Arminians Can Breathe a Sigh of Relief: Barna says there is no Reformed Resurgence

George Barna (he of "there's no future for the local church" fame) has just released his latest survey results pertaining to the much ballyhooed Reformed Awakening, and he calms the faithful by assuring them that there is not in fact a new Calvinist under every rock. You can read more about it here.

The bad new is, of course, that I'm not sure that the way he has conducted this research actually tells us or can tell tell us much about the theological tendencies afoot today in the churches (especially in the evangelical neck of the woods). For instance, he speaks of the mainline church responses in the summary, but most of what is going on (in my experience of the YRR movement) is outside of those spheres.

At any rate, his conclusion is: "Move along. Nothing to see here" (with apologies to Obi Wan). And I think our response (from the Calvinist neighborhood) ought to be "fine," "whatever." Because we're not hoping, praying, thinking, writing, working, bleeding, preaching, pastoring and dying for our fifteen minutes of fame. We are out to quietly, faithfully, plug away for the glory of God in the churches and in the world, making disciples who know, believe, love and share the Gospel, and who live by grace the way their Lord commanded them.

Our report card, our only report card, comes on the great day when "the King of Glory passes on his way."