Between Hyper-Calvinism and Pragmatism

“… in our churches a leader’s charisma, communal willingness to serve, ministry gifts found and honed in the entire congregation, and good organization to make the best use of them, must all combine for true renewal.  Neither the most powerful preaching nor the most exuberant display of spiritual manifestations will build up the local church without the organization wisdom that sets goals and devises means to ends.  The preaching pastors who have left behind them the most virile and mature churches have been those whose pulpit work was linked with good organizing, done by others if not by themselves.  Check it out: you will find that it is so” 

- J.I. Packer, A Passion for Faithfulness: Wisdom From the Book of Nehemiah (Packer, J. I. Living Insights Bible Study.), 89-90

Timmy Brister comments:

To my Reformed friends, do not substitute the spirit of pragmatism for the spirit of hyper-Calvinism.  Do not feel dirty or guilty for prayerfully coming up with ambitious goals, carefully structuring for gospel growth, and developing systems and processes within the organization of the church that will result in better stewardship of God’s blessings and the Great Commission entrusted to us.  Don’t let those sold to pragmatism be the only ones who write books and articles about the practical life of the church.  Rather, be like Nehemiah who brought a God-centered vision to a God-wrought burden for a God-sized task to be carried out by a God-dependent people.

There will always be those who, on the one hand reject the use of means, and on the other hand make the means become the end.  However, for those who believe that good methodology flows from good theology, best practices ought to be implemented by those who care deepest about God’s Word.  After all, when we look in the mirror, we are reminded that it is the effectual doer that is blessed in what he does (James 1:25).  The kind of work on the walls of Jerusalem under Nehemiah’s leadership was very spiritual, though handing bricks made not have felt like it.  The same is true today for those who, because of their love for the church and the gospel, are strategically planning and working to see that the matters of first importance entrusted to us are addressed in such a way that we display the excellencies of the God who calls us to a ministry of excellence.

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