The Message of the Resurging Calvinism

I want to republish someone else's article because I think its very informative, relevant, and I kinda like it...pretty much...for the most part.Clark
The Message of the Resurging Calvinism
Jonathan Dodson Acts 29 Pastor - Austin, Texas

I recently had the privilege of guest lecturing at the University of Texas on the topic of the Resurgence of Mission & Reformed Theology in America. Eileen Delao-Flynn, Professor and Religion writer for the Austin American-Statesman, was kind enough to extend me the invitation to address her Journalism & Religion class. The entire lecture would be too long to reproduce here. However, I have included a section on “Resurging Calvinism” below.

The "New Calvinism"In an article entitled “10 Ideas Changing the World Right Now,” TIME magazine numbered the "New Calvinism" as the third most influential idea changing the world in 2009.

In an effort to explain this "New Calvinism," New Calvinists are laboring to shake off a fundamentalist, religious image and articulate the old gospel in fresh, biblically faithful ways. They are making five important distinctions:

1. Gospel/Religion:New Calvinists point out that the Gospel is not Religion. This came as a surprise to some of the students.

Religion says, “You must impress God,” but the gospel says, “Jesus impressed God for you.”

Religion says, “Perfect yourself and God will be happy.” The gospel says, "We are all imperfect people, but Christians cling to a perfect Christ who obtains the pleasure of God for them."

The gospel is good news, but religion is burdensome news.

Religion tells us to perform for God, but the gospel reminds us that Jesus has performed perfectly on our behalf. The Gospel is not Religion.

2. Us/Them:The Gospel makes a distinction between arrogant separatism and humble evangelism. It doesn't exaggerate an Us/Them mentality. New Calvinism doesn't evangelize out of superiority but empathy. We recognize that we all need Jesus before the judgment of a holy God. The only difference between true Christians and non-Christians is that Christians are recipients of God’s grace in Christ. But we all are equally in need of that grace. There's not one person in this world who needs God's saving grace more than anyone else. The New Calvinism does not pit the human race against one another—Us versus Them—but views all humanity in light of our standing with God.

3. Big/Small:New Calvinism is recovering a gospel that is bigger than "fire insurance" from hell. It is articulating the gospel as “good news” for the whole world—society, culture, people, and the environment. The gospel is not an LCD, a lowest common denominator of the bare minimum facts you have to believe to get into heaven. Rather, it is a TOE, a theory of everything that addresses God’s purpose for humanity, society, culture, cities, environment, justice, and the future. It possesses an explanatory power that addresses everything from human motivation to environmental concerns. New Calvinists are embracing all goodness, truth, and beauty as God’s truth, goodness, and beauty, and redemptively engaging those things that are false, ugly, and evil. The gospel is much bigger than people think, but it is not smaller than personal redemption.

4. Conservative/Liberal:New Calvinists are distancing the gospel from politics. They are not preaching a political gospel, though the gospel does have political implications. In short, Jesus is not a Republican or a Democrat.

5. Urban/Suburban:New Calvinists are returning to the city, to engage the beauty and brokenness of urban life. They are recovering a commitment to justice and mercy in the city, returning to cities from the white suburban flight.Where Do These Distinctions Come From? These distinctions are the direct result of a high view of the sovereignty of God—his reign over all of life, not just in so-called religious matters. These distinctions flow from a big gospel that can be articulated as the good news that Jesus has defeated sin, death, and evil through his own death and resurrection and is making all things new for those who hope in him. The dying-rising-from-the-dead Messiah alone has the power to break the back of evil, redeem sin, and exchange life for death. It is the gospel that awakens us to this marvelous news.Continuity from the Old to the New CalvinismMuch more could be said regarding this resurgence.

One student asked what remains the same between the "Old Calvinism" and the "New Calvinism." There is much more continuity between the New Calvinism and John Calvin than with some of his followers. However, what essentially remains the same is the soteriological core—God's sovereign grace in redeeming broken sinners, which has been popularly captured by theTULIP acronym: total depravity, unconditional election, limited atonement, irresistible grace, and perseverance of the saints (limited atonement appears to be more negotiable among the New Calvinists). This understanding of God’s sovereignty over salvation extends into a life lived under his sovereignty post-salvation.The TULIP is flowering more vibrantly than it has for some time in the U.S. The Reformed resurgence has led to a missional resurgence that is set on holding the formerly "liberal" and "conservative" agendas together with the gospel, promoting robust engagement of social, cultural, and spiritual spheres of life.

In this regard, the New Calvinism has more in common with the Calvinism of Abraham Kuyper, who argued that Calvinism is not merely a soteriological system, but an entire life- and worldview. The New Calvinism is broader than some of its narrower conceptions. All in all, I believe this resurgence is a very positive resurgence, a winsome Calvinism for the 21st century that advocates a whole gospel for the whole person and country.

Top Ten Pastoral Challenges

Are you familiar with Letterman's Top Ten list? Recently Lifeway (a division of your Southern Baptist Convention) did a top ten list of challenges facing the small church pastor.
#10-Demographics-the community around the church changes but the church isn't growing. Or, as in our case the community is not changing so fast its just diverse by age and economics. We are in a largely white community, maybe what we need is more ethnic diversity. The divisions within the population are not minor. From Builders and Busters to Gen's X, Y, and Z, folks just think different! More importantly the distance between 'Modern' thinking people and 'Post-modern' are staggering. But, young people still want community, young mom's still want something good for their children, and youth still want barriers and standards, whether they admit it or not.
#9-Too few people-pastors said they couldn't get things done because they didn't get enough help. My question would be, did they ask? I don't ask enough, but when I do folks are usually helpful.
#8-Age of the pastor-several said they were just getting too old. Old is ambiguous!
#7-Worldliness of the church, or "Cultural Seepage"-the world's culture seeps into the church causing the church to act and think like the world. Learning to 'think' like Jesus Must precede the WWJD question.
#6-Lack of money-Pastor's often feel like there are not enough resources for the job to get done. I know that feeling. But sometimes its a matter of not being able to do the job the way "I want to do it." The First Century church did a great job on a shoe-string. Of course there's been some inflation since then. Still, if there are some who are not giving to a local church-we could use your help and God loves a cheerful giver.
#5-Age of the church-as churches get older young people do not feel attracted to the church. This is why I emphasize the need to be more 'User Friendly" to young adults. This doesn't mean radical change in worship, It means helping them where they need help, understanding their culture and not expecting them to do things the "Old" way. (especially if the 'old way' is not all that biblical to begin with.)
#4-Too Few workers-Pastors sometimes feel the church considers them the "hired gun," they should do all the work. I'm so glad my church never asked me to shoot anybody. But, sometimes there are things you can do better or more effectively than I. (REALLY! Some folks would rather talk to a regular Joe or Mary than THE PASTOR.)
#3-Lack of Commitment from members-I asked a guy if he thought that apathy or ignorance was the biggest problem in the church. He said, "I don't know and I don't care." OK, that's an old joke, but frankly, as much as some folks want the church to prosper and succeed, they seem to think "Its up to others." Listen, for a church small or large to succeed, its up to everybody!
#2-Resistance-Some pastors feel the church simply doesn't want to change, and that there are "church bosses" who forget that God is in charge! Well, if I have bosses I'm too clueless to notice. But there's something to this wanting to change business. I occasionally encounter folks who don't want the church to change. So what I assume they want is for their children and grandchildren to go straight to Hell without passing GO. Because church "Their way" ain't getting it done. (Pardon the 'ain't.')
And the #1 Challenge for small church pastors? TIME. Gee that's kind of anti-climactic. That's not my number one challenge. Some days I have time, some days I don't. Some weeks are easier, some weeks aren't easy at all. But here's the thing, sometimes everything happens at once. One day everyone is fine and happy. Next day: two folks are in the hospital, three need me on the phone, two need me in my office, there are curriculum decisions needing my attention, the bug guy says we have an infestation of Brazilian Farmer Ants, the toner ran out on the copier before Sunday's Bulletin was done, and we RAN OUT OF COFFEE!
Fortunately that's not everyday, but when that happens, I need help. The deacons are great about making a hospital visit, staff too! Some are great at visiting shut-ins. (Frankly the shut-ins know and like you better than me.) But sometimes, after several days of this I'm tired and a few things didn't get done. Now I'm not WHINING, I'm just saying, I'm my biggest critic and task master. I know that God won't put more on my plate than I can handle. Know this, that as a pastor who truly answers to God, I will get to everything I can and I will try to prioritize it correctly.
Know this too, I love the ones God has allowed me to shepherd, and don't want anyone to slip through the cracks. Sometimes I wish I could buy another hour like buying a vowel on Wheel of Fortune, or save one when I'm not so busy, for when I am. But none of us can. So, we'll work till Jesus comes, Amen? Work with me, it'll be fun! And if you were wondering what I consider my greatest challenge, just ask.
Love you all, Clark (PS it was touched on in the blog.)