What is a Reformed Charismatic?
What is a "Reformed Charismatic?" Are those two mutually exclusive terms?
Well, perhaps it is better to break this down into a few other questions: "What does it mean to be Reformed?" and "What does it mean to be Charismatic?"
In discussions of Christian theology, one is "Reformed" when they affirm the beliefs of "Calvinistic"/"Reformed" Theology. The "Reformed" are those who follow in line with Protestant thinkers like Martin Luther and John Calvin, but modern Reformed Christians are more specifically those who affirm the 5 "Doctrine of Grace" understood from the TULIP acronym (to be discussed below).
One who is "Charismatic" is a Christian who affirms the continued activity of the Holy Spirit in the lives of Christians throughout history, as displayed by the continued "charismata" (Greek for "gifts") of the Holy Spirit (to be discussed below). Though many consider these two traditions to be diametrically opposed, both in Church practice and theology, there are various groups–"Third Wave" being just one–who uphold both Reformed Theology and Charismatic gifts. Such would be the "Reformed Charismatic."
Understanding the Reformed Tradition
Given that "Reformed" Christians are a product of the Protestant Reformation, they historically hold to the major doctrines proper to historical Protestantism:
- Sola Scriptura (According to Scripture Alone)
- Sola Gratia (By Grace Alone)
- Sola Fide (Through Faith Alone)
- Sola Christus (Through Christ Alone)
- Sola Deo Gloria (To the Glory of God Alone)
As a result, Reformed Christians are often considered to be strongly rooted within the Protestant umbrella. These "Five Solas" are the major distinctions that separate all historical Protestant Traditions from their Catholic or Eastern Orthodox predecessors. They affirm that the Bible is the Final and/or Supreme Authority for Christian faith and practice. They also affirm, in alignment with Ephesians 2:8-9, that”
"[We] have been saved by grace through faith apart from works; it is the gift of God, not the result of works, lest any man may boast."
This is meant to reject the Catholic and Eastern Orthodox beliefs in the necessity for works of righteousness as a means to meriting salvation. Though more could be said about the Five Solas, we shall consign to another article a discussion and in-depth analysis of Protestant belief. But for now, back to the discussion of Reformed Christians.
While the five above beliefs are true of Reformed Christians, they are not enough to understand what it means to be specifically "Reformed." One who is Reformed is also a Christian who upholds God's Soteriological Sovereignty–that is, "God's Sovereign Control of Salvation"--in a way that is so defined through the lens of the Synod of Dordt's (a famous 17th century Reformed council) TULIP acronym:
T: Total Depravity/ Total Inability (the latter as explained by renowned Reformed theologian R.C. Sproul)
U: Unconditional Election
L: Limited Atonement
I: Irresistible Grace
P: Perseverance of the Saints
What exactly do each of these concepts, known elsewhere as the "Doctrines of Grace," exactly mean?
Total Depravity/ Total Inability
Since the Fall of mankind after Adam and Eve sinned, humanity has become so totally depraved and affected by their sin nature that they: do not want God, do not want to believe in God, and could not say yes to God even if He appeared to them and offered them salvation. Humans are, according to this belief, totally depraved and unable to accept salvation or choose to believe in God unless He forces their hearts to change such that they can accept His offer of salvation. As a result, any human being who is born is automatically worthy of eternal damnation even before they have made a choice to sin.
Unconditional Election
This Reformed doctrine holds that there is no condition within mankind that moves God to save them. It is not anything any human says or does which God sees and for which God offers salvation. It is not any human's choice to accept God's free gift of salvation that actually allows them to be saved. Rather, life represents God's grace that elects some human beings to be saved before He made the Universe, and as such, there is no action or belief that a human must do in order to "become" saved. Instead, God simply chooses some to be saved without any condition or reason dependent on the individual. As a result, it is not "by grace you have been saved through faith," (Ephesians 2:8), but instead "by grace you have been saved through grace so that you can begin to have faith". Because this belief is not described in the Bible per se, and because it is in some ways absolutely opposite to the clearest Biblical teaching, many Reformed persons of varying stripes will disagree about this doctrine.
Limited Atonement
Without a doubt, this doctrine is the most controversial amongst even those who self-identify as a Reformed Christian. This doctrine holds that the atoning death of Christ on the cross was "only limited to cover the sins of those whom God unconditionally chose to save before the foundations of the world." In other words, Jesus did not die for the sins of the whole world; He only died for the sins of His special elect humans. Many reformed churches openly reject this doctrine, while some reformed churches accept it as necessary given the other TULIP doctrines. While this is controversial from the philosophical lens (in that it reduces the meaning of the cross to an act that was pointless and unnecessary given the so-described "unconditional election" doctrine from before), it is also considered to be purely anti-Biblical given some very clear passages:
“My dear children, I write this to you so that you will not sin. But if anybody does sin, we have one who speaks to the Father in our defense—Jesus Christ, the Righteous One. He is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for ours but also for the sins of the whole world.” (1 John 2:1-2).
“The Lord is not slow in keeping His promises, as some understand slowness. He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.” (2 Pet. 3:9).
“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.” (Matt. 11:28).
“But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels, now crowned with glory and honor because he suffered death, so that by the grace of God he might taste death for everyone.” (Hebrews 2:9).
"This is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance. That is why we labor and strive, because we have put our hope in the living God, who is the Savior of all people, and especially of those who believe." (1 Timothy 4:9-10)
"For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life." (John 3:16–yeah, we know, you may have heard of this verse before)
As a result of these verses, many Reformed Christians will reject the "Limited Atonement" point of TULIP.
Irresistible Grace
This doctrine holds that God works actively against the will of all mankind (since all mankind rejects/hates God, per Total Depravity) such that He can efficaciously force them to accept His grace and believe. Simply put, if God has chosen to save you, there is nothing you can do to resist His will. As a matter of fact, this doctrine often emphasizes that "regeneration precedes faith." Said in other terms, God's irresistible grace forces one to be regenerated, and once they have become regenerated, they can have faith.
Perseverance of the Saints
This doctrine, often considered the least controversial of the doctrines (and often affirmed by many outside of the Reformed tradition), asserts that those who are true believers–who have been made new in Christ–will persevere until the end of their lives as believers. Some prominent current Reformed teachers, like John MacArthur or John Piper, will argue that this also entails a total change of believers such that they will, until the end of their lives, be living changed lives without any bondage to a continual sin (often considered "Lordship Salvation"). However, many equate "perseverance of the saints" simply to the belief that someone who has truly become a Christian is saved and will not lose their salvation.
Since the Reformed tradition speaks of a large and diverse crowd of believers, there are many who will accept some points of TULIP and reject others. They name themselves after how many points they accept. Those who accept all 5 points of TULIP are considered "5-pointers." Others who may, for example, reject Limited atonement and Unconditional Election but accept the rest, are considered "3-pointers." Overall, what is agreed upon by the Reformed church is a reliance on grace alone for salvation, in a way related to predestination. There is also a general assent to some Reformed Confession (e.g. Westminster Confession), a pursuit of Reformation Theology described as "sound doctrine," a focus on preaching biblical truth directly from the Bible, and a rejection of errors common to the modern prosperity gospel.
To learn more, here are some examples of reputable Reformed Teaching Institutions:
Southern Baptist Theological Seminary
Westminster Seminary California
For some modern examples of Reformed Churches:
Grace Community Church (pastored by John MacArthur)
Bethlehem Baptist Church (formerly pastored by John Piper)
Exploring the Charismatic Movement
The Charismatic movement had its major initiation during the 1960s from within the Anglican church, later spreading to other Protestant denominations like the Lutherans and Presbyterians, especially during the Jesus Revolution in Southern California. This movement sought to emphasize the continued and active presence of the Third Person of the Trinity, the Holy Spirit, in the modern Church. Though many movements of Charismatic reinvigoration have happened throughout church history, this most modern one is more of a movement than a transient revival. Any church within this movement is often described as being a "Spirit-filled church," often because of more expressive worship styles and a more public use of the Holy Spirit's miraculous gifts. The movement, seeing from the Scripture, specifically in the book of Acts, that it is the Spirit-filled followers who will express the Spirit's miraculous gifts, often emphasize a need for continued prayer regarding miraculous gifts, healings, prophecy, and more.
While Pentecostals are often considered to be the same as Charismatics, this is not exactly correct. Charismatic refers to a general movement in which Spirit-filled believers uphold that the Holy Spirit continues to actively empower the Church miraculously. However, Pentecostals are only a small charismatic camp–stemming from the Azusa Street Revival in Los Angeles in the early 1900’s–one which overemphasizes the miraculous gifts of speaking in tongues and prophetic words referencing while usually ignoring the others. Something common amongst Pentecostal churches and other Charismatic churches is usually the presence of free-flowing worship. Beyond that, there are many differences that one can find between various types of charismatic groups. Perhaps one of the most interesting is the "Reformed Charismatic," which combines two groups that are often liturgically opposed.
Reformed Theology and the Holy Spirit
But why is this the case? Why do many consider the Reformed church to be very distinct from the Charismatic movement? This is because popular Reformed Theology often emphasizes the Holy Spirit's work in Salvation while ignoring any modern function of miraculous gifts.
Reformed Theology asserts that the Holy Spirit is the Person of the Trinity who most directly regenerates the nonbeliever (makes them "born again"), who sanctifies ("makes Holy and set-apart") the Christian, and guides them in how to honor and glorify God through service and ministry.
However, one is very unlikely to enter into Reformed congregations and see individuals speaking in tongues or prophesying during a service. This is because Reformed Theology often asserts that the "miraculous sign gifts of the Spirit" (healings, miraculous works, prophecy, tongues, and interpretation of tongues) ceased to occur after the close of the Bible. This belief is known as Cessationism (i.e. the gifts of the Holy Spirit ceased after the original apostles died). While they often affirm that God can still perform miracles, the belief is that no one has any of these "miraculous gifts" anymore, and will not be used by God specifically for such miracles. While no Biblical verses clearly teach such a belief, it is held nonetheless by many reformed folk from within the reformed faith.
The Reformed Charismatic: Bridging the Gap
So given these seemingly opposed traditions, what can be said of this unique "Reformed Charismatic" group? Can one truly be both Reformed and Charismatic? Many Reformed Charismatics consider themselves as a bridge between these two traditions. While emphasizing the rich beauty of the reformed tradition and its intellectual depth, Reformed charismatics also embrace the Biblically-warranted personal significance of experiencing the Spirit of God.
If anything, many within these movements, such as Pastors Sam Storms and Matt Chandler, find that a deep theological understanding of God's Word should motivate one to desire the gifts of the Spirit. While many Pentecostal-leaning evangelical churches neglect Biblical teaching and reverent worship, this should not require that Reformed Christians reject all Charismatic practice. If miraculous gifts were common in the New Testament, and if God is the same today as He was then, we have no reason to expect Him to stop doing what He has been doing.
Unity and Diversity within the Reformed Charismatic Movement
The Reformed Charismatic movement today consists of a very diverse crowd, be it in church worship style or the specific practices involved with various spiritual gifts.
For some Reformed Charismatics, it is by God's grace that such Spiritual gifts continue; a fact which they consider to be so important as to emphasize that all of the spiritual gifts continue even today. Not only that, but some hold that the offices of "prophet" are still within the Church today. Even Dr. Gavin Ortlund, a well-known Reformed Teacher, describes past experiences with a Reformed Church that practiced prophecy actively. Yes, you read that right, a church that was both simultaneously reformed and charismatic.
But is that the case with all Reformed Charismatic churches? Not at all. Some hold that the gift of prophecy is still present today but that there shouldn't be any official offices/titles in the Church for those who act out a specific gift. Yet others will say that the gift of speaking in tongues can be done without interpretation as long as it isn't on the Church platform from the pastor, and still others say that any instance of speaking in tongues must be accompanied by a gift of interpretation.
In terms of worship, some practice free-flowing Charismatic worship, while others hold to the Reformed emphasis on traditional liturgical and hymnal worship. Some feature public prayer for healing in which congregants pray together (in tongues or otherwise) for the healing of a sick member. Others hold that this should be done more privately, or at a time other than during the service.
All of this said, Reformed Charismatic churches continue to maintain an incredible level of unity despite the diversity of focus, practice, and polity. Why is this unity present amidst diversity? Because all of these churches agree that the Holy Spirit is still active, and that we ought to be Spirit-filled followers of a Spirit-filled church.
Challenges and Tensions
Because of the sometimes negative view of Reformed Theology and "traditional" worship style in the eyes of most Charismatic churches, Reformed Christians are often considered to be overly rigid, being focused on the word of the Scripture instead of the Spirit of it. And because of the negative view of Charismatic Theology and their "modern" worship style (practices critiqued heavily by Reformed heavyweight John MacArthur) from the view of the Reformed tradition, many believe that Charismatics downplay doctrine and biblical truth.
As a result of this long-standing opposition between these two traditions, those who are both Reformed and Charismatic tend to be critiqued by both groups at the same time. They will often be accused of not preaching sound doctrine by some, and others will say that they are being inconsistent with their claims to being "Spirit-filled." The Western Church is naturally sectarian, and trying to combine some of these seemingly opposed traditions can often exacerbate that common truth of Western church culture.
However, by an emphasis on God's grace and his sovereignty, Reformed Charismatic Christians have been able to address these critiques quite simply They affirm that anyone who believes in "God's Sovereignty" should have no issue with believing that the Holy Spirit Himself can irresistibly empower the Christian to glorify God through miraculous works. If one preaches God's sovereignty at one moment and then rejects God's ability to actively work miracles through His Church modern day, then they (and not the Reformed Charismatic) should consider if they are actually preaching Biblical truth with sound doctrine. As a result of such logical arguments, aforementioned Pastors Sam Storms and Matt Chandler make an excellent plea for the value and truth of their reformed charismatic beliefs.
Impact and Influence of Reformed Charismatics
Reformed Charismatics, by bridging the gap between theologically rigorous Reformed teaching and the Spirit-filled worship styles of modern Charismatic Christian worship, have had massive influences on contemporary Christianity. In a world where the contemporary Christian music industry was nearly completely controlled by prosperity-preaching or hyper-Pentecostal groups with theologically-incorrect or shallow worship songs, this group changed the tide. Many Reformed Christian groups now feel motivated to worship in ways that are aligned with more modern contemporary styles.
Outside of just modern music, influential Reformed teacher John Piper also used modern podcast methods to reach greater audiences while emphasizing the active work of the Holy Spirit in a Christian's life. Vineyard Churches and Calvary Chapel are amongst many other Reformed Charismatic churches that continue to change the tide through reformed teaching and charismatic practice.
Conclusion
So, can one be both Reformed and Charismatic? Can charismatic camps affirm the "Doctrines of Grace"? Can this new movement in church history be the bridge between Reformed and Charismatic camps? It would appear so. Despite many instances in which Reformed churches have traditionally thought and taught in a way opposed to the Charismatic churches, there appears to be a way to reconcile the two together. While some are apprehensive about such a unity–an apprehension and caution which is understandably justified–it should be understood that unity within the Church is always to be desired when it is in alignment with Scriptural teaching.
