“Call rebellion by its right name, and apostasy by its right name … And if men and women who have the knowledge of the truth are so far separated from their great Leader, that they will take the great leader of apostasy, and name him Christ our Righteousness, it is because they have not sunk the shaft deep into the mines of truth. They are not able to distinguish the precious ore from the base material” (Bible Commentary, Vol. 1, p. 1114).
The Trans-European Division (TED) of Seventh-day Adventists held its annual Pathfinder Camporee in Sopron, Hungary, from July 25 to August 1, 2023. Over 2,000 young people from all over the TED attended the international youth event. [1] [2] Regrettably, the young people were made to participate in the new contemporary style of worship, which included loud music, drums, fog machines, flashing lights, jumping, and dancing. This has become a recurring phenomenon at our youth events worldwide.
Camporees and other youth activities now feature this new style of worship. The Pathfinder organizers are adopting the world’s standard as the new criteria for their gatherings. It’s the new status quo. What was only seen on the outer fringes of Adventism has now become mainstream, while the sacred hymns handed down to us by the Protestant Reformation and our Adventist Pioneers have now become rare. The changes have already been made, whether you like them or not, and it doesn’t seem like they will be reversed anytime soon, if at all.
Our worship has been hijacked. Who voted for these unauthorized changes? When were these wrong decisions made at the highest levels of the church to replace the piano and sacred songs with drums, flashing lights, and fog machines?
At which world session did the delegates vote on this? Or did God approve of this change in His inspired writings? Absolutely not! Therefore, what the Pathfinder organization is doing worldwide and what is taking place at other youth events in our divisions, unions, and conferences is erroneous, invalid, and must be rejected.
First of all, neither the writings of the Spirit of Prophecy nor the Scriptures provide any support for the changes in worship styles. Second, because they have never been put to a vote by the General Conference in session, they are supposed to be unofficial and unauthorized in any Adventist setting. Our pioneers strongly opposed these forms of worship. And over the years, Adventists have consistently rejected them, but after 60 years of ecumenism, not only has our worship changed, but so has our mission and message.
The new worship styles that we are seeing today not only violate God’s inspired writings, but they also clearly go against the established church policies of previous generations of Seventh-day Adventists. Notice what the official church manual says about music:
• “We should exercise great care in the choice of music in our homes, social gatherings, schools, and churches. Any melody partaking of the nature of jazz, rock, or related hybrid forms, or any language expressing foolish or trivial sentiments, will be shunned.” (Seventh-day Adventist Church Manual, p. 156).
Rap, hip-hop, techno, and other contemporary styles can also be added to the list of hybrid forms of music that “will be shunned.” Unfortunately, what is being shunned today is God’s clear counsel given to us through the writings of the Spirit of Prophecy. The Adventist movement was shaped by this unique gift. The counsel given to us about music comes to us by the Holy Spirit through God’s chosen prophet. It is not Sister White’s advice; it is God’s message for His people.
Tragically, the testimony of the Spirit of Prophecy has been replaced by human reasoning. We have misguided leaders who think they know better than the prophet who spoke in the name of the Lord.
“Men cannot depart from the counsel of God, and retain their peace and restfulness of soul. There is no insanity so dreadful, so hopeless, as that of following human wisdom, unguided by the wisdom of God” (Signs of the Times, September 7, 1888).
“If we plan according to our own ideas, the Lord will leave us to our own mistakes” (Desire of Ages, p. 369).
Notice the warning Sister White issues to those who profess to follow the Spirit of Prophecy but reject its teachings:
“God has given us, as His servants, our work. He has given us a message to bear to His people. For thirty years we have been receiving the words of God and speaking them to His people. We have trembled at the responsibility, which we have accepted with much prayer and meditation. We have stood as God’s ambassadors, in Christ’s stead beseeching souls to be reconciled to God. We have warned of danger as God has presented before us the perils of His people. Our work has been given us of God. What, then, will be the condition of those who refuse to hear the words which God has sent them, because they cross their track or reprove their wrongs? If you are thoroughly convinced that God has not spoken by us, why not act in accordance with your faith and have no more to do with a people who are under so great a deception as this people are? … God is either teaching His church, reproving their wrongs and strengthening their faith, or He is not. This work is of God, or it is not. God does nothing in partnership with Satan. My work for the past thirty years bears the stamp of God or the stamp of the enemy. There is no halfway work in the matter. The Testimonies are of the Spirit of God, or of the devil. In arraying yourself against the servants of God you are doing a work either for God or for the devil. ‘By their fruits ye shall know them.’ What stamp does your work bear? It will pay to look critically at the result of your course” (Testimonies, Vol. 4, p. 229).
Sources
[1] https://ted.adventist.org/youth/pathfinders/ted-pathfinder-camporee-2023/
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It’s heartbreaking to watch. How far has our church wondered after the beast imitating her!
“Return unto me, and I will return unto you, saith the LORD of hosts. But ye said, Wherein shall we return?” Malachi 3:7.
It happening everywhere. There has to be a lot of coordination from the General Conference Youth Ministries leaders. All of these events have the same stage and general production layout.
As brother Rome rightly stated, previous generations rejected this worship style. Only this generation has fully embraced it. We are in the final generation.
“And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather expose them.” Ephesians 5:11
My friends, we must be praying and praying for our dear church and especially for our youth.
Where are the leaders? Don’t allow this to happen in your church. We must stand with Jesus for what is right though the heavens fall. Let’s keep the faith and Focus On Jesus. He will bring the Ship, His church, safely into port.
Hmmm…it’s impossible to tell the difference between the Catholic Jesus dance party video posted yesterday and this Seventh-day Adventist Pathfinder dance party. Seems like our church is trying hard to mimic the world rather than be a distinct people who fashion ourselves after our Lord and Saviour.
Like our politicians, these church leaders are being financed and propped up to humiliate and destroy us. It’s really that simple. So simple, most cant see it.