We were able to catch up recently with Collin Hansen, author of Young, Restless, Reformed: A Journalist’s Journey with the New Calvinists, to talk about the increasing numbers of young evangelicals embracing the sovereignty of God and historic doctrines of grace. [embedded links inserted by worship.com]
JR: Let’s start with the title. First, the word “reformed.” Historically to many that word has conjured up images of intellectual fuddy-duddys, infant baptism, cessationist viewpoints, 5 point Calvinism, Covenant Theology, strict adherence to the Regulative Principle where music and corporate worship is concerned. Yet many of those you write about appear to hold varying views on baptism, perpetuity of gifts, eschatology, worship music…at what point is one considered “reformed” for purposes of your discussion?
CH: This was one of the trickier problems I had in writing this book. I used the terms “Calvinism” and “Reformed theology” more or less interchangeably, because that’s how the subjects in my book used them. And when they called themselves “Reformed,” they usually meant that they emphasize the sovereignty of God and ascribe to the five points of Calvinism: total depravity, unconditional election, limited atonement, irresistible grace, and perseverance of the saints.
JR: Let’s talk about another word in the title: young. Is this a phenomenon among twentysomethings, or did you find it also occuring among older evangelicals?
CH: I also found this phenomenon among older evangelicals, but I focused on the 18-35 range because this trend resembles a pyramid. If you look at who shows up for a conference such as Together for the Gospel, you will find a few older evangelicals, more middle-aged pastors, and still more young pastors and students. The movement’s numbers grow with each generation. But the youthful exuberance has rubbed off on older evangelicals and inspired them.
JR: One more word from the title: restless. Why are they restless and how is it manifesting itself?
CH: They are restless because they want to shake up this world for Jesus Christ. They read about Jonathan Edwards’s resolutions and want to live in all things for the glory of God. They heed John Piper’s call to not waste their lives pursuing the American dream. They follow in the steps of Adoniram Judson, William Carey, and many other by giving their lives as missionaries overseas.
JR: Where are these young, restless and reformed types coming from…are they new converts, or were they raised in church and if so, what are they finding in the reformed camp they aren’t finding in the churches they grew up in?
CH: A number of these evangelicals are new converts. Many were gripped by God’s grace after indulging in drugs, alcohol, and extramarital sex. Others were raised in the church, especially in youth groups that did not emphasize theology or in-depth Bible study. They find in Reformed theology an attractive seriousness to pursue the great truths of God’s providence and apply them in tough times. I spoke with a number of evangelicals who had spent their whole lives in churches that thumped the Bible but rarely applied the whole of God’s Word. They told me that they often skipped over words such as predestination or election before learning from a Reformed teacher how these themes bridge both testaments.
JR: Let’s talk about worship. First, musically speaking…are there any common denominators you observed among these reformed conferences and churches, either in terms of style or lyrical content, that puts them at odds with non-reformed churches?
CH: The style varies. In some churches Chris Tomlin and David Crowder Band are popular, because their lyrics exalt the glory of God. But in other churches, especially within the Presbyterian Church in America (PCA), traditional hymns are popular. Ligon Duncan, a former moderator of the PCA, told me that his younger church members prefer the hymns, while the middle-aged members would be content to follow the trends at Saddleback or Willow Creek. So while there is diversity in style, there is great emphasis on God-exalting lyrics.
JR: Some would say a litmus test for being reformed is adherence to the Regulative Principle where corporate worship is concerned: a belief that nothing should be incoporated into a worship service unless it is prescribed by Scripture to be there. If I had to guess, I’d suspect that many of those influencers you interviewed and referenced have not embraced the Regulative Principle. What did you see in the churches of these leaders, and in the churches of the young, restless, reformed people you observed?
CH: Certainly there are still some churches that follow the Regulative Principle, but they are tough to find these days. There is quite a bit of diversity in the churches I profiled. Let’s compare Covenant Life Church in Gaithersburg, Maryland, and Capitol Hill Baptist Church in Washington, D.C. C.J. Mahaney, the founding pastor of CLC, is close friends with Mark Dever, the senior pastor at CHBC. But these churches look very different on Sunday morning. CLC’s worship music is led by Bob Kauflin, who occasionally breaks into a prophetic song that came to him. Church members may stand up and deliver a prophetic word, if it has been approved by leaders. On the other hand, CHBC sticks to classic hymns. But the congregation belts them out with stirring passion. The whole feel of the service is structured and formal. The sermons last about one hour. Yet these two churches cooperate because of their shared beliefs, including the five points of Calvinism.
JR: In terms of worship as a lifestyle…I can remember when “easy believism” might have been associated with cold, reformed Presbyterian types who assumed they were saved simply because they were pre-destined. Yet today it seems possible that the “easy believism” label might be more accurately associated with non-reformed types who seem to believe that anyone who says a specfic prayer is saved, regardless of what happens after that. You met a lot of people while writing this book, both leaders in evangelical America as well as students. Compared to the evangelical status quo, does the reformed faith call young people to an easier believism, or a harder believism, to play off a phrase from Deitrich Bonhoeffer?
CH: There is not much complacency among the evangelicals I interviewed and wrote about. They repeatedly emphasized the imperative to live out their beliefs. They believe that works must follow faith. A number of the young evangelicals discussed in my book grew up in “easy believism” churches. That’s what they want to avoid. Many students are attracted to John Piper’s message about sacrificing yourself for the glory of God before they ever understand his Calvinism.
JR: Where are most of these young, restless and reformed young people finding church homes…is there a predmoninant denomination they are attracted to, or do most of them find themselves at community churches without a denominational affilliation?
CH: A growing number of Calvinists find their church home in the Southern Baptist Convention. That has something to do with the largest SBC seminary, the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville. It’s led by Albert Mohler, a five-point Calvinist. By assembling a top-notch faculty, Mohler has attracted a number of students and faculty from outside the SBC. Another prominent denomination is the Presbyterian Church in America. Its ministry for college students, Reformed University Fellowship, does an excellent job of connecting students with local churches. Some PCA churches, such as Tim Keller’s Redeemer Presbyterian Church in Manhattan, are rapidly planting new congregations. Another growing network of churches is Sovereign Grace, led by C.J. Mahaney. Their openness to the gifts of the Holy Spirit helps them expand in places such as Latin America.
JR: Some say that among young people the fastest growing “brands” of theology are the reformed branch and the emergent branch. Admittedly, the emergent label covers a broad range of theological viewpoints, but apparently so does the term “reformed.” How much overlap is there between Emergents and the Reformed, and is that overlap theological, cultural, both, or something else?
CH: There is definite overlap among some leaders such as Mark Driscoll, who got his start in the emerging church. Now Driscoll’s theology puts him closer to John Piper than to Brian McLaren. Most of the overlap is among young evangelicals looking for something deeper than the youth-group experience in their parents’ churches.
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Josh is the Director of worship.com. Colllin is an author and student in the Chicago, IL area.
