Two Books Dealing with Younger Evangelicals and Traditional & Reformed Church
If you're looking for reading material that deals with a younger generation and the Church, and is not reminding you why they hate the Church or why we are losing this generation, then you might find these two books encouraging. Kevin DeYoung and Ted Kluck's recent book Why We Love the Church: In Praise of Institutional and Organized Religion and Collin Hansen's Young, Restless, Reformed: A Journalists Journey with the New Calvinists are just a couple of books that are refuting the more recent writings that take a more bleak outlook of younger Christians in America.
DeYoung and Kluck's book take a familiar tract as in their last book, Why We're Not Emergent, by combining personal stories that are humorist with key insightful arguments backed by sound doctrine. The chapters are divided between the two authors with each taking on a personal topic combating the quick and easy way some books have written off the Church. Whether you agree with them or just are curious on hearing from a different younger perspective, I recommend that anyone who works with a younger twenty-something churched generation pick up a copy and enjoy the ride.
If you're anti-Calvin (or Luther, Edwards, the Puritans, mom, apple pie, etc...), you'll probably not be as into this book as you would with DeYoung's or Kluck but you'll be missing out on a thought provoking read. There is something to be said about tradition and history. Tradition reminds us of being connected to something or someone bigger than ourselves, and history reveals the length and depth of our roots. Today, the argument for young evangelicals centers on what will the Church look like in the future? Will it be hanging out in a "journey cafe" that invokes Millerism (re: Donald Miller or Rob Bell...these guys are more hip then Brian McLaren). Or will the church reflect a more Piperist theology (re: John Piper) hearkening back to a time when preachers were teachers and reformers were Reformed. There is a movement with younger Evangelicals who look back not only to a more "vintage" Christianity but to a more "reformed vintage" Christianity. A great read no matter what your Christian heritage.
DeYoung and Kluck's book take a familiar tract as in their last book, Why We're Not Emergent, by combining personal stories that are humorist with key insightful arguments backed by sound doctrine. The chapters are divided between the two authors with each taking on a personal topic combating the quick and easy way some books have written off the Church. Whether you agree with them or just are curious on hearing from a different younger perspective, I recommend that anyone who works with a younger twenty-something churched generation pick up a copy and enjoy the ride.
If you're anti-Calvin (or Luther, Edwards, the Puritans, mom, apple pie, etc...), you'll probably not be as into this book as you would with DeYoung's or Kluck but you'll be missing out on a thought provoking read. There is something to be said about tradition and history. Tradition reminds us of being connected to something or someone bigger than ourselves, and history reveals the length and depth of our roots. Today, the argument for young evangelicals centers on what will the Church look like in the future? Will it be hanging out in a "journey cafe" that invokes Millerism (re: Donald Miller or Rob Bell...these guys are more hip then Brian McLaren). Or will the church reflect a more Piperist theology (re: John Piper) hearkening back to a time when preachers were teachers and reformers were Reformed. There is a movement with younger Evangelicals who look back not only to a more "vintage" Christianity but to a more "reformed vintage" Christianity. A great read no matter what your Christian heritage.
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on Saturday, November 14, 2009 at 3:25 PM.
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