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 PrintableVersion Young, restless, ReforedA journalist's journey with the new CalvinistsThe Calvinistic resurgence in AmericaYOUNG, RESTLESS, REFORMED The Reformed faith has seen strong growth in the USA over the last 40 years, and seems to be gaining momentum. This book investigates this welcome phenomenon.John PiperTo discover more about the Calvinistic resurgence, Collin Hansen’s first call was to the ministry of John Piper at Bethlehem Baptist Church in Minneapolis. Hansen describes Piper (whose signature book Desiring God has sold 275,000 copies) as the chief spokesman for the Calvinist resurgence among young evangelicals. In the year 2000, 40,000 students gathered at a venue near Memphis to listen to John Piper on the theme ‘Don’t Waste Your Life’. Subsequently 250,000 copies of Piper’s book with that title have sold. If Piper is the most influential living leader in the resurgence, then Jonathan Edwards is the most read theologian from the past. In 2003, to celebrate the 300th anniversary of Edwards’ birth, 2,500, mostly pastors, met for a three-day conference in Minneapolis. Josh MoodyNext stop for Hansen was Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut. Here he met Josh Moody, who is pastor of Trinity Baptist Church, with 300 members. In 1999, there were fewer than 30 members. Josh Moody earned his PhD at Cambridge University in England with a thesis on Jonathan Edwards. While at Yale, Hansen probed into the extent of the ministry of RUF (Reformed University Fellowship) which has increased from ministry on 35 campuses in 1998 to over 100 today. Jim PackerHansen also managed to interview J.I. Packer, who has a fine grasp of the state of Puritanism over 60 years and who made this perceptive observation: ‘The 1960s saw a new movement of the Holy Spirit. The charismatic renewal emphasised experience and affections — topics important to the Puritans. But this new wave lacked the patience to plunge the depths of Puritan theology. “Like a tsunami it swept away most of what we thought we had been building and growing for more than ten years”.’ Al MohlerThe next port of call in Collin’s tour was Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, Louisville, Kentucky. The upgrade at Southern is now well known. We are accustomed to downgrades, but Southern represents a phenomenal upgrade out of liberalism. This came about under the leadership of Albert Mohler Jr. who was only 33 when he was appointed to the presidency of Southern Seminary. Mohler began a purge at Southern. The liberals were outraged and predicted the demise of Southern, which is the first and best-known Southern Baptist Seminary out of six in the USA. This dire prophecy proved false. Southern with 4,300 students is now the largest seminary in America. C.J. MahaneyTurning northwards, Hansen visited leader C. J. Mahaney, founder in 1977 of Covenant Life Church in Gaithersburg, Maryland, a charismatic church of 3,800 members. TULIP is treasured as much as the gifts of the Holy Spirit. Mahaney was converted, when he was a hippie, in Arminian charismatic circles. On conversion he had an immediate appetite to read and soon came to the doctrines of grace. So he is very charismatic, and very Reformed. He is an extraordinarily dynamic and lively personality — very attractive. He is the preacher who tells everyone to read more books by dead people — especially John Owen on sin. C.J. Mahaney is president of Sovereign Grace Ministries, a family of 75 churches. This grouping prioritises evangelism and has close ties with Spanish-speaking churches in Bolivia. Two years ago Mahaney handed leadership of the main Covenant Life Church to Joshua Harris, aged 33. Harris has worked hard among the younger generation and has been the key individual in the sponsoring of the ‘New Attitude Conferences’ which are for 15-24-year-old singles. It has drawn about 6,000 for the last two years to a conference in Louisville. In April 2006 a Gospel Conference was organised in Louisville, Kentucky, in which good friends Dever, Mahaney, Ligon Duncan and Albert Mohler invited three of their heroes, John Piper, John MacArthur and R.C. Sproul to be the preachers. 3,000 pastors attended. It was not easy to settle on the music style. There were differences among these leaders such as baptism and eschatology. TULIP was the cement that cemented unity. Mark DriscollCollin’s tour took him to Mars Hill Church, Seattle, Washington State, in the North West corner of America. Seattle is the home of 38-year-old Mark Driscoll. Driscoll’s teaching is uncompromisingly complementarian on the man/woman issue, and unflinching on the issues of homosexuality, inerrancy of Scripture, the eternal punishment of the wicked, and penal substitution. The church began in 1996 and is now attended by 6,000. This is impressive since only 10% in Seattle are regular church-goers. Mars Hill is mother church to about 100 churches nicknamed Acts 29 churches. Small churchesCollin Hansen has not forgotten the small. To round things off, he visited his original home in South Dakota, a little place of his childhood called Dell Rapids. There he discovered a newly planted church with about 50 people in attendance. Andy Wright is the pastor. He enjoys fellowship with a number of pastors in South Dakota who share his Calvinistic views. One of these is pastor Ryan Franchuk, First Baptist Church, Emery, South Dakota (population 450). Ryan has published a booklet called The Handy Dandy Doctrines of Grace Bible Verse Reference Guide which lists proof texts for TULIP. 150 years ago a great revival began in New York City and spread not only across America but to other countries too. Is this resurgence a divine preparation for another great spiritual awakening? D.A. Carson, in his endorsement of this book, provides a timely warning: ‘This is not the time for Reformed triumphalism. It is time for quiet gratitude of God and earnest intercessory prayer, with tears, that what has begun will flourish beyond all human expectation’. Erroll Hulse,
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