Calvinism more evangelistic?

It is a common assault by Arminians (and those who are Arminians but like to call themselves other things) that Calvinists are not evangelistic and that Calvinism dampens evangelistic fervor.

Do you think that is true?

It is awful hard to make that case from history, isn't it?

As a matter of fact the great evangelists have tended to be Calvinistic. With the exception of Moody, Finney, and Wesley, I cannot think of hardly any Arminian evangelists of real renown. One might argue that Billy Graham was an Arminian, and I suppose he was a two pointer most of his life, but he just admitted recently that he never had time to read the Bible like he needed and sat down and read it through in two months and became a 5-point Calvinist.

It seems to me that almost all other major names in truly Christian history of renown were Calvinists.

Spurgeon, the father of the mega church, was a thorough Calvinist.

William Carey, the great Baptist missionary, was a Calvinist.

Lottie Moon, the woman whose name labels Southern Baptist International Missions, was herself a Calvinist.

Jonathan Edwards, the most brilliant theological and philosophical mind in American history and the fountainhead of the Great Awakening was a mighty Calvinist,

George Whitefield the spreader of the Great Awakening fire throughout the colonies was a Calvinist,

the Pilgrims, though perhaps not evangelists, certainly the bringers of the Gospel to this Continent, were Calvinists,

the Puritans were Calvinists,

Matthew Henry, the mighty Commentator whose commentary has touched the lives of multiplied millions was a Calvinist,

John Bunyan whose Pilgrim's Progress has convinced many to enter the Kingdom was a Calvinist,

of course Luther, the father of the Protestant Reformation which may be responsible for bringing more people into the Kingdom of God than any other event since Pentecost, was a Calvinist,

John Wycliffe, the 'Morning Star of the Reformation', was a Calvinist,

John Huss, the great martyr for the faith, was a Calvinist,

Augustine was a Calvinist,

the Apostle Paul was a Calvinist, and the list goes on and on...

So the argument is utterly ridiculous and really just asinine that says that Calvinists are not evangelistic.

 

That is almost exactly what Jonathan Edwards did telling people that God was under no obligation whatsoever to offer to save them- that God was perfectly just to leave them in their damnable state to perish forever- and hundreds came to Christ under his preaching and the Great Awakening was born which brought the colonies, by and large, to Christ.

 

Exactly. I intended to bring this up but you have done a good job doing so. The purer motive for evangelism is love for Christ rather than love for souls.

Arminianism emphasizes the souls that may perish if we don't go.

Calvinism emphasizes the glory of a Savior and the privilege to be a part of of it.

This is an infinitely more Christ-centered and Christ honoring motive. And it has worked throughout history as I think my OP proves.

 

You believe that Amy. You believe in election don't you? YOu believe that God elected to saved a few and that the rest are going to hell. That is your Gospel as much as it is ours. You just think that God elected the few based on foreseen faith. It is still God electing a few and leaving the rest to go to hell. You believe that every bit as much as we do. It may not be the person you are talking to. They may not be elected. Do you tell them that? do you tell them- If you don't believe then you are not part of God's elect? According to your logic YOU are supposed to tell them that.

 

Yes, but Edwards, as did all the other Calvinists, taught Calvinism from the pulpit. People knew where these great men stood on the issue. And yet millions have come to Christ through their ministries.

Edwards, Whitefield, Spurgeon and all the like taught that God saves whomsoever he wills and yet they were mighty evangelists- the mightiest of evangelists since Paul.

 

Great story and we all ought to do that- seriously. The greats did.

It awakens some people to the tremendous Sovereignty of God and they see him as he ought to be seen- high and lifted up- and they cry as they ought to cry- woe is me!

We need more of that!:applause:

 

I appreciate your beneficence and kindness to our Arminian brothers and sisters, but the fact of the matter is that Calvinism IS the Gospel in its purest and fuller form.

One does not have to become a Calvinist to be saved but Calvinism is the Gospel.

 

You are EXACTLY right. Jesus did just that as these passages prove irrefutably. Good job in bringing these to bear.:thumbs: