. The founders of this system would go into the cities, and do a wonderful work. The Sabbath of course, would be lightly regarded, as also the God who created it. Nothing would be allowed to stand in the way of the new movement. The leaders would teach that virtue is better than vice, but God being removed, they would place their dependence on human power, which, without God, is worthless. Their foundation would be built on the sand, and storm and tempest would sweep away the structure. – 1SM 204.2
Who has authority to begin such a movement? We have our Bibles. We have our experience, attested to by the miraculous working of the Holy Spirit. We have a truth that admits of no compromise. Shall we not repudiate everything that is not in harmony with this truth? – 1SM 205.1
I have been hoping that there would be a thorough reformation, and that the principles for which we fought in the early days, and which were brought out in the power of the Holy Spirit, would be maintained. – 1SM 206.3
Soon God’s people will be tested by fiery trials, and the great proportion of those who now appear to be genuine and true will prove to be base metal…. – LDE 180.3
When the religion of Christ is most held in contempt, when His law is most despised, then should our zeal be the warmest and our courage and firmness the most unflinching. To stand in defense of truth and righteousness when the majority forsake us, to fight the battles of the Lord when champions are few—this will be our test. At this time we must gather warmth from the coldness of others, courage from their cowardice, and loyalty from their treason.—Testimonies for the Church 5:136 (1882). – LDE 180.4
The same mighty truths that were revealed through these men, God desires to reveal through the youth and the children of today. The history of Joseph and Daniel is an illustration of what He will do for those who yield themselves to Him and with the whole heart seek to accomplish His purpose. – Ed 57.2
The greatest want of the world is the want of men—men who will not be bought or sold, men who in their inmost souls are true and honest, men who do not fear to call sin by its right name, men whose conscience is as true to duty as the needle to the pole, men who will stand for the right though the heavens fall. – Ed 57.3
But such a character is not the result of accident; it is not due to special favors or endowments of Providence. A noble character is the result of self-discipline, of the subjection of the lower to the higher nature—the surrender of self for the service of love to God and man. – Ed 57.4
The youth need to be impressed with the truth that their endowments are not their own. Strength, time, intellect, are but lent treasures. They belong to God, and it should be the resolve of every youth to put them to the highest use. He is a branch, from which God expects fruit; a steward, whose capital must yield increase; a light, to illuminate the world’s darkness. – Ed 57.5
Every youth, every child, has a work to do for the honor of God and the uplifting of humanity. – Ed 58.1
The church is God’s fortress, His city of refuge, which He holds in a revolted world. Any betrayal of the church is treachery to Him who has bought mankind with the blood of His only-begotten Son. From the beginning, faithful souls have constituted the church on earth. In every age the Lord has had His watchmen, who have borne a faithful testimony to the generation in which they lived. These sentinels gave the message of warning; and when they were called to lay off their armor, others took up the work. God brought these witnesses into covenant relation with Himself, uniting the church on earth with the church in heaven. He has sent forth His angels to minister to His church, and the gates of hell have not been able to prevail against His people. – AA 11.2
Through centuries of persecution, conflict, and darkness, God has sustained His church. Not one cloud has fallen upon it that He has not prepared for; not one opposing force has risen to counterwork His work, that He has not foreseen. All has taken place as He predicted. He has not left His church forsaken, but has traced in prophetic declarations what would occur, and that which His Spirit inspired the prophets to foretell has been brought about. All His purposes will be fulfilled. His law is linked with His throne, and no power of evil can destroy it. Truth is inspired and guarded by God; and it will triumph over all opposition. – AA 11.3
Many schools and other Adventist organizations have “Cultural Night” or something similar where they do all the pagan dances that Christianity was supposed to do away with.
But then, fortunately we have some strong Adventist souls in developing countries that are brave enough to go to the developed countries and tell the natives there to put their clothes on!
“It is impossible to estimate too largely the work that the Lord will accomplish through His proposed vessels in carrying out His mind and purpose. The things you have described as taking place in Indiana, the Lord has shown me would take place JUST BEFORE THE CLOSE OF PROBATION. Every uncouth thing will be demonstrated. There will be shouting, with drums, music, and dancing. The senses of rational beings will become so confused that they cannot be trusted to make right decisions. And this is called the moving of the Holy Spirit.
“The Holy Spirit never reveals itself in such methods, in such a bedlam of noise. This is an invention of Satan to cover up his ingenious methods of making none effect the pure, sincere, elevating, ennobling, sanctifying truth for this time. Better never have the worship of God blended with music than to use musical instruments to do the work which last January was represented to me would be brought into our camp meetings. The truth for this time needs nothing of this kind in its work of converting souls. A bedlam of noise shocks the senses and perverts that which if conducted aright might be a blessing. THE POWERS OF SATANIC AGENCIES BLEND WITH THE DIN AND NOISE, TO HAVE A CARNIVAL, and this is termed the Holy Spirit’s working…
“But last January the Lord showed me that erroneous theories and methods would be brought into our camp meetings, and that the history of the past would be repeated. I felt greatly distressed. I WAS INSTRUCTED TO SAY AT THESE DEMONSTRATIONS DEMONS IN THE FORM OF MEN ARE PRESENT, working with all the ingenuity that Satan can employ to make the truth disgusting to sensible people; that the camp meetings which have been the means of bringing the truth of the third angel’s message before multitudes, should lose their force and influence.” Selected Messages, volume 2, pp. 36, 37 (Letter 132, 1900).