Why Reformed Charismatic?

So why a blog on being both Reformed and Charismatic? 

I grew up in the Christian Reformed Church. I'm now a pastor in that denomination. In 2004, I had a deep experience of God's presence and power that changed the way I live the Christian life. I became a charismatic.

In this blog I hope to explore where these two movements intersect and how it can be mutually beneficial for Reformed folks and Charismatic folks to listen to and learn from each other. I personally believe that the Reformed movement has much to offer charismatics, and that charismatics have much to offer us.

What is a Charismatic?

In using the word "charismatic" I'm not identifying with the charismatic movement of the 60's and 70's. Nor am I trying to distance myself from Pentecostalism, nor the so-called Third Wave, nor other subsequent movements like Toronto Airport (now Catch the Fire), Bethel Church (in Redding, CA), or anything else that is going on. Nor would I simply embrace all that is going on in these movements.


In calling myself a charismatic, I'm simply trying to say that I'm not a cessationist neither theologically nor in practice. To put it positively, I believe that all the gifts of the Spirit mentioned in the Bible (including healing, prophecy, tongues, etc.), as well as all the types of experiences and practices of the early church (miracles, signs & wonders, dreams & visions, etc.) are available to Christians today, and that we should expect them to be a part of our life and ministry.

What does it mean to be Reformed?

Actually, that's a trick question. If you put 10 Reformed theologians in a room and ask each of them what it means to be Reformed, you're likely to get 10 answers! As I answer that question, I hope to get at the heart of Reformed theology and the Reformed movement, without teasing out all the nuances that distinguish us from other theological and ecclesiastical traditions and movements.

The Bible

The heart of what it means to be Reformed is that we are primarily Biblical Christians. That is to say, we are a people of the Book. We will argue about what the Book actually says, or means, but we will not discard it, deem it irrelevant, or out of date. We also understand the Bible as the authoritative Word of God for all things pertaining to salvation.

Sovereignty of God

That God is sovereign is at the heart of how Reformed believers do theology. God does what God wants. He is in charge of His plan. Nothing can stop Him from carrying out His purposes. Related to this is the mysterious and ineffable part of theology: God is not accountable to us for what He does; He doesn't owe us an explanation. The Reformed explanation for predestination (as found in Scripture), is interpreted and presented primarily through the lens of God's sovereignty.

All of life belongs to God

We do not separate sacred and secular vocations, nor sacred and secular tasks. All of life belongs to God, every calling is (or at least should be) a sacred calling. There is no part of life that should not be subjected to God. This impacts everything from worship, to taking out the trash, social justice to ecology, politics to entertainment. This is the final point I'll make on what it means to be theologically Reformed, though there is much more that could be said.

The Historic Reformed Movement

The Reformed movement traces it's historical origins to the period of the Reformation. Though the Reformed movement is most closely associated with John Calvin, there are a host of other important figures that contributed to what Reformed believers have inherited: John Knox, Guido de Brès, Ulrich Zwingli, and many many others not only as the movement began, but also as it developed.

As is the case with many historic traditions, practices, attitudes and a "culture" are inherited by one generation from the previous. Some of these inherited things are good, others not so much, as movements tend to do one of two things: 1) improve toward greater excellence; 2) devolve to accommodate sinful tendencies in people. As one who grew up in this movement, I can say with some level of authority, that both have happened in this historical movement.