Musings of a Former Fundamentalist (IFB) Renewed by Reformed Theology
This week marks the start of Sing! Conference 2019, the Getty Music Worship Conference. I am privileged to be attending with some dear folks from my church.
Learn more about the conference here.
If you are attending be sure to look me up. My Twitter handle is @rjhayton.
I hope to post some reflections on the conference after it concludes.
I am happy to host a giveaway for a free copy of an intriguing new documentary: “Is Genesis History?” The DVD was released this month from Compass Cinema and the winner of this contest will get a free copy, compliments of the publishers. This movie is a first-class production hosted by Del Tackett, the host of The Truth Project. He interviews several of the sharpest minds in young earth creationism against a backdrop of stunning natural beauty — from the Grand Canyon to the Virgin Islands — all captured in high definition.
My full review will be coming later this week, but I wanted to share the trailer and the opportunity to win your very own copy. The contest ends Saturday night at 8pm Central time, so be sure to enter right now.
“Is Genesis History?” Trailer – DVD, Blu-Ray, Streaming from Compass Cinema on Vimeo.
For more info on this DVD, check out www.IsGenesisHistory.com.
To enter the contest, just fill out your name and email address. I’ll need to get your mailing address if you win, so please use an email that you check regularly, or another winner will be selected.
**UPDATE** Curtis was the winner of the contest. Thanks for trying!
Over the last 11 years of blogging, I’ve seen many blogs start and many end. Some of you are thinking that my blog has ended due to about six months of silence! No, I’m not going to bring this all to a close. But I did want to say a word about the last several months.
Fifteen months ago our eighth child was born. Hannah Mercy is her name and we all were shown great mercy through the circumstances surrounding her birth. She weighed just 2 lbs. 1 oz., and was seven weeks premature. Just three weeks after coming home, she developed RSV and faced a life-critical stay in the hospital. She pulled through and is doing well now, and we were so blessed by undergoing that trial and seeing so many friends and family come together and support our family. She is doing very well and about to walk here, any day now.
Just a few weeks after Hannah came home from the hospital (the second time), we had some truly devastating news about my brother. Since March we’ve been dealing with his unfaithfulness to his wife and his subsequent departure from the mission field. He has walked away from the faith, and relocated to our neck of the woods. His wife and children live separately from him and are getting by, but are still so hurt by all of this. We have been caring for them and trying to be there for counsel and support. I’ve been speaking into my brother’s life: trying to both warn and love him at the same time (but not enable him).
This has been a dark and trying time for my family, and these are by no means the only burdens and trials we bear. Parenting eight children (the oldest are now 11, 12 and 13) keeps us busy as well!
I hope to write more on the topic of suffering and faith, on standing firm in trial and seeing God bless you in the storm. I plan to grapple more with apologetics and the defense of the faith, as well. A friend at my church encouraged me to share more of my story online for other’s benefit. I hope to do so in time.
I plan to continue to read and review books, and comment on other items as well. But my ministry here is only one part of my calling. Being the right husband and father to my wife and children comes first. Being there for my immediate family comes next. Participating in the ministry of our local church is important too. Priorities matter, and this time away from my blog has helped me live that truth.
I am not perfect, and I’m still a project; but I hope to help and bless others as God enables me. I hope to use this blog and the platform I’ve built in a way that honors God. Thanks to all of you who read my blog. If you can, think about our family and pray as God leads you. Don’t assume something like this can’t happen to your brother or your husband, or your father, your friend. God bless and help us all as we “fight the good fight of faith” (1 Tim. 6:12a).
Things have been quiet around here. We’ve welcomed our eighth child, who has us busy as she was 7 weeks early. (We hope to bring her home from the hospital soon.)
I didn’t want the month to end without marking this blog’s special anniversary. It was ten years ago that Fundamentally Reformed began.
I’m thankful for the personal growth and the friends I’ve made over these years. I’ve been blessed to interact with hundreds of books and really develop my theology at the feet of conservative and Reformed evangelical authors. Along the way I’ve tried to inspire others to question some of their assumptions and study Scripture anew. We’ve had some dropdown, drag-em-out comment fights. And we’ve covered some truly tragic stories.
I feel like I’ve matured in my outlook and no longer need to crusade for my point of view, at all costs. Reading, thinking and studying are part of my life and I plan to keep this blog going as long as people find it helpful. I should start posting reviews and other content with the new year. Till then, consider exploring the archives, and thanks for ten great years!
Ever since Christianity Today published its cover story “Young, Restless, Reformed” in 2006, it has been apparent that Calvinism is on the rise. It’s been called “New Calvinism” and has been making an impact, usually for the better (in my opinion).
Several years ago Mark Dever had a series of posts tracing what factors helped to spur the renewal of Calvinist doctrine in America. His list of reasons were reposted by The Gospel Coalition recently and you can find them here. His list goes back to Charles Spurgeon and forward from there.
Today, Tim Challies posted a infographic that starts with John Piper’s book Desiring God in 1986 and goes from there mapping out the milestones and influences behind the growth of the “New Calvinism.” Here is a link to the graphic directly.
It is neat to see the attention given to doctrine and the Scripture even in today’s world. No matter where you fall on the Calvinist–non-Calvinist spectrum, you should appreciate the return to the Bible as the center of what we do.