Besides the administrative business that animates the works of an Inter-European Region of Seventh-day Adventists (EUD) Executive Committee, there is also an opportunity to attend a one-day leadership training for church leaders.
This year, the topic was focused on the mission to merge the gap between real results and the desire to improve.
Laslo Szabo, lecturer at Friedensau Adventist University in Germany, presented a lecture focusing on Mission in secular, post-modern Europe:“Conversion and identity challenging developments in a changing society”.
During his presentation, Szabo showed some important findings about the religiosity of the European continent and, surprisingly, he showed that Europe is less secularized than we think. People do not rebuke religion as such, they rebuke traditionalism and institutionalism.
Once again, the method that gives more results is the interpersonal one, where the person-to-person contact is more likely to evolve into conversion.
“We are focused on building churches, as well as buying furniture and other things,” said Szabo. “Sometimes we are more focused on a social approach in our preaching, but surveys have told us that this will not help us to grow as a church. Rather, it’s the Word of God. Train your members in giving Bible Studies, helping people to make decision for Jesus Christ, and being authentic Christians in daily life.”
Following the research of Laslo Szabo, Gary Krause, Associate Secretary at the General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists, gave his contribution through the encouragement to pursue a contextualized outreach model more linked with the European reality.
“It is through social relations that Christianity comes in contact with the world,” said Krause, quoting Ellen White, an Adventist American writer. Talking about two famous American products, fast food and soft drinks, Krause demonstrated how predominant a “soft power” can be.
“So, a country is not only powerful because it has big guns, but also because people grow to like its culture. The United States’ formidable military exudes power throughout the world, but its ‘soft power’ also circles the globe. What are the aspects of its soft power: Hollywood, American music, American fast food, the list goes on. These attract people and make them want to emulate and follow it,” explained Krause. In short, culture becomes power.
Following this idea, we should not be surprised that, in 2013, in her inauguration speech, former South Korean President Park Geun-hye stated, “In the 21stCentury, culture is power.”
It is in this context that “Christ’s Method” could be applied. He mingled with the people, showed sympathy and compassion, ministered to needs, won confidence, and after, bid the people to follow him.
This is an invitation to consider the cultural background of the people with whom we are making contact, in order to open doors and create dialogue.