What the Free Will Wing Can Learn from the Reformed

I found myself in the midst of two trends within western Christianity over the last twenty years.  I was introduced to the “emergent church movement” while in seminary.  Nearly ten years later I helped lead a church plant filled with “The Young, Restless and Reformed.”  I learned a lot from my time in both.  

The former has largely flamed out but the latter is still alive and kicking. The Neo-Reformed have survived celebrity pastor flame outs and intramural feuds over everything from spiritual gifts to social justice. 

Why did it rise and how has it continued to flourish? 

With the benefit of hindsight, I think it took off for a few simple reasons: (1) it kept things simple.  The gospel defined as personal salvation through Christ’s substitutionary atonement was and is easy to share; (2) it provided certainty. The leaders of the movement universally affirmed the inspiration and inerrancy of Scripture.  The New Calvinists eagerly greeted refugees from morass of postmodernism; (3) It delivered a complete identity to those same asylum seekers.  It seemed like every twenty something touting TULIP sported a Missional Wear shirt, listened to Lecrae, downloaded Matt Chandler sermons, carried an ESV Study Bible, belonged to reformed forums on Facebook, possessed a well worn copy of Wayne Grudem’s Systematic Theology and planned on making at least one holy pilgrimage to either T4G or The Gospel Coalition.  

In contrast, how many young Arminians or Molinists (most of which seem to be aspiring apologists) have you met sporting a King Jesus Gospel tee (can you get that on a shirt?), carrying N.T. Wright’s Kingdom New Testament and driving a car with a “John Wesley is My Homeboy” bumper sticker? See my point?And where are the conferences for evangelical pastors like me who hold a high view of Scripture, believe in penal substitutionary atonement, etc.?  

Also, why are free will defenders so quick to either champion writers and speakers who push theological trends like the open view of God? You can argue it isn’t heretical and you can accuse me of being hypocritical because I advocate for a great deal of theological tolerance. However, I’ve seen too many young folks with Bible degrees go into churches arguing with elders that God doesn’t know the future, hell is just a metaphor and Genesis 1-11 is a myth and then cry openly on Facebook about no longer having a ministry job.  For the life of me, I don’t understand why more leaders within the Arminius, Wesley brand of the faith do not caution their young eager listeners about the pastoral implications of seeming like a philosopher on Mars Hill always looking for a new idea.  By and large, “new ideas” take off in most churches like a wingless bat!

If folks like Scot McKnight and others want to influence the church worldwide to the same degree the Neo-Calvinists have then they are going to have to learn to keep it simple (or as simple as possible).  They need to be more pastorally minded about the way they teach (I risk an anathema hear by quoting D.A. Carson but I believe he is right to warn teachers that students will latch on to what the professor is most passionate about and often that is some theory they are working on to get published…be cautious!).  They need to work closely with pastors and artists to help get their point across.  

They also need to embrace their history.  I don’t know how many apartments I’ve been in with bookshelves crammed with expensive titles from Banner of Truth.  I’ve had coffee with couples whose dining room was furnished by a flea market but they have a few grand in hardcover works by John Owen laying around!  But, I don’t see the same when it comes to the works of Jacob Arminius or John Wesley or H. Orton Wiley or, heck, even Tom Oden!  Too many of the non-Reformed are too eager to practice what C.S. Lewis called “chronological snobbery.”

Finally, I meet too many pastors who haven’t fully embraced the Young, Restless and Reformed Movement who want to have megachurches and preach too many self-help sermons.  I spoke with Bob Russell, the founding pastor of mega church Southeast Christian and told him that I had returned the church I attend to expository preaching and a mixture of classic hymns with modern worship songs.  I was surprised when he told me, “That’s exactly what I would do if I was starting a church today.”  I told him that most church leaders thought I was crazy for not embracing the ARC church/Steven Furtick model to which he shrugged, “Yeah but everybody’s doing that!” 

Indeed…oh, and there are theological reasons for doing so as well!

The irony is that the growth at our church has largely been with twenty and thirty somethings with kids.  When I asked why they chose our church the answer has been twofold—great kids ministry and we want to learn the Bible!  

Young seekers today need Philippians not more Dr. Phil.  

Tune in tomorrow for The Three Things You Need to Check Out This Week.