Young, Restless and Reformed

[calmcoolandelected]

Link to an article I ran across today on the Christianity Today webpage:

http://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2006/009/42.32.html

CC&E

 

[plum]

what's your take on it? I skimmed this article when the issue came out.

 

[calmcoolandelected]

Link to an article I ran across today on the Christianity Today webpage:

http://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2006/009/42.32.html

CC&E

I recently read somewhere that younger people are looking for churches with more substance -- meat, if you will. They grew up in "seeker sensitive" churches and are tired of gimmicks, superficial stuff and are looking for serious doctrine that is rock-solid and not blowing in the wind like a reed.

I also find it exciting when I hear about anyone embracing the doctrines of Grace!

CC&E

 

[Calvinist Dark Lord]

I recently read somewhere that younger people are looking for churches with more substance -- meat, if you will. They grew up in "seeker sensitive" churches and are tired of gimmicks, superficial stuff and are looking for serious doctrine that is rock-solid and not blowing in the wind like a reed.

I also find it exciting when I hear about anyone embracing the doctrines of Grace!

CC&E

i beleive that we're seeing that trend materialising here. Have you noticed the age of certain posters in this section (can you say Erin Wilcox among others) who are not playing the disgusting games with church that our generation played.


i've found in my experience that reaching out to those of my generation with respect to worship has become a fool's errand. God has said that the gates of hell will not prevail against His Church, and when i look at the up and coming generation, i have hope for the future.



i simply wish i was young enough to enjoy it as much as they will.

 

[calmcoolandelected]

i beleive that we're seeing that trend materialising here. Have you noticed the age of certain posters in this section (can you say Erin Wilcox among others) who are not playing the disgusting games with church that our generation played.


i've found in my experience that reaching out to those of my generation with respect to worship has become a fool's errand. God has said that the gates of hell will not prevail against His Church, and when i look at the up and coming generation, i have hope for the future.



i simply wish i was young enough to enjoy it as much as they will.

Amen, CDL!

CC&E

 

[GrinningDwarf]

I thought it was an interesting article. I hope that the author's predictions are accurate....but maybe the cynic in me has seen too many spritual fads come and go through the pages of CT to think yet that this is a major triumph for Reformed theology. It is a triumph, yes, but let's see where we are in ten or twenty years before we claim any sort of victory. (But in the meantime...by all means, enjoy what we have now while we can!)

 

[Bernergirl]

I feel I have kind of observed the same thing in a less magnified way in my community. The media puts out so much junk about teens being superficial and shallow and all that and it's really sad because even in the most screwed up of schools in my district, that really isn't the case. Most teens have simply been forced through the cookie cutter of who society/their friends/their parents expect them to be. Most teens who have managed to avoid such situations are very serious about theological possibilities, even if they haven't found Christ yet.

 

[Calvinist Dark Lord]

I thought it was an interesting article. I hope that the author's predictions are accurate....but maybe the cynic in me has seen too many spritual fads come and go through the pages of CT to think yet that this is a major triumph for Reformed theology. It is a triumph, yes, but let's see where we are in ten or twenty years before we claim any sort of victory. (But in the meantime...by all means, enjoy what we have now while we can!)

Rather hope that the article didn't ruin it by publicity. My observation is that the 'back to basics' movement (my term) is a quiet revolution. It is slow paced.

Were one to believe the propaganda that poses as 'cutting edge Christian culture', one would be compelled to think that a return to traditional church is the last thing that would happen with the youth as they go through their Purpose Driven Church, muttering the Prayer of Jabez, and contemplating WWJD.

Incidentally, i have noticed that this movement is hardly restricted to the Reformed. It has passed the Catholic-Protestant barrier. i have noticed that the Traditionalist Catholics have become a younger demographic as of late.

 

[edie19]

First - thanks for posting the link. Someone at church had the article at church a couple of weeks ago - I looked for the link on-line, but it wasn't yet available and then I forgot about it.

Overall I agree with the article (happily so). I think it was on this past week's White Horse Inn (Pursuing Faith in a "Follow Your Heart" Culture) that one of the hosts said that generation x (the boomers' children) are hungry for "the Word" and sound doctrine. They said that it was the boomers who want to be entertained visually, but that their children want more. While my church is very small, the number of young adults who are attending - hungry for sound doctrine and teaching, for the creeds and catechisms, for hymns that have more meaning than "I love Jesus and He loves me" - makes me agree with the article and the WHI.

edie

 

[calmcoolandelected]

First - thanks for posting the link. Someone at church had the article at church a couple of weeks ago - I looked for the link on-line, but it wasn't yet available and then I forgot about it.

Overall I agree with the article (happily so). I think it was on this past week's White Horse Inn (Pursuing Faith in a "Follow Your Heart" Culture) that one of the hosts said that generation x (the boomers' children) are hungry for "the Word" and sound doctrine. They said that it was the boomers who want to be entertained visually, but that their children want more. While my church is very small, the number of young adults who are attending - hungry for sound doctrine and teaching, for the creeds and catechisms, for hymns that have more meaning than "I love Jesus and He loves me" - makes me agree with the article and the WHI.

edie

Thanks for reminding me about The White Horse Inn. I have been meaning to see if I can download to my MP3 player.

CC&E

 

[seekingpurity047]

Oh man... did you see the cover for that issue of Christianity Today yet? It's awesome!

 

[HiredGoon]

Personally I think a more accurate title for the article would have been, "Young, Restless, Calvinistic Baptists." But that doesn't have quite the same ring.

 

[Jon_]

Link to an article I ran across today on the Christianity Today webpage:

http://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2006/009/42.32.html

CC&E

It's interesting that they talk about how "terrible" it is when Calvinism comes into a church and divides the congregants. In fact, that division is wholesome and biblical. When Calvinism "invades" a church and "splits apart" its members, it is evidence of God separating the sheep from the goats. When true biblical doctrine reaches the elect and divides congregations, the work of the Holy Spirit is present. As Christ says in Luke 12, he did not come to make unity, but division.

Now, this is not to say that strife among churches is good. It is not the strife for which we praise God, but for the cause of it, viz. sound doctrine. As Paul writes to Timothy:

For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears. (2 Tim. 4:3)
​

And as we all know, mainstream evangelical Christians have some of the ichiest ears that can be found. Reformed doctrine is like Gold Bond Powder; it quells the itch. Unfortunately, there are many who still desire to scratch rather than accept the treatment.

It's encouraging to read--even if anecdotal in evidence--that more young people are being taught and believing biblical doctrine. I suppose that I would even be included among that group, seeing as I'm just a kid myself. What's unfortunate is that a great deal of this modern day reformation seems to be contained within the Baptist congregations. No disrespect meant to our Baptist brethren, but as a Presbyterian, and one who ardently believes and defends Covenant Theology, I cannot help but think that "Reformed Baptist" doctrine stops short of the mark.

But at least their soteriology is orthodox.

Soli Deo Gloria

Jon

 

[edie19]

What's unfortunate is that a great deal of this modern day reformation seems to be contained within the Baptist congregations. No disrespect meant to our Baptist brethren, but as a Presbyterian, and one who ardently believes and defends Covenant Theology, I cannot help but think that "Reformed Baptist" doctrine stops short of the mark.

But at least their soteriology is orthodox.

Soli Deo Gloria

Jon

I was mentally whining that I couldn't rep you until the last paragraph.

Every Reformed Baptist I know (and I know a lot) defends Covenant theology and would tell you that Reformed Baptists are, in fact, covenantal.

edie

 

[Jon_]

I was mentally whining that I couldn't rep you until the last paragraph.

Every Reformed Baptist I know (and I know a lot) defends Covenant theology and would tell you that Reformed Baptists are, in fact, covenantal.

edie

That would be an inconsistency on their part, then. Reformed Covenant Theology is the foundation for paedobaptism. Baptists also deny that baptism is a sacrament. Rather, they call it a "divine ordinance." This is straight from the text of the London Baptist Confession, too. They also deny Presbyterian government, double predestination, and a few other things. Bill (BBAS64) posted a link to a side-by-side comparison of the LBCF and the WCF. I pointed out the most obvious differences there.

I just thought I'd mention them since people frequently ask, "What's the difference between Reformed Baptists and Presbyterians?"

Soli Deo Gloria

Jon

 

[erin74]

I thought it was a very interesting article. It's always interesting to read what's going on in other countries.

We have been trying to raise the bar a bit in youth group. At our last church we read through Youth Evangelism by Ken Moser. He is very against 'entertainment' at youth groups, and sets a challenge to change how we evangelise youth. He has other books on programming youth group, etc. It is a very hands on book for anyone who is in charge of running a youth group. I recommend it to you.

 

[calmcoolandelected]

I thought it was a very interesting article. It's always interesting to read what's going on in other countries.

We have been trying to raise the bar a bit in youth group. At our last church we read through Youth Evangelism by Ken Moser. He is very against 'entertainment' at youth groups, and sets a challenge to change how we evangelise youth. He has other books on programming youth group, etc. It is a very hands on book for anyone who is in charge of running a youth group. I recommend it to you.

My big beef with youth activities (school included) is the "Peter Pan Syndrome" or the prolonging of immaturity. If you have low standards, you will always hit the mark! I have found in my own experience (my own children, 20 yrs of teaching Sunday School, etc) that if you expect more, you get more. How come at youth groups we talk about sex, drugs, peer group pressure, modesty instead of doctrinal issues? Are these issues important to be discussed? Sure, but these are the situational things being discussed in youth groups vs. doctrine in the adult Bible study. If we believe the Bible is our rule and guide in life, why not teach our young people what the Bible teaches and see the fruit of that? Do we trust what we say we believe about the Holy Spirit working through Scripture to change lives?

Just my .02, remember I have only had one cup of coffee this morning!
CC&E

 

[erin74]

I agree.

The other thing is - young people are generally pretty passionate. What better thing to give them to be passionate about. If we give them games and 'fun' it will eventually become daggy, and we lose them. If Christianity is about fun, then they will outgrow it. If it's about theology, knowing the bible, learning, evangelism, etc, etc, then you will feed their desire to be passionate about something, and truly equip them as young christians.

 

[Proeliator]

The theological depth attracted Harris. "Once you're exposed to [doctrine]," he said, "you see the richness in it for your own soul, and you're ruined for anything else."

That has to be my favorite part of the entire article.I'm still very young in my walk with the Lord, but was introduced to the Doctrines of Grace early on. We have a non-denominational church very close that we attend at times for convenience sake, as my fiancee is due to have a baby in about 2 weeks. And we have found that I spend most of the services shaking my head at all of the "Jesus is my boyfriend" and the like theology that they espouse.

 

[calmcoolandelected]

That has to be my favorite part of the entire article.I'm still very young in my walk with the Lord, but was introduced to the Doctrines of Grace early on. We have a non-denominational church very close that we attend at times for convenience sake, as my fiancee is due to have a baby in about 2 weeks. And we have found that I spend most of the services shaking my head at all of the "Jesus is my boyfriend" and the like theology that they espouse.

That quote also smacked me in the face and I loved it!

Let me preface what I am about to say with the disclaimer that our family isn't perfect and we are sinners saved by grace. Also, I don't have a huge problem with churches having nurseries and Sunday Schools and even Children's Church. I have labored and still labor in all of them. Our family never used any of these things with our own children. Part of the reason was that we have been involved in mission churches and I didn't want a whole system started just for my two children. Our children have always been in church, participated in theological discussions at the dinner table and elsewhere, etc. I have always been amazed at what they got out of it. None of it was dumbed or watered down for them. If they didn't understand something it was explained. Now that I have teens, we have the pleasure of seeing them have lightbulb moments where things come together from years of learning. The little bits and pieces that they did understand at a younger age now fit together like pieces in a puzzle and they can see what the puzzle is all about.

CC&E