First Things First
Two preliminary observations are in order. First, it must be understood that there is no guarantee that what has worked in one place will achieve the same results elsewhere. What follows is an overview of what I and others have done and should not be viewed as a sure-fire formula. If anything, I pray that this summary will be used as a guideline for pastors as they think through the comprehensive challenges of reforming a local church.
Second, reforming a church ordinarily begins with the pastor. This is only right because it is through the preaching and teaching of this biblically ordained office that the doctrinal direction is established. If the pastor and elders are not convinced that Reformational theology is the proper theological framework, not much progress will be made. Any effort on the part of the laity (no matter how noble the intention) to teach contrary to the doctrine of the pastor and elders is disruptive to church order. Once laypeople have become convinced of Reformational theology, however, they can be instrumental in bringing these truths to bear in the life of their local church if: (1) they have access to the pastor and elders; (2) they have the confidence and support of the pastor and elders; and (3) they proceed with permission and caution. I will begin with advice for pastors and conclude with a reflection for lay reformers.
The Ground on Which You Stand
Pastors, know your context. There is a huge difference between reforming an existing church that stands within the Reformed tradition but has drifted from its standards, and bringing Reformational theology into a new context where it has never been intentionally or formally held. My experience has been of the latter sort; and while I have had conversations with pastors who are reforming once-Reformed churches, the direction of my discussion here concerns bringing Reformational theology to churches that may know little of it. As such, I suggest that a first and necessary step would be to examine your denominational affiliation. Is your denomination historically anti-Calvinistic, or are you bound to a denomination whose statement of faith or
articles of faith are decidedly anti-Calvinist? If you are Baptist, with what type of Baptist is your congregation affiliated: Arminian or Calvinistic, free will or particular? There are some denominations whose very foundations are antithetical to historic Protestantism, and any effort to bring in Reformational theology within those confines may bring ethical challenges.
Examine the ground on which you stand to see whether a Reformational emphasis violates your ordination and communion's commitments. In this regard, revisit your church's articles of faith or statement of faith. In the last church I served, I thoroughly examined the articles of faith printed in our National Baptist Hymnal. I found that the doctrines of the fall of man, the way of salvation, justification, God's purpose of grace, and the law and gospel were in harmony with historic confessions of faith, such as the 1689 Baptist Confession. This allowed me to begin the process of reform without bringing in any outside material; I merely fleshed out what was already expressed (at least in print) by denominational convictions.
Find Your Place in Christian History
It is important for pastors and teachers to make historical connections. Two disturbing characteristics of contemporary Christianity prompted this heading. First, many "Protestant" Christians have no clue what makes them Protestant. In fact, some are Protestants by default, simply because they are not Roman Catholic. Second, there is such an obsession with being contemporary and culturally relevant that there is little concern for, or knowledge of, church history. That being the case, I have found it necessary to establish our distinctive Protestant theology. This included not only Luther's Ninety-Five Theses, but also the solas, and even the Protestant confessions of faith. This provided an opportunity to introduce the ecumenical creeds, and their purpose and importance in the life of the church. Reformational theology has both biblical and historical roots, and its rejection by
contemporary Christians is due in some part to
ignorance of both.
Having provided a historical overview of Protestantism, in my experience it has become necessary to also revisit historical shifts that have occurred since the Reformation and discuss their impact on Protestant doctrine and practice. For instance, I encountered questions on the wording and use of some of the creeds as they were introduced into the church, and I was severely challenged and criticized for discontinuing the altar call. I responded by tracing creedal formulas back to the Scriptures, while showing that the altar call as we know it has roots not in the Bible but in revivalism. By making these historical connections, we show our people that what needs to be reformed may simply be departures from historic Protestantism. The aim is to get our people to evaluate what we see and hear in our churches against the history of Christian faith and life.
Where the Rubber Meets the Road
If this reform gains traction among the congregation, the most important aspect then is to flesh out a healthy, nuanced understanding of the Bible and church life.
The Big Picture
Although most evangelicals acknowledge that the Bible is ultimately about Christ, this is not always practiced in preaching and teaching. It is important to impress on your people that there is one plotline that runs through Scripture from start to finish: God's saving purposes and power in the person and work of Jesus Christ. Staying the course of this singular plotline should be the aim of Bible studies and sermons. If reformation is going to occur, I believe it will be the fruit of a Christ-centered understanding of Scripture.
There is much emphasis today on the need for expository preaching, and I agree that the exposition of the biblical text is the proper model or style of preaching. Our greatest need in preaching, however, is not in the area of a particular style, but rather the substance of what we preach. If the big story of Scripture is the gospel of Jesus Christ, then the person and work of Christ must be the sum and substance of our instruction and proclamation of Scripture. This is the testimony of Jesus himself (John 5:39; Luke 4:17’21, 24:19’27, 44’45), and this seems to be the apostolic pattern as well (1 Cor. 2:1’5; Acts 2:17’36, 8:30’35; Col. 1:25’29).
Fleshing out the doctrines of grace includes a big-picture, Christ-centered approach to preaching. But it also means being clear in our delineation between law and gospel. Law (which corresponds to the commands of Scripture) is what God demands of his image bearers, and gospel (which corresponds to the gospel declarations of Scripture as it relates to the person and work of Christ) is what God gives freely out of sheer grace. What God gives in the gospel is what he has commanded in the law. Keeping these two clear and distinct is a large part in keeping the big picture straight.
Covenant Life
For Reformation theology to affect the life of a local church, it needs to be fleshed out in new perceptions of the dynamics of the corporate life of the local church. While there has been much talk about recovering biblical churchmanship over the last twenty years, and even efforts to recapture the simplicity of the first-century house church, what we have actually seen is the rise of the following:
(1) consumer churchmanship (meeting felt needs); (2) commercial churchmanship (marketing religious enterprises or entities); and (3) cultural/countercultural churchmanship (church life that mimics patterns in the broader culture or Christian versions of the counterculture). What seems to be on the decline is the sort of vibrant, vital churchmanship described in the New Testament (1 Cor. 10:16’17; Eph. 4:11’16; Col. 1:3’14, 3:12’17). Reformed theology casts our churchmanship in a light that might be unfamiliar to us, but seems to be more consistent with the actions and dispositions found in the New Testament.
In our corporate worship, Reformed liturgies that include creedal and confessional readings remind us that we stand with others in the same body of truth, professing one faith in the one mediator between God and man, the Lord Jesus Christ. The fleshing out of Reformed theology reminds us of our accountability and responsibility toward others. It reminds us that neither our presence in corporate worship nor our acts of worship are just a matter of us and God in the garden alone. Reformed theology not only emphasizes our union with Christ, but also our communion with one another.
Reforming at the level of the local church is not an easy task, especially when we consider that the most "reformed" of Reformed churches is always still being reformed by the Word of God. This is true for all churches, old and new. For those you are challenging to change, this pace will seem like breakneck speed. It's a transformation, a reformation. At the same time, however, it will seem like a snail's pace for those who see the need for change (especially those on the outside comfortably situated in well-established Reformed churches). Again, there is no sure-fire formula that will produce the same results across the board. We know that faith comes by hearing and hearing by the Word of God, so when we preach let us preach Christ and him crucified so that those who hear us may have faith in the power of God and not men.
Lay Reformers
If you are reading this and are not a pastor or elder, here is an important question you probably want to ask: At what point should a layperson approach the ordained leadership about a potential theological shift for the church?
I suggest it is when what you hear (whether it be from radio, a conference, the Internet, or other media) conflicts with what you ordinarily encounter in your church. In other words, when you are convinced that what you are learning from other sources is biblically accurate but is in conflict with positions held in your church, it may be time to talk to the leadership. This is to be done soberly and seriously; but if it is the situation in which you find yourself, here are five concluding suggestions.
1. Pray!
Thank God for the new light he has brought to your understanding. Pray for patience as the conflict between what you now understand and what you previously held becomes more evident. Pray for wisdom and grace as you prepare to give voice to your concerns. Pray for humility that you will not be unnecessarily abrasive, combative, or harsh. Pray that God will prepare your pastor and elders for your conversation.
2. Learn!
Research the "new" teaching that now resonates with you. If what you have discovered has unsettled what you previously believed, it is worth looking into with greater depth. You don't want to upset your own belief system or challenge the theological foundation of your church with only a surface understanding of something you heard but may not fully or adequately understand.
3. Clarify!
Codify your concerns. If you are coming out of a tradition that does not have a confession of faith, then take a long look at whatever doctrinal statement there is and see if your new convictions are of primary or secondary importance.
4. Be Specific!
When you speak with your pastor and/or elders, be as specific as possible. Make sure your concerns are a matter of substance and not style or personality. If what your pastor preaches conflicts with what you are now learning, be specific in your conversation on these issues.
5. Tread Carefully!
Beware of the myth of influence. This is the notion that your presence in a church, which you have come to realize is no longer compatible with your doctrinal convictions, is necessary for the well-being of others in that church. This may be in spite of the fact that the leadership in the church does not share your newfound convictions. You may be so determined to bring others into the light, however, that you remain and use whatever influence you have to persuade them. Regardless of how good your intentions are, remaining in a place where you are in fundamental disagreement with the preaching and teaching is an unhealthy and unwise posture. It neither glorifies God nor edifies the body.
Conclusion
If you have the support of the pastor and/or elders of your church and a shared commitment to implementing the doctrines of grace in that church, this is a partnership of great importance. Pray for the wisdom and patience of your leaders and that God would prepare the hearts of the hearers. In the end it is God who illumines the mind to see his grace in the person and work of Christ, but he allows us to participate in getting that message out. Do not allow whatever frustrations you may encounter to obscure the endgame, which is the edification of our brothers and sisters and the glory of the Triune God.
