Functional Hyper-Calvinism

I read some great news recently...  According to Outreach Magazine - here are the top five multiplying churches (churches planting churches):
1. Redeemer Presbyterian (New York, NY)
2. Mars Hill Church (Seattle, Washington) - note: NOT Mars Hill in Grand Rapids, MI
3. NorthWood Church (Keller, TX)
4. Perimeter Church (Atlanta, GA)
5. Spanish River Church (Boca Raton, FL)

What makes that "good news" to me is that four of those five churches are Reformed in their soteriology (Calvinistic). Months ago, I blogged about "New Calvinists" (you can read that HERE).

When I first fell in love with the doctrine of God's Sovereignty in college - it slowly began to bother me that Calvinists didn't seem very evangelistic (again, read the article on "New Calvinists" above).

That is what makes the above news fantastic.  I've always believed that those who believe most firmly in God's sovereignty ought to be the greatest and most fervent of evangelists (that certainly is true in history).  And it is good to see it happening in our country - - - finally!!  We are the ones with hope that those who are appointed for eternal life WILL believe!! (Acts 13:48)  All we have to do is run the Gospel test on them... over and over and over.

I know a lot of Calvinists, but I have yet to meet one that would call themselves a "hyper-Calvinist." I've often said, "A hyper-Calvinist is someone who is more Calvinistic than I am."  That is most people's definition. No one would admit to being one themselves. But I remember hearing someone warn about "functional hyper-Calvinism." I like that phrase.

Some thoughts I've heard and that come to my mind now:

• Don't make heroes of pastors who are great preacher and theologians, but whose churches are not evangelistic. They are talking about the gospel without living it out. They are functional hyper-Calvinists.
• What we celebrate we become. And if we celebrate those with strong theology but weak witness, that is exactly what we will become - functional hyper-Calvinists.
• Churches with strong theology but little mission are like a bodybuilder with huge theological arms, but tiny, spindly missional legs. Don't make that exciting. Don't celebrate that.  That is functional hyper-Calvinism.
• With Hyper-Calvinists or functional hyper-Calvinists, the result is the same: God is not honored and given the glory He is due. 
• Churches need to be biblically-faithful, culturally-relevant, counter-culture communities for the Gospel and for the Kingdom.

Four out of five of the quickest multiplying churches (establishing church plants) are Calvinistic!  May that tribe increase!  Zeal WITH knowledge - what a concept! (Romans 12:2)

Comments

[Mark]

Functional Hyper-Calvinism? What does that mean? Calvinism is the doctrines of John Calvin, and the system of following them, normally called the five points: original sin or total depravity, election or predestination, particular redemption, effectual calling, and the perseverance of the saints. Hyper means they are excessively adherent to those doctrines, isn't that good? And functional means it is serving the purpose for which it is designed and is operating. So wouldn't that make "functional hyper-Calvinism" the excessive adherents to the doctrines of John Calvin in the way is was designed to operate.

So if John Calvin's doctrines are correct, and people are adhering to them in an excessive manner how it was designed, the logical extreme, isn't that better than some of the alternatives.

Functional hypo-Calvinism
Functional Calvinism
Dis-functional hyper-Calvinism
Dis-functional hypo-Calvinism
Dis-functional Calvinism

Though I am unsure if Calvinism alone is really a valid category because people and churches would slide to one end or another, hyper or hypo.

It seems like a label without any real substance or meaning to it.

[David Whiting]

The point of the phrase "functional hyper-Calvinism" is this:

A hyper-Calvinist would be one who would say, "since God is sovereign and chooses people to be saved - why witness? God will save those he wants to save." That is hyper-Calvinism. No one actually would SAY that, but many LIVE that reality. Without a passion for lost people, without genuine efforts to reach others for Christ. So they are functioning as a hyper-Calvinist, even if they would never claim to be one.

It is referred to as hyper-Calvinism because it is the theology misapplied and misunderstood.

I DO think another way to say it is Dis-functional Calvinism. I think that is a pretty good description of many!

[Erin Borja]

I was very excited to see Redeemer at the top of the list. What a great church! My husband and I are beneficiaries of Redeemer's dedication to multiplying, as we used to be members of one of their church plants.

[Mark]

Thank you David that clears things up.

"So they are functioning as a hyper-Calvinist, even if they would never claim to be one." That is a much better way to say it than to use the term "functional hyper-Calvinism" which is misleading.

[David Whiting]

Erin -

That is great! I didn't know that! I love Tim Keller. He has a very unique gift to communicate the Gospel to a postmodern generation.

[David Whiting]

Mark -

You are probably right on the phrase "functional hyper-Calvinism." I think I'll use one of your suggestions - "dis-functional hyper-Calvinism."

[Mark D.]

As someone used to the vernacular of the social sciences I understood the use of the term "functional" in this manner. To someone not used to that field of study "functional" takes on quite a different meaning. It's tough but I find myself, in the interest of communication, going towards more of the common uses of words rather than using one that expresses a topic very precisely albeit to a more limited set of people. And then there are certain phrases (like "begging the question") that are adopted (in this case from philosophy) and are taking on a different meaning entirely. It's all a learning process to stay abreast of all of this fluid imprecision of our native tongue.

[Dr. James Willingham]

My ordaining pastor was a hyper-calvinist, a supralapsarian, and he would tell you so person to person and from the pulpit. And he was evangelistic. he preached a revival in a rural GA church in the 40s and had 100 professions of faith,. He once pleaded with a relative of mine to come to Christ until tears ran down the man' face. He was also the founder and first president of the American Race Track Chaplaincy. Cf. Dr.Ernest R. Campbell, Who's Who in Religion, 2nd edn. Chicago: Marquis, 1977. His Ph.D. was from Bob Jones U, and Dr. R.G. Lee thought so much of Dr. Campbell that he put it in his will that Dr. Campbell should preach his funeral. He had plenty of young men who responded to the call to serve Christ under his ministry.