The Seventh-day Adventist Church has five Global Mission Study Centers in key locations around the world. These study centers help to build bridges of understanding and friendship with people from major world religions and philosophies. Through research and hands-on interaction, the study centers help Adventist understand the beliefs and cultures of other world religions and equip them with means, approaches, methods, and models on how best to interact with people.

 

The Center for Secular and Postmodern Studies (CSPS) is one of these study centers. Their outreach curriculum is called Re:Frame.

 

In May 2009, Volunteer Park Adventist Church in Seattle, Wash., hosted a Re:Frame training session with  115 attending the weekend conference. Attendees were amazed at the simplicity of creating a place for post-moderns and with how to invite them in. The lessons covered everything from the post-modern mind to the variety of applications within one’s home or church.

 

Many people were glad to hear this message and pleased to see a focus placed on meeting the spiritual, relational, and religious needs of a group that has continued to leave the Christian faith.

 

“I was inspired to learn that there is a need to look at things differently …and that we need to look at what we can do to make things relevant to everyone in our church, all ages and backgrounds!” commented one attendee.

 

As part of the seminar, attendees were asked how they could apply what they had learned to their church and community. At Volunteer Park Church, for example, leaders decided to start a Life Development Center and invite post-moderns into the church and homes of members through a variety of ministries.

 

Since Re:Frame, Volunteer Park has supported and developed a Book Club that meets at a local coffee shop, a yarn crafting group called “Purls” that meets in the church, Financial Peace University, an “8 Weeks to Wellness” program, and an afternoon alternative worship service called The Second .

 

A new training opportunity is available for church leaders on March 12-14. This training weekend with facilitator Matt Vincent will explore simple techniques for reaching postmoderns in today’s society.

 

Vincent, a Northwest native, has hands-on experience in developing materials for Life Development Centers using Re:Frame concepts. He currently serves as the Internet Evangelism Coordinator for the Trans-European Division.

For the best experience with Re:Frame training, bring at least four (4) people from your church leadership team. (Discounts are available for each church that brings at least four participants.)

 

For more information and to register online, visit www.washingtonconference.org/reframe.