Wednesday, September 21, 2005

Reformation and Conversation

Although I've been thoroughly Reformed in my beliefs for years, I'm a recent arrival to Reformed churches.  For the last decade, my family and I had been deeply ensconced in the Christian and Missionary Alliance.

So, I tend to be very aware of the differences between my old community and my new one.  One of the truly great distinctions of the Reformed folks I find myself around is that they love to talk!  They love to discuss God, Jesus, the Bible, the Church, doctrine, the World ... pick any topic that has any relation to God, and they'll talk about it!  (I should say, we'll talk about it.  I love these people, these truths, this God and these wonderful relationships.)

Dr. Haykin in a recent message given at the chapel at TBS noted that God loves words.  Our Lord is the God Who speaks!  And boy, Reformed also keep on speaking!  There are blogs (Toronto Baptist Seminary, kerux noemata, Cowboyology, Ruminations by the Lake, Christian Thought, tolle lego, even this humble forum), conferences (Carey, FRPS, Sovereign Grace), periodicals (Sovereign Grace Journal) and many, many other forms of communications.  And modern day Reformed conversationalists are simply following in a long established tradition.  Look at the incredible number of books, pamphlets and sermons put out by Luther, Calvin and their kin!

A few weeks back, I was rereading Pilgrim's Progress, and came to the part of the story where Christian and his comrade Hopeful have entered the Enchanted Ground, where to sleep is to perish.  They find themselves struggling to keep their eyes open as they traverse this part of their journey, so Christian says to Hopeful: "Let us keep ourselves awake with good discourse."

That is truly a Reformed suggestion.

Let the good discourse continue!

3 comments:

Ian Hugh Clary said...

I think that to be Reformed is to be Irish. The Irish sure love to talk! I wonder if we can find any historical link between Calvin and Belfast?

;)

Anonymous said...

Tom,
I read the comments you posted on Clint's blog, and followed the link to your blog. Are you now attending Grace Fellowship Church? I attended there for two years, and am actually still a member there. I'm now pastoring just south of Hamilton, and will move my membership if this position turns permanent.
Just curious about your connection. In light of your blog it looks like you move in all the same circles as I do, but I've never met you!
In Christ, Ian Vaillancourt
ian@binbrookbaptist.org

kelvington said...

Too funny!

I too used to attend a C&MA church and we never talked about anything spiritual...I embraced Reform Theology this year and it's all I can talk about. I love it! Keep talking!
Thanks for sharing.
Kevin