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Welcome to a Reformed Church: A Guide for Pilgrims

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Reformed Defense

"This book is like walking into the foyer or narthex; there you look around, meet some
people, and begin to take note of things about this church."

What the author attempts to do in Welcome to a Reformed Church is to provide people who are interested in the reformed heritage with information as well as to provide those who are currently in the movement with an apologetic work. Hydes' intention for writing this book is then two fold: an introduction to those outside, and a well thought out defense for those within.
Often times when visiting a new church a pilgrim may have great difficulties with getting a clear answer as to where this church may be. Labels may help a believer somewhat in this search but in an age that willfully neglects all historical roots it can be very difficult to get the label church from the assembly let alone Baptist.
How the Reformed movement differs from the postmodern definition and practice of the church is that leaders like Hyde seek to show where the movement came from as well as to what historical pillars of thought it clings too. This differs so much from some ecumenical leaders who would rather protect themselves and their church by means of hiding their past and their theology through the usage of verbal fog. Hyde does not cater to this weakness as he digs deep into historical orthodoxy to show the Reformed Churches roots.
In the pages of Welcome to a Reformed Church lies a surprisingly thorough but concise introduction to covenant theology. The decision to purchase this book can be made alone for this well thought and easily understood chapter on the covenants.
All throughout Welcome to a Reformed Church the author writes with an excellent big picture view when discussing theological topics. Justification, sanctification, and the law are all covered by him, but not a way to fill pages but rather to provide a pictorial backbone for the Reformed church. This was refreshing as often times other authors will expound in length concerning topics like eschatology that really have nothing to do with the book being written at hand. The author deserves credit for having a book that stays on topic.
An interesting section in Welcome to a Reformed Church came in the chapter concerning what were the distinguishing marks of a gospel church. He states that a gospel church preaches justification through Christ alone by faith alone, a church administers the sacraments-- baptism and the Lord's supper-- and that the church practices church discipline. This third distinguishing mark was not as obvious to me as the others but the author defends his point well and states that church discipline is how a church maintains the purity of the assembly.

Conclusion:
Welcome to a Reformed Church accomplishes its purpose. The reformed churches position is well defended and its methodology made inviting. Hyde is a great writer and I look forward to reading more of his work.

A book review for Reformation Trust.

I do not come from a Reformed Church background. Over the first 25 years of my life, I attended three typically evangelical churches and over the past two years, I have been the pastor of a non-denomination church. I am grateful for this background and wouldn't have it any other way. However, a couple years ago, through his radio ministry, I discovered the teachings of R.C. Sproul. This name was not new to me, but I was not overly familiar with his ministry. The more I listened to Dr. Sproul, the more I had an appetite for his teachings. Over time, God provided a way for me to attend the 2009 Ligonier National Conference in Florida (Ligonier is Dr. Sproul's ministry) and I was deeply impacted by that conference. Ever since then, I have sought to gain more of an understanding of the teachings of Reformed Theology. For all you other inquirers out there, the best place to start would have to be John Calvin's "Institutes of the Christian Religion." While I have read the abridged version and have the full version (over 1000 pages!) of the "Institutes" in my library, I realize that for some this might be an intimidating place to start. If that describes you, my advice for you would be to get Daniel R. Hyde's book "Welcome to a Reformed Church." It is very readable and is a fantastic introduction to the Reformed tradition.

Hyde starts off by giving a little history lesson on the Reformed Church, which is always a necessary starting place for this kind of book. In chapter 2, Hyde looks at the confessional element of Reformed Theology. He writes on page 34, "I wholeheartedly encourage you to read the Three Forms of Unity the Belgic Confession, the Heidelberg Catechism, and the Canons of Dort--and the Westminster Standards--the Westminster Confession of Faith, the Westminster Larger Catechism, and the Westminster Shorter Catechism--to find out for yourself what a Reformed church is all about in its breadth and depth." This chapter proves to be very important because for the remainder of the book, he relies heavily on these historic confessions for their doctrinal content.

In chapter 3, Hyde describes the high view of Scripture that Reformed churches are known for and how that acts as a guide for everything. Chapter 4 looks at the theme of "covenant," which is also central to Reformed theology. Sometimes "covenant theology" and "reformed theology" are even used interchangeably. I particularly liked chapters 5 and 6 which cover justification and sanctification. How John Calvin and the tradition that followed him have dealt with these has to be one of the greatest strengths of Reformed Theology.

Finally, chapters 7,8,9 deal with the practical out-workings of the Reformed doctrinal system. I found chapter 7 to be very helpful as it dealt with the distinguishing marks of the church: 1.The pure preaching of the Gospel, 2. The pure administration of the sacraments, 3. The exercise of church discipline. A Reformed ecclesiology (doctrine of the church) is desperately needed in our churches because there is so much confusion today concerning what the church should be and do. Chapter 8 and 9 cover worship, preaching and sacraments.

In the final analysis, I found this book to be very helpful and would highly recommend it. While I can't say that I agree with everything in the Reformed movement - infant baptism being one such example - I am grateful to God for this incredibly rich tradition and how He is mightily using men like R.C. Sproul for his glory.

Book Review for Reformation Trust.

Hyde, Daniel R.. Welcome to a Reformed Church: A Guide for Pilgrims. Orlando, Fla.: Reformation Trust Pub., 2010. Print.
Rev. Hyde offers readers a primer on the history and doctrine of the Reformed Church, focusing mainly on the 3 Forms of Unity (Belgic Confession, Heidelberg Catechism, and Canons of Dordt).

The Good:

Although a Reformed Evangelical Baptist, I am indebted to the 3 forms more than any other confession, catechism, or doctrinal formulation. I welcome with joy this brief book which introduces many to a heritage that is little-known in the broader American Evangelical Church.
Rev. Hyde takes great care to represent Reformed theology as a religion of the heart and mind. Hyde states,
"God has established an inseparable connection between truth and godliness. If truth remains in our heads but does not proceed to dwell in our hearts and find expression in our conduct, then we are no different, James says, than the devils (James 2:18-19)."
Many have criticized Reformed theology as being arrogant and cerebral. While there are some who may unfortunately represent the Reformed heritage in such a way, this certainly is unrepresentative of the whole. Hyde commends Scottish Presbyterian John "Rabbi" Duncan's quote, "I'm first a Christian, next a Catholic, then a Calvinist, fourth a Paedobaptist and finally a Presbyterian. I cannot reverse the order." Hyde reminds us that we are first Christians, and secondly catholics. Catholic in the sense that we affirm solidarity with the church behind us, the church around us, and the church ahead of us.
Hyde also reminds us that Reformed theology highlights the importance of Sanctification. While many may first think of God's sovereignty and Justification as key Reformed doctrines, the Reformers cared just as much about holy living. Hyde notes:
"Our Reformed fathers focused heavily on holy living. The volume of teachings they devoted to sanctification in their confessions and catechisms is striking. The Heidelberg Catechism devotes forty-four of its 129 questions and answers, more than one-third of its material, to sanctification, while the Westminster Larger Catechism devotes an impressive eighty-two of 196 questions and answers (42 percent) to this subject. By this emphasis, the Reformed churches declared that Calvinism is no mere religion of "head knowledge," and we cannot live as if it makes us the "frozen chosen," as we are sometimes derisively known. It is a religion of head and heart."
The last emphasis that I found helpful was Hyde's treatment of the Church and the centrality of the means of grace through Word and Sacraments. He reminds us that,
"It is the preaching of the gospel of Jesus Christ, then, that creates the people of God. The gospel not only saves us from our sins and the wrath of God, it places us in vital union with Jesus Christ and other Christians. Thus, the church is the fruit of the gospel; it is not our own creation, but a creation of the triune God of grace."

The Bad:

The only disappointment I had was Hyde's neglect of the Reformed Baptist heritage in its 1644 and 1689 confessions. Perhaps Hyde doesn't acknowledge the London Baptist confession as representative of what constitutes a "Reformed Church". He does however make mention of the likes of William Carey and Adoniram Judson when citing Reformed involvement in Missions. I certainly hope that Hyde's neglect of the Reformed Baptist heritage, even in brief, was due to the focus of his work and need to redact accordingly. If, however, he doesn't view the Reformed Baptist confession as part of the "Reformed Church", then he should also not list Baptist missionaries in his effort to defend Reformed Theology against the attack that missions is neglected in such circles. You can't have it both ways Rev. Hyde. If even you added a paragraph to mention the Reformed Baptist confessions, you would at least have been free from the perception that you selectively mention Baptist missionaries, while seemingly not viewing Baptists as "Reformed" in your broader historical treatment.

The Bottom Line:

Rev. Hyde does us all a great service in this book, which serves as a great primer to the great confessional heritage of the Reformed Church. He corrects common stereotypes that Reformed folk are uptight prudes who care only about how one thinks about God. The fact is that the Heidelberg Catechism was written and affirmed by folks whose lives were on the line, thus manifesting a piety that involved firm convictions of mind AND heart.
Hyde was once a Pentecostal, who was turned on to the 5 points of Calvinism by a Pentecostal College professor, who he remains somewhat indebted to. My story is very similar. Where our stories vary is that Hyde has found refuge in a rich confessional tradition, whereas I have learned from the confessions a great deal, but remain an Evangelical. I happen to subscribe to the 3 Forms with a few minor adjustments. I see myself a product of the confessional tradition, but remain a Reformed-minded Evangelical. In this sense, I think I heed "Rabbi" Duncan's words (with the following revision):
"I'm first a Christian, next an Evangelical, then a Calvinist, fourth a Covenantal Baptist and finally an Anglican (liturgy and partly ecclesiology). I cannot reverse the order."

Even though I've been a member of a Reformed church since 1996, I found this book to be very informative. I love books that open doors for more things to read. So, I really like all of the references he cites, and I also enjoyed the well written answers in the Q & A section.

Rev. Daniel Hyde does a great service to the Reformed community globally in this short work on Reformed Congregations. In this clearly written work he taps only the surface of what constitutes a "Reformed" church, while including our Presbyterian and Lutheran brothers and sisters in Christ as well, by gently leading the reader through the history of the Reformation, the historical Creeds and Confessions, the distinctive doctrine and the distinguishing marks of a true Church. Rev. Hyde takes the reader by the hand and guides them through these key components of a Reformed Church and teaches the reader with great respect. What a useful tool this book is in the hands of every Reformed Christian to give to friends and family, co-worker and inquirer as a guide not only to what makes Reformed Churches truly Reformed but also to proclaim the Gospel of free acceptance in Christ.
Rev. Hyde begins where his own story begins with being converted at a Four-Square Church which is very Arminian in their doctrine. He shares of his days at a Pentecostal college when the professor first introduced him to the doctrine of Justification by Faith Alone; a key doctrine recovered during the Reformation. It was from that point that he began to search out these truths and God providentially led him to a Reformed Church and later to Westminster Reformed Seminary in California. This personal touch is what helps to maintain a gentle spirit within each chapter. Far from reproving churches which do not hold the Doctrines of Grace as the Reformers did, rather he focuses on the distinctive marks of the Reformed Church. This aspect endeared this book to my heart simply because of the similar journey from a semi-pelagian Pentecostal church into a truly Reformed Church. Had my husband and I been given this book at the time we began to question the theology and worship practices of the church we were attending, we might have been saved a few scars and bruises along the road.
Rev. Hyde understands that there are numerous choices for those searching for a church to attend and with tender care invites the reader to learn about Reformed Churches. His short summaries certainly do not capture the depth of the truths he but touches upon but they are enough to whet the appetite of the reader to further research and study. This book is written the way a path is laid into a garden. The traveler shares his walk on the path and then begins to unfold the beauty of each step as he takes you from creed to creed, confession to confession, major doctrine to major doctrine and then finally to the Garden of a truly Reformed church by sharing the distinguish marks; Pure preaching of the Gospel; pure administration of the Sacraments; The Exercise of Church Discipline. It was in this latter part that I realized I had not grown up in a true Church but by God's grace His Spirit had given me the True Gospel and had led both my husband and I, after years of searching, into a truly Reformed church and community of believers.
There is no higher recommendation that I can give this book than to state that I will be ordering several copies for family and friends. If I could give it a rating it would have to be five (5) out of five (5) stars. This book will be a valuable tool for elders and pastors to give to those who visit their church, have decided to seek out membership as well as to those who want to know more about Jesus Christ and His Church. This book is essential for every Reformed churches library and should be placed in the Narthex for visitors to freely take home with them. It would also do the church well to have its members read so that they can remember the wonderful privilege they have of attending a truly Reformed church and so that they will cherish the form of worship and never look to the world or to other modern/contemporary churches to attract membership. If they hold to the truths written on these pages and the fuller truths written in the Creeds, Confessions and Catechisms, God will bring in "such as should be saved."


Nancy A. Almodovar
6/5/2010

Originally published on my blog at [...]

I picked this book up when it was free for kindle a couple weeks ago. I decided to intentionally look into reformed theology because I have been interacting with reformed Christians more and more and because I really do not know that much about it. Over the next couple weeks I am going to review a couple books by RC Sproul and the new book by James Smith Letters to a Young Calvinist that has been very well reviewed by a number of people I trust. Clearly Reformed Theology like any other theological branch is not monolithic, but I hope these four books will be fairly representative of the basic theological points.

Primarily I am reading to learn, not critique. One of the strengths of the Reformed tradition is its emphasis on scripture and the creeds. This book starts with an overview of the three historic creeds (the Nicene, Athenasian, and Apostle's creeds) and then the three primary Reformed Creeds (the Belgic Confession, the Canons of Dort and the Heidelberg Catechism). This is a heavy start to a book. If you do not have some theological background or at least some idea of Christianity, I think it is unlikely that you will get through this first third of the book. It might be a intended as a welcome to the Reformed Church, but it is written as a welcome to people that are already Christians, not those that are investigating Christianity in general. The level of theological background that is assumed coming in is very high.

The theological language does not really let up through the rest of the book, but it does move on from the creeds to a more general systematic theology. I understand and respect much of the theology that is being shared. But after reading I understand more of why I am not reformed.

The best part of the book, and really what I was looking for throughout the book, was the questions and answers in the appendix. Unfortunately this was only a short section. And the questions involved some straw men. As a reader of a lot of Christian books, I think it is a bad habit that many authors answer the weakest version of opponents questions, not the strongest. If we really want to move people toward Christ, or push them to investigate their own ideas, it is not a good idea to mis-represent people that disagree with you. I don't think there was much mis-representation here, but there were some weak construction of the questions.

With any theological "system" (for lack of a better word) there are people that are good at communicating to outsiders and there are those that really are only good at communicating to insiders. Part of this is the exposure to `outside' ideas. But another part is the humility that is a person holds on their ideas. It is probably considered bad form to talk about Reformed Theology and quote NT Wright, but it fits my point. NT Wright says (paraphrasing) that about 25 percent of what he thinks he knows is wrong. The problem is that he is never sure whcih 25 percent it is.

In general, those Reformed Christians that I interact with and read, are either the most humble or most arrogant Christians I know. It is my opinion that these are a result of the two emphases of Reformed theology, the depravity of humanity leads to humbleness but the focus on learning leads to superiority. It feels like there is not much of a middle ground. This book is humble but sure of its theology. That is not bad, it just is.

For anyone interested in learning from the Bible how we ought to worship God and serve our neighbour, this is a helpful start. I would definitely recommend it and I've found much of the book to be very useful.

Wednesday, November 17, 2010
Welcome To a Reformed Church
This book caught my attention immediately as the author quickly surveyy evangelical landscape I realized he was like minded. I was saved in a Calvary Chapel and was a leader in a Free Methodist church and had learned many things by word of mouth which I have since learned are not fact but debatable. This book shows the foundation of a "real" Reformed church and introduces the reader to the historic christian Faith. His point is to show that the Reformed Faith is the Historic Christian Faith delivered once to the Apostles. This book is clearly instructive in what it sets out to do, introduce you to the Reformed church. I highly recommend it. You will have previous assumptions challenged and be instructed in church History to some degree as well. I highly recommend.

The Reform Church has fascinated me for several years. I like what I hear from them but really didn't understand that particular denomination until I bought and read this book. It is like a textbook...rather dry...but informational.

Occasionally, Reformed churches are caricatured as "boring, cold, and serious" (147). Daniel Hyde, however, shows in Welcome to a Reformed Church: A Guide for Pilgrims that quite the opposite is true of those that function according to God's Word. His book then is a "guide for pilgrims," which winsomely introduces newcomers to Reformed churches in order "to clear up any misunderstandings" (xxvi). It does this by examining their history, confessions, doctrines, and practices.

The first chapter provides a summary of church history, showing how Reformed churches are Christian as they confess early church creeds, Protestant because they protested Roman Catholicism, and "Reformed according to the Word of God" (12). Chapters two and three provide confessional and scriptural grounds. Many Christians believe the Bible but do not know what it teaches. Confessions, then, are beneficial summaries of doctrine arising from Scripture. The fourth through sixth chapters explain key doctrines. Hyde explains that Covenant unites Scripture, and then he details the covenants of works, grace, and redemption. He then explains justification according to which sinners are imputed righteousness. Finally, he describes sanctification whereby the Spirit enables believers to begin to obey God's law. Chapters seven through nine present church practices. First, true churches preach the gospel, administer the (two) sacraments, and exercise church discipline. Second, true worship is according to God's Word. Finally, Hyde explains that the Holy Spirit works in preaching and the sacraments to create and confirm faith respectively. Two appendices are also included: one which answers commonly asked questions, and one which includes helpful bibliographies for further study.

One strength to note is that this book provides an attractive, charitable introduction to Reformed churches. Another is that it is well organized, clear, and provides summaries with accurate distinctions. Furthermore, Hyde emphasizes that these distinctions are "not motivated...by ego or arrogance, but by a sincere desire to see all God's sons and daughters in churches that feed their souls" (105). Finally, the book utilizes and points readers to excellent sources.

There are not many weaknesses. One might be that the target audience is a bit ambiguous. If the reader is "confused about all of the so-called `churches' dotting the religious landscape" (xxiv), then it seems a bit lengthy. For instance, some material regarding preaching and the sacraments is repeated to provide various nuances. However, if the reader is "moving toward involvement in a Reformed church" (xxv) and seeking slightly greater detail, then the book is well-tailored. It seems more helpful to this second step.

These areas noted, however, do not detract from the over-all value of this book. It is an erudite yet clear and charitable introduction to Reformed churches for those who are interested in them. It also contains many helpful reminders for those who are already members. In the former case, I would definitely recommend buying it. In the latter case, you might buy two: one for yourself and one to share with a non-Reformed friend.

[Per the Federal Trade Commission guidelines, which took effect December 1, 2009, it must be noted that I received compensation for the posting of this book review, namely a hard copy of the book from Reformation Trust Publishing.]