Missionary Thought and Practice within the Reformed Tradition
The Reformed Heritage of World Evangelization
Originally preached Dec. 26, 1961
Scripture
Sermon Description
Does Calvinism stifle missionary zeal, or does it fuel it? This charge against Calvinism has persisted for generations, yet a careful examination of church history reveals a very different story. In this Westminster Puritan Conference address, B.R. Easter presents a comprehensive historical survey demonstrating that the great pioneers of Protestant missions—from John Calvin's sending of pastors to Brazil, to John Eliot among the American Indians, to David Brainerd's sacrificial ministry, to William Carey's launch of the modern missionary movement—were men firmly rooted in the doctrines of grace. Far from paralyzing evangelistic effort, the Reformed faith provided the very theological foundation that sustained these missionaries through overwhelming obstacles. Easter traces the development of missionary thought and practice from the sixteenth century through the modern era, showing how each new advance in missions sprang not from a weakening but from a revival of Reformed doctrine. The address distinguishes carefully between hyper-Calvinism, which did indeed hinder the free offer of the gospel, and classical Calvinism, which held together both God's sovereign election and the universal call to repent and believe. The discussion that follows, chaired by Dr. Lloyd-Jones, probes the practical implications for contemporary believers: What produces genuine missionary passion? How does one's view of Christ as the only Saviour drive evangelistic urgency? This conference paper stands as a powerful corrective to the notion that Reformed theology chokes missionary concern, demonstrating instead that when rightly understood, the doctrines of grace possess within themselves the dynamic and impetus for worldwide gospel proclamation.
Sermon Breakdown
- The sixteenth-century Reformers, particularly John Calvin, laid the theological foundation for missions by rediscovering the gospel, stressing the sovereignty of God's grace in salvation, and teaching the universal offer of Christ to all men.
- In seventeenth-century Holland, the Synod of Dort declared that the gospel ought to be preached to all nations without distinction, and men like Voetius produced the first Protestant missionary theology while missionaries were sent to Java, Formosa, and Ceylon.
- The Puritan John Eliot pioneered indigenous missionary principles among the American Indians, learning their language, translating Scripture, and establishing self-governing Christian communities—becoming a model for future generations.
- David Brainerd's brief but powerful ministry among the Indians, marked by deep devotion to Christ's kingdom and fervent prayer, profoundly influenced later missionaries including William Carey and David Livingstone.
- William Carey, a Particular Baptist and committed Calvinist, launched the modern missionary movement in 1792, demonstrating that classical Reformed theology—holding both unconditional election and the universal gospel offer—produces rather than hinders evangelistic action.
- The great missionary expansion of the nineteenth century saw Reformed Christians playing a leading role, with figures like Alexander Duff establishing missionary education in India and Princeton Seminary sending one of every thirteen graduates overseas.
- Each new advance in missionary activity throughout history sprang from a revival rather than a weakening of Reformed doctrine, as those in whom Reformed piety had become "flesh and blood" were the most enthusiastic advocates of missionary obligation. The crucial distinction lies between hyper-Calvinism, which denied the free offer of the gospel to all and thus paralyzed evangelism, and true Calvinism, which held together God's sovereign election with the church's duty to call all men everywhere to repentance.
- The Reformed faith possesses inherent missionary dynamic through its view of Christ as the unique and only Saviour, its adherence to the universal offer of the gospel, and its concern for the glory of God in gathering a worldwide church. Contemporary Reformed Christians are challenged to demonstrate practically that Calvinism still possesses the dynamic that goes out to the world, showing by their lives and labours that they are true heirs of the great missionary pioneers.
Sermon Q&A
Questions and Answers
How does this address respond to the charge that Calvinism hinders missionary zeal?
The address demonstrates through extensive historical evidence that the great pioneers of Protestant missions—Calvin, Eliot, Brainerd, Carey, and many others—were committed Calvinists. It shows that each major advance in missionary activity arose from a revival rather than a weakening of Reformed doctrine, and that those most gripped by Reformed piety were consistently the most zealous advocates of world evangelization.
What distinction does Easter draw between hyper-Calvinism and true Calvinism regarding missions?
Hyper-Calvinism, exemplified by figures like John Ryland Sr., incorrectly applied the doctrine of total inability and therefore denied the free offer of the gospel asking why one should preach to sinners who cannot respond. True or classical Calvinism, as recovered by Andrew Fuller and embraced by Carey, held together both God's sovereign election and the church's duty to offer Christ freely to all people without exception, seeing no contradiction between these truths.
What does Easter identify as the inherent missionary dynamic within Reformed theology?
The Reformed faith provides missionary impetus through its willingness to submit to Scripture's missionary mandate, its view of Christ as the unique Saviour whom all must trust for salvation, its adherence to the universal gospel offer, its teaching on definite atonement as providing an achieved salvation to proclaim, and its overarching concern for God's glory to be manifested among all nations.
How does Dr. Lloyd-Jones address the paralysis some Reformed believers experience regarding evangelism?
In the discussion, Dr. Lloyd-Jones suggests that such paralysis often stems from two errors: first, attempting to philosophically reconcile truths that must simply be held together in faith; and second, over-reacting against emotional or manipulative methods of recruitment by doing nothing at all. He emphasizes that believers must focus on obeying God's revealed will rather than speculating about His secret counsel.
What practical challenge does this conference address pose for contemporary Reformed Christians?
The address concludes with a direct challenge: if the contemporary revival of Reformed ideals is to be true to its history and heart, one result must be missionary advance. Reformed Christians must demonstrate practically—through prayer, study, and active service—that Calvinism still possesses the dynamic that goes out to the world, thereby outliving the charge of missionary indifference.
Puritan Conferences
Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones
Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones (1899-1981) was a Welsh evangelical minister who preached and taught in the Reformed tradition. His principal ministry was at Westminster Chapel, in central London, from 1939-1968, where he delivered multi-year expositions on books of the bible such as Romans, Ephesians and the Gospel of John. In addition to the MLJ Trust's collection of 1,600 of these sermons in audio format, most of these great sermon series are available in book form (including a 14 volume collection of the Romans sermons), as are other series such as "Spiritual Depression", "Studies in the Sermon on the Mount" and "Great Biblical Doctrines". He is considered by many evangelical leaders today to be an authority on biblical truth and the sufficiency of Scripture.