Postmodern Pilgrims Book Review

Book Review: Postmodern Pilgrims: First Century Passion for the 21st Century World

Reaction: Reflection & Critical Thinking on the Topic of Postmodernism and the Practice of Ministry

In this paper, I will identify the significance of the E(xperiential)-P(articipatory )-I(mage-based)-C(onnected) acronym as it relates to contemporary adolescents. Also, I will explore my reflection on the book’s assertions and reveal whether or not I agree with the premise of the book. In addition, I will discuss the evidence I have that Sweet’s descriptors are generally accurate. Finally, in light of the content of the book, I will discuss how youth ministry should be conceptualized and implemented.
To begin, the E.P.I.C acronym is significant for several reasons. One, I think it helps us to understand contemporary adolescents a little better. It gives us insight into how they experience the world. It is like a peek into how they think and what makes their world go around; what excites them. Two, E-P-I-C identifies teaching methods to peak adolescent’s interest in Jesus. It reveals what influences them the most, inspires them and draws them in to interest in a subject. Three, E-P-I-C is about designing ministries that move kids to want to learn more about Jesus. It is about helping contemporary adolescents see their need for Jesus. How does the church get contemporary adolescents to want to learn more about Jesus? I think E-P-I-C takes a stab at answering this question.
I also think E-P-I-C helps the reader to relate to adolescents better in general. For example, it helps me to understand why my nephew enjoys television and video games so much. Because I know that video games are something that he enjoys, I spend time playing them with him and I think it means a lot to him. I believe it is an expression of love to care about what they care about and make an effort to speak their language so to speak. It helps in building the relationship so that a person can possibly have a positive influence on the child’s life for Christ.
Sweet makes several assertions in Postmodern Pilgrims. One, he argues that “ministry in the 21st century has more in common with the 1st century than with the modern world that is collapsing all around us”. I agree wholeheartedly. I think contemporary adolescents are disillusioned with the spirituality of the modern world and now, are out to experience God for themselves. I think it is with good reason but they have more interest in God’s Word as a source and want to know directly from Him now on issues in their lives. I have seen this in youth ministry myself and have heard this from youth pastors over the years as well. In my opinion, contemporary adolescents also seem to want more real, intimate and personal interaction when fellowshipping together. Because of the above, I think adolescents have gravitated away from and are still gravitating away from the modern/traditional churches and clinging more to New Testament church settings, like house churches, cell groups and contemporary worship services.
Two, he states that “Christians should not embrace a postmodern worldview; we must not adapt to postmodernity. Jesus is timeless. We do need to incarnate the timeless with the timely. Post moderns do need to probe the living out of our faith in light of classical Christian tradition”. At first, Sweet sounded as if he was contradicting himself with this assertion. It sounded as if he was flip- flopping in the book, adapt but do not adapt. However, I think he means that we should adapt as to draw post moderns back to the classical Christian tradition but never embrace postmodernity as a longstanding worldview.
I agree. I am a postmodern so obviously, I feel like postmodernity is right in some ways. One, ministry appears to be more like ministry in the New Testament and it should in my opinion. Two, I think it is right to want to experience God personally. Third, I think we are on the right track to be more personal and participatory in fellowship and less disconnected. In this sense, I think everyone should be postmodern. However, I also know that just because people are drawn in hoards to a postmodern worldview, including myself, does not make it right or make it something to achieve. Jesus taught us in Scripture how to be the church. Let us get back to it; continue in it.
Three, Sweet states that the “secret of success on reaching a postmodern culture is connecting through the E-P-I-C Model”. He breaks down popular TV shows, retail stores, consumerism and gets to the heart of the postmodern. Then, he details in light of this information, how we can revolutionize the church to draw people. Once again, I agree. I believe that using the marketing strategies of participation and experience could possibly bring people closer to God. I think we should always be interpreting culture, finding infinitely creative ways to interact with that culture to the glory of God and showing the relevance of God within that culture.
Finally, Sweet states, “The church sends hate mail instead of love letters to the postmodern culture”. Then, he asks the following question: Why can we not kiss the culture? My response to this question is twofold. One, I think the church sees the postmodern culture as evil and turns away. However, if we remember ourselves lost and how God drew us in at that time and how He saw us and used culture in our life, we surely would feel differently toward the lost culture. God can use anything. However, we project the discipline we know of God onto nonbelievers. We, who are maturing in Christ and growing, understand obedience and its importance to God and are in the process of sanctification. However, we forget the Grace He had for us when we were lost and the Grace He still has for us when we sin. Nonbelievers are not in the process of sanctification because they do not know God yet or have His spirit. Therefore, we must meet the lost culture with God’s grace as He did for us. Let God do the sanctifying. I am not advocating tolerance it is just that I think we jump the gun sometimes and expect too much too soon.
Two, I think the church faces the postmodern culture with more fear, frustration and defeat than with loving wisdom, persistence and understanding of the power of God. The church, like the parent of a rebellious teen, does not know how to deal with the postmodern culture. We do not know how to reach them or handle them so we avoid them or badger them instead of understanding them. Maybe we fear getting our hands dirty or maybe we fear failure. Personally, I think when we fear culture, we let the lost down by not being more bold and revealing to them the attributes of God. I will discuss this in more detail later.
Overall, I liked the book. I found it to be very interesting and revealing. I like Sweet’s writing style, interactive and experiential. I think he designed this book along the E.P.I.C. model intentionally to drive home some of his points about our interactive culture. I enjoyed the questions at the end of each chapter and the websites recommended in the book.
Moreover, I agree with the E.P.I.C. acronym because I live it out in my own life and I see it in the people I know and in the world around me. For example, recently, I was talking to my sister about the Olympics and she mentioned that she liked to watch them because she felt like a cheerleader. Sweet mentioned this in the book. For me, reading Postmodern Pilgrims is like being caught with my hand in a cookie jar. I, like Sweet, am guilty of being a postmodern. Practically every example he gave in his book of postmodern behavior, I have done at one point or another. In a book, I have yet to read about my culture or myself so much as I have in this one.
In conclusion, as I mentioned earlier, I think to reach contemporary adolescents that we should show less fear, frustration and defeat toward the postmodern culture and more wisdom, persistence and understanding of the power of God. We need to model boldness, fearlessness and freedom in Christ. For example, I do not think we should pull our kids out of the public school system. In my opinion, this is a feeble retreat and does not honor God in the least or reveal any trust in Him. To me, people who do this are sending the message to the world that they think God is unable to protect their children and therefore, they must take matters into their own hands. In my opinion, Christians who do this show that even though they are a child of God they think that He is not in control but that the world has overcome Him or is somehow more powerful than God is. If God’s own people do not trust Him or believe in His power, then how will anyone else? I think Christians should be bold, fearless and trust the attributes of God. As God is revealed, you will reach them.
To expound on another earlier statement, I think the way to reach contemporary adolescents is to attempt to speak their language. I think we should show an interest in what is important to them and try to understand them at their level. To reach them spiritually, I think we have to reach them literally first. Know what they are listening to, read their magazines, know what they are watching, ask about their friends, their school, places they go and ask what they do. Hang out with them. I am not saying become like them; I am saying know them, love them with Christ’s love and you will reach them.