It takes money to make money!

* RANT WARNING*

An open letter to the various groups that send me emails, letters, postcards, flyers and of course phone calls to raise money for their ministry.

Dear (insert name here) Ministry,

I am not at all interested in helping you close the $500,000 budget gap your radio show has accumulated. I am likewise not at all moved to write a check to support a website that needs $9000 per month to keep operating. As much as I cherish Reformed theology, there are (GASP!) far more pressing needs in the world than mp3s of Reformed sermons. Giving an orphan a copy of a book on Puritans is not going to feed that child. Giving a brother in Christ who doesn’t own a Bible a link to your webpage is not super helpful.

Perhaps instead of spending untold millions in a quest to raise even more millions, we could put some of that money to use in helping the poor, the widows, the orphans. That is far more Christ-honoring than keeping your webpage running.

Sincerely,

Me

*END RANT*


Let me clarify. It is not that Reformed theology is unimportant but I see “Reformed theology” as having two meanings when people are speaking of it. One speaks of core truths that are encapsulated in the five solas of the Reformation and the five points of Calvinism. These basic truths provide a proper framework for understanding and interpreting Scripture in light of who God has revealed Himself to be. I would go so far as to say that without a “Reformed” understanding of Scripture, it is hard to understand a lot of what we read in the Bible. This understanding of Scripture should direct our ideas of soteriology, ecclesiology and general anthropology. I find statements like “free will is God’s gift to mankind” and inane comments like “God doesn’t force Himself on anyone, you must choose” to be grating like nails on a chalkboard or Nancy Pelosi speaking.

On the other hand, the culture of Reformed theology needs to go away. This culture, which I have long been a part of, sees Reformed theology as a banner to be waved as we charge into rhetorical battle with the rest of the church, putting those poor confused souls into their place. We have radio programs designed to promote Reformed theology. Websites and blogs touting Reformed theology. Conferences for Reformed leaders to speak to other Reformed Christians about Reformed theology. Endless sermons, lessons, talks, books, blogs, magazines, radio shows speaking about Reformed theology may have changed the way many Christians think but they have done very little to impact the way Christians act.

I don’t see that an emphasis on the culture of Reformed theology leads people to more sacrificial lives. It certainly should. When you recognize the Biblical truth of God’s electing grace and realize that you didn’t even choose God, that you were so depraved that God had to choose and regenerate you because of your rebellion and deadness in sin, it should spur you to acts of mercy as a recipient of mercy, not give you license to airily quote Spurgeon and Calvin to make a point and win an argument.

We are called to many activities in Scripture. Endlessly talking about theology, listening to hours of conference talks, reading books about theologians long dead are nowhere to be found. It is certainly true that most Christians are noticeably more generous than unbelievers when it comes to acts of mercy but that certainly is not an excuse to spend millions on various ministries that are designed to influence Christians to think about theology in a different way. We spend so much time talking and thinking that we often seem to forget about doing.

I haven’t read a “Reformed” book in quite some time and nevertheless I find myself far more awestruck by the majesty and holiness of a Sovereign God than ever before. I see how God’s election should unite all Christians even with those who are “wrong” instead of being a doctrine used to divide us from others. I think my understanding of the church makes far more sense now in light of the five solas and the five points than it ever has before.

(Please note, I am likewise not interested in donating money to help a different ministry reclaim the legacy of Martin Luther King Jr. My disdain for expensive ministries knows no political or theological boundary)