The New Calvinism

Time magazine just published an article stating the top 10 ideas that are changing the world. To my surprise, the #3 idea that is changing the world is... drumroll please:

The New Calvinism.

I never would've guessed that Time magazine would say something like this. Here's the article if you want to take a look for yourself:
http://bit.ly/112jm1

This idea of the new Calvinism is important to me. That could very well be the understatement of my life. It has made a huge impact on me personally, as well as my closest friends and family.

For us, it all started in 2000, with an event called OneDay (put on by the Passion movement... thank God for Louie Giglio and his idea to put John Piper in front of college kids). My college friends and I went to this outdoor Christian camping event (kinda like a God-glorifying Woodstock thing) just thinking it would be a great time of hanging out with Christian friends, hearing some great teaching and worship, and having fun.

Then, as my friend Jerod and I sat on a grassy hillside among a sea of college students, we saw some old guy with big glasses come out on the stage, and we thought, "Who is this guy?" All of a sudden he started preaching with conviction and passion like we had never heard. We got out our notepads and tried to jot down notes as fast as we could, and when it was all over we thought, "I'm now going to have to rethink alot of things. I'm not even sure what all that meant, but I think I'm going to have to be a missionary or something."

Here is that sermon if you are interested (read or listen):
http://bit.ly/2KRRj

We later learned that the old man's name was John Piper, and we spent the next few months trying to figure out what he was talking about, what we needed to do about it, and how we could learn more about the stuff he said. At this point, Napster was still legal, and with our 56k modems we stumbled upon some downloadable sermons from Piper that we downloaded (it only took a few hours ha!).

We listened to those sermons. Again and again... until it was embedded in our minds (I can still quote most of them!) And then I made my brother, Blake, listen to one. I'll never forget him sitting on my twin-size bed, listening to Piper, and when the sermon was over, he went in his room, shut the door, and didn't come out for a few hours. His world was turned upside down. From there, Blake, me, and Jerod began to experience what Piper had called the offing of a "Copernican revolution."

That was the beginning of the New Calvinism in my friends and my life. Since then, this idea of pursuing our pleasure in a God-centered God has taken hold and spread through my family and most of my closest friends. It is my prayer that this life-changing theological movement continues to grow. I thank God for John Piper and how he has invested in the coming generation.

If you have no idea what I'm talking about, here's a good place to start:
http://www.desiringgod.org/ResourceLibrary/EssentialResources/

I would recommend the following sermons (vintage Piper- no particular order):
1. Passion for the Supremacy of God (parts 1 & 2)
2. Doing Missions When Dying is Gain
3. Boasting Only in the Cross
4. Is God for Us or Himself?
5. Glorifying God through Joy in Suffering (not sure where to find this one - I think Jerod has it?)

And the following books (both free online: http://bit.ly/12nsRN):
1. The Pleasures of God
2. DesiringGod

Also, here are some of Mark Driscoll's thoughts on Time's article:
theresurgence.com/new_calvinism
theresurgence.com/time_magazine_new_reformed

You calvinist friends of mine in Louisville, Austin, Fort Worth (yes i'm talkin' to you) - you should write your version of the story on your blogs... you know you wanna!