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What's wrong with
Postmodernism?
by Sean Peek
I've read more and more about
PM and I guess I have some complaints. Here we go. Everything traditional is bad
and will never last and needs to just go away. Everything that is PM is the best
thing in the whole world and will always be.
Now I have been in many
churches that refuse to change and are slowly losing membership. That the focus
is on membership and not discipleship, "giving units" as they are
described, and I've been a leader in churches like that. It's easy to abandon
these churches and move on. I don't think it's a good idea though. There are
many people in the church (not just the old ones) that actually like the
traditional modern setting. That is where they reach God best. If they walked
into a PM setting, they would be turned off.
I saw this most when I worked
on starting a contemporary service at a very traditional service. The music (and
music is a major part of any church service) got them the most. Not sure what to
do when you don't like the faster paced music.
PM blogs I read don't trust
anything modern. I feel I have one foot in traditional/contemporary and one foot
in postmodern. I can go both ways although I like a blend of both. Blogs I read
basically say anything moderns try just are not there. If a modern church tries
to start a PM church, don't trust it. If any PM setting has ties to the modern,
it's a bad thing. I think that's unfortunate. There is so much that can me
brought to the table on both sides of the worship setting. Next the modern
church does not understand mission. They either don't give enough of themselves
to mission trips (whether here or away) and don't want to get their hands dirty.
After making two mission
trips to the TX Mexico border, I have had 2 SS classes ask about making trips
also. Groups love to do hands on housing. Our church is involved with homeless
projects here in Austin. Plus other stuff we do. Yes many of the people in our
church give $$ to the missions group, denominational missions teams (Methodist),
or other charities. They don't go out to Mexico or get up to serve the homeless
breakfast, but they might invite their neighbor to a UMM meeting. Their ideas of
"mission" are just different than others. PM. There is no
absolute truth. Everything is experiential, Moderns...There is absolute truth.
This truth can be embraced. Yes we are all on a journey and that journey will
take us different paths, but there are essentials to Christianity that need to
be embraced. A wise man once said "in the essentials unity, in the
non-essentials liberty, and in all things charity." What do you think????
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Sean Peek: I'm 32 years
old and basically have one foot in the traditional/contemporary worship and one
foot in the postmodern ideals. I'm hoping to start seminary next year. I live in
Austin, TX where you can wear shorts outside @ Christmas :o)
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