Worship is being transformed into one great carnival spectacle. In this video, the Adventist Youth Ministry logo is being depicted with the words “Worship, the Art of Jumping.” This is what young people are learning about what worship has evolved into: a carnival show. The sacred worship of a holy God should be distinguished from ordinary amusement shows because it is intended to evoke sanctity and a profound sense of reverence. On the other hand, carnival shows are characterized by their exuberant displays, entertainment-themed activities, and frivolity. What we are witnessing in this new style of worship stands in stark contrast to the solemn atmosphere that worship demands.
The Bible calls us to “Fear God, and give glory to him; for the hour of his judgment is come: and worship him that made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and the fountains of waters” (Revelation 14:7). This is a call to honor the Creator through humility, purity, and godly fear. Instead, today we see chaos, superficiality, carnival festivities, worldliness, and a bedlam of noise. To blur the lines between these two distinct realms undermines the true worship of a holy God and reduces our churches and institutions to mere secular places of entertainment.
0
0
0
I’m curious how you deem it part of your God-given mission to scour the world looking for Adventist children who are moving their bodies “inappropriately”. Because that is definitely a theme on this site.
Do you really believe God has called you to level accusations of false worship across cultural and ministerial divides of which you are not a part? Seriously, what are you hoping to accomplish, an international worship reform according to the disapproval of Andy Roman? This much is certain: God calls no man to broadcast perceived flaws in others, especially in how they worship. As a teacher of religious liberty, you should know this.
“What we are witnessing in this new style of worship stands in stark contrast to the solemn atmosphere that worship demands.”
Are you not a prophecy teacher? It is Satan who imposes worship demands. Where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty. That certainly includes liberty for children to dance, shout and sing to the Lord.
“There are some who imagine that it is their duty to be church tinkers. It is agreeable to their natural feelings to be seeking spot and stain in others; they watch diligently for something to reprove, and they become narrower and narrower in their ideas, until they are ready to make one an offender for a word. This spirit is wholly unlike Christ, and leads to dissension and wrangling. There is no more effectual hindrance to growth in grace than this disposition to criticize and condemn others. We have in our experience seen this accusing spirit gradually enter the hearts of church-members until it had leavened nearly the entire church, and the result was that little of real godliness or of the spirit of Christ remained. HS 212.5
“A hard, unjust, critical spirit has been indulged among those who have held positions of trust in the work of God. The persecution that is carried on among church members is a most terrible thing. It is true that some have committed errors, and made mistakes, but it is equally true that these errors and mistakes are not nearly as grievous in the sight of God as is the harsh and unforgiving spirit of those who are criticisers and censors. Many of those who are free to pass judgment on others, are committing errors which, although not made manifest, are tainted with deadly evil that is corrupting their spiritual life.” Special Testimonies to Ministers – The Spirit of Jesus SpTA03 10.2
Brother Nathan,
Is God Honored by the Entertainment freak shows that are so much part of Adventist Youth evangelism today?
God did warn us of a New Movement that would take over the World Church. The Freak show above from Brazil is Part of that.
Consider this Statement from Ellen White which is more true today than it ever was.
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. 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 pg. 189
There is no safety nor repose nor justification in transgression of the law. Man cannot hope to stand innocent before God, and at
peace with Him through the merits of Christ, while he continues in sin. He must cease to transgress, and become loyal and true. As the
sinner looks into the great moral looking glass, he sees his defects of character. He sees himself just as he is, spotted, defiled, and
condemned. But he knows that the law cannot in any way remove the guilt or pardon the transgressor. He must go farther than this.
The law is but the schoolmaster to bring him to Christ. He must look to his sin-bearing Saviour. And as Christ is revealed to him
upon the cross of Calvary, dying beneath the weight of the sins of the whole world, the Holy Spirit shows him the attitude of God to
all who repent of their transgressions. “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him
should not perish, but have everlasting life”.
We need, individually, to take heed as we have never done before to a “Thus saith the Lord.” There are men who are disloyal to God,
who profane His holy Sabbath, who cavil over the plainest statements of the Word, who wrest the Scriptures from their true meaning, and
who at the same time make desperate efforts to harmonize their disobedience with the Scriptures. But the Word condemns such
practices, as it condemned the scribes and Pharisees in Christ’s day. We need to know what is truth. Shall we do as did the Pharisees?
Shall we turn from the greatest Teacher the world has ever known to the traditions and maxims and sayings of men?
1SM pg. 197
The belief of a falsehood did not make Paul a kind, tender, compassionate man. He was a religious zealot, exceedingly mad against
the truth concerning Jesus. He went through the country, haling men and women, and committing them to prison. Speaking of this, he
says: “I am verily a man which am a Jew, born in Tarsus, a city in Cilicia, yet brought up in this city at the feet of Gamaliel, and taught
according to the perfect manner of the law of the fathers, and was zealous toward God, as ye all are this day. And I persecuted this
way unto the death, binding and delivering into prisons both men and women.”
1SM pg. 198
To man alone, the crowning work of His creation, God has given a conscience to realize the sacred claims of the divine law, and a
heart capable of loving it as holy, just, and good; and of man prompt and perfect obedience is required. Yet God does not compel him to
obey; he is left a free moral agent.
The subject of man’s personal responsibility is understood by but few; and yet it is a matter of the greatest importance. We may each
obey and live, or we may transgress God’s law, defy His authority, and receive the punishment that is meet. Then to every soul the
question comes home with force, Shall I obey the voice from heaven, the ten words spoken from Sinai, or shall I go with the multitude
who trample on that fiery law? To those who love God it will be the highest delight to keep His commandments, and to do those things
that are pleasing in His sight. But the natural heart hates the law of God, and wars against its holy claims. Men shut their souls from
the divine light, refusing to walk in it as it shines upon them. They sacrifice purity of heart, the favor of God, and their hope of heaven,
for selfish gratification or worldly gain.
1SM pg 199, 200.
Obedience to the law is essential, not only to our salvation, but to our own happiness and the happiness of all with whom we are
connected. “Great peace have they which love thy law: and nothing shall offend them” (Psalm 119:165), says the Inspired Word. Yet
finite man will present to the people this holy, just, and good law, this law of liberty, which the Creator Himself has adapted to the
wants of man, as a yoke of bondage, a yoke which no man can bear. But it is the sinner who regards the law as a grievous yoke;
it is the transgressor that can see no beauty in its precepts. For the carnal mind “is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be”
1SM pg. 201
Nathan, your response is on-point! Unfortunately Advent Messenger specifically seeks out and condemns only the cultural worship of Adventists of color, showing snippets of an event that they identify as evil or sinful and never looking beyond that snippet. They do the same thing to Dr. Byrd every year. They take a snippet of something they call evil or sinful but never take a snippet of the tens of thousands of souls he has baptized! SMH
Apparently Nathan thinks every man should do what is right in his own eyes within the Church. Apparently Nathan, if one was to apply his train of thought fully—would also have to condemn Paul for his condemnation in Corinth in 1 Cor. 5……where Paul called out open sinful practices within the Church……as for Nathan misapplying Ellen Whites writings, if she were alive today it is likely she would write a whole Testimonies vol. 10 dedicated to condemning the rebellious worldly worship in todays Church.