Isaac's Keep | Reformed Canton Church in Downtown Canton, GA

#6 Communicate the “neo-Calvinist” tradition to the next generation in a revitalizing way.

Just a few weeks ago I was shocked to read that Time Magazine wrote the #3 idea that is changing the world is New Calvinism.  It doesn’t really validate the calling as much at it encourages me.  When I first wrote down my call in 2000 I wrote out my conviction to doctrines and truths that often fall under the banner of Calvinism.  I wrote that I would not be ashamed of these doctrines no matter how misunderstood they may be because I believe first in the truth revealed in Scripture and if that happens to fall under a label of Calvinism, so be it.  As the years passed I found that indeed being labeled a Calvinist helped people to classify me and put me away as some foreign class of Christian.  That convinced me of the need to communicate doctrine and truths that may indeed fall under the label of Calvinism in a new, revitalizing way to the next generation.

I must communicate and live contrary to the stereotypes given to Calvinists, which isn’t really hard because the stereotypes are usually just straw men.  The way to communicate truth or conviction is not by arguing, I tried that method and it didn’t work, but to be truly Calvinist in word and deed by simply applying the truth to my life and methods of ministry.  What I’ve found is that living out these truths, letting these truths shape the methodology and the ministry of my life has been far more convincing to people who otherwise don’t like Calvinism or have misunderstood Calvinism.

So I am encouraged that an applied Calvinism (isn’t even new, Abraham Kuyper was doing this long before it was ever cool)  which is what is being termed New Calvinism or Neo-Calvinism, is getting some attention.  I don’t think anyone should cry victory quite yet, but we can rejoice that truth is at least being noticed.  The ministry of so many others like John Piper, Al Mohler, Mark Driscoll, and Matt Chandler is largely responsible for this attention, “the passion of evangelicalism lies in the new Calvinist,” and I simply want to continue being a part, living out the truth of God’s Word and letting the labels fall where they may as long as the glory is God’s.  The day of apology for being labeled a Calvinist must end, and living out the truths of God’s Word must continue.  I love communicating applied Calvinism to others, to see the freedom that bibilcal truth brings into a person’s life is truly remarkable.

When people ask me where I attend church and I say “Isaac’s Keep” the typical response is “Huh?”  It isn’t your run of the mill church name, in fact it doesn’t even have the word “church” in it, which sounds a bit outlandish, especially to the ears of folks raised in the south.  But trust me, there’s a reason for that.  There’s a reason for pretty much everything we do, and don’t do, at Isaac’s Keep.  So let me tell you about this one.

The name “Isaac” comes from the promised son of Abraham, and denotes that we are people of the promise, just as Isaac was a son of the promise, a covenant people, Romans 9 stuff if you will.  But you can read more about the Isaac part here and here.  What I want to focus on is the latter part, “Keep”.  Why do I call my church a “keep”?

First, we have to look at what the word “keep” means (the noun, not the verb).  One definition is “the innermost and strongest structure or central tower of a castle”.  So a keep is strong, it is fortified, it is a place where the people can go and be safe.  Wikipedia notes that, in medieval times, a keep was “often…the most defended area of a castle, and as such may form the main habitation area, or contain important stores such as the armory, food, and the main water well, which would ensure survival during a siege.”

The writers of the Psalms used a similar picture of a tower to describe God.  “For you have been my refuge, a strong tower against the enemy.” (Psalm 61:3)  “The name of the Lord is a strong tower; the righteous man runs into it and is safe.” (Psalm 18: 10)  Ultimately, God is the strong, fortified place we can run to, the only place we can go to “ensure survival during a siege.”

But, why use it in the name of a church?  Simply because that is what we desire our church to be.  A keep, a strong tower, a refuge from the onslaught and siege of the world around us.  We want Isaac’s Keep to be a place where believers can and will come for relief, peace, encouragement, and rest.  We want this body, this family of believers, to be a place of refuge, not another exhausting activity to add to your already enormous list of activities.  We want this to be different.

It is our hope that the members of the body of IK are out facing the onslaught on a daily basis, living out the gospel in their community and world in a way that glorifies God.  It is also our hope that IK is a place of refuge for them, it’s the Word of God in people that are a source of encouragement to them, and taking shelter within it’s walls, if even for a short time, refuels them and enables them to face the world once more.  That is truly what IK is for me, and I am glad to call The Keep my home.

written by Paula Nix