Real Calvinists don't blog

I'm not a Calvinist. I've went into that discussion here before. I've described myself as a Calminian. Yes, I did invent a word to describe myself.

However, I have friends who are Reformed in their theology. I also respect the ministries of many people who refer to themselves as Calvinist. Many of them are doing great work in expanding God's Kingdom. All of them, directly or indirectly, have been influenced by Charles Spurgeon and his Metropolitan Tabernacle in London.

The current pastor of Met Tab is Dr. Peter Masters and he, as a Calvinist, does not seem to have the same respect I do for his fellow Reformed pastors here in America. In fact, he lays them all down: Piper, Driscoll, MacArthur, Mahaney, Dever, Mohler and anybody else you have ever heard of as an American Calvinist.

What would provoke a distinguished pastor from London to rebuke an entire nation of his fellow Calvinists? Best let him explain himself:

And this picture is repeated many times through the book – large conferences being described at which the syncretism of worldly, sensation-stirring, high-decibel, rhythmic music, is mixed with Calvinistic doctrine.

We are told of thunderous music, thousands of raised hands, ‘Christian’ hip-hop and rap lyrics (the examples seeming inept and awkward in construction) uniting the doctrines of grace with the immoral drug-induced musical forms of worldly culture.

Yep, Dr. Masters calls them all out for allowing "the totally worldly, showbusiness atmosphere" to invade their Calvinist worship. Who knew that hip-hop music, even the scare quote Christian kind, was immoral and drug-induced? (Did TobyMac take a few too many aspirins to write his songs?)

Do you even have to guess which prominent Reformed pastor is the target of the largest and most serious rebuke? Not only does Masters write that Driscoll is "symbolising the new compromise with culture" for preaching in a Jesus t-shirt, he brings out the trump card and harshest attack possible: "His [Driscoll's] resolution of the question of divine sovereignty versus human free will, however, is much nearer to the Arminian view." Fighting words?

If the invective was not yet complete, Masters finishes it off with some more good ol' fashioned scare quotes (just like Mama Puritan used to make):

... one only has to look at the ‘blogs’ of some younger reformed pastors who put themselves forward as mentors and advisers of others.
...

Aside from pastors, we know some ‘new’ young Calvinists who will never settle in a dedicated, working church, because their views live only in their heads and not their hearts. We know of some whose lives are not clean. We know of others who go clubbing. The greater their doctrinal prowess, the greater their hypocrisy.

So if you raise your hands in worship, hold to a non-cessationist viewpoint, like loud music or Christian hip-hop (with or without scare quotes), you sir might as well spend your Saturday nights "clubbing." Your life is not clean and you are a hypocrite. (Kinda glad, I'm not a Calvinists now - at least I'm not a hypocrite, just unregenerate.)

What never ceases to amaze me is I often read these criticism of using newer methodology (different genres of music, video clips in sermons, visuals on the stage, etc.) on a BLOG?!? Is it not a tad ironic to criticize someone for their use of modern technology and music, while you promote your own views using new technology and methodology?

I'm sure Dr. Masters is a wonderful pastor who loves Jesus and is merely trying to serve His Master as faithfully as possible. I'm sure He is much closer to being truly Christlike than I am or possibly ever will be.

However, I can not fathom why he seeks to elevate cultural specific relics from the Puritan era to the status of unquestionable requirements of the Christian faith. The Puritans lived within their own culture. They didn't wear 1st Century clothing and worship in a Jewish manner. There is no need for us to worship in an 16th Century or mid 20th Century manner.

If you want to criticize the "New Calvinists" for not being Puritan enough, then be consistent and do it in sermon you write out and read from the pulpit and then publish it in a period-specific book without any graphic design. But above all else keep it off a website - Real Calvinists don't blog.