Humble Calvinism

If you’re not a Calvinist, this book is for you; and if you are a Calvinist, this book is for you. Jeff Medders explains simply, winsomely, and humbly from a Calvinistic perspective what the Bible teaches about five key doctrines. And he demonstrates throughout that no one truly understands the “doctrines of grace” unless they themselves are gracious and humble. Down-to-earth, often funny, and with a keen knack for illustration, Medders makes plain what biblical Calvinism—Humble Calvinism—looks like in everyday life.

Maybe in another generation the term "humble Calvinism" won't seem like such an oxymoron. If so, this encouraging and challenging book will have been used by God to help us live up to what we believe.

Reformed culture seems to be known for its harshness and lack of grace. Yet Reformed soteriology should create a joyful heart and a deep, glad humility that overflows into compassionate evangelism and graciousness to all. I hope Jeff's book will be used by God to renew a spirit of gentleness and humility among us, and will encourage those who have rejected these beautiful beliefs to consider them anew.

The words Humble and Calvinism probably feel at odds to many of us. Jeff Medders speaks straight to the elephant in the echo chamber, showing himself to be the chief of prideful Calvinists and charting his subsequent journey toward humble Calvinism. For years I've watched Jeff take a low road, aware of his own desire to achieve but instead choosing humble faithfulness. He is the right person to write this book and he has handled it in humility, with beautiful writing and rich theology.

Too often, we allow our personal theological perspectives to divide us when God calls for unity. I'm thankful for this call for empathy, understanding, and humility. Regardless if your theology is Reformed or not, I hope you'll process the principles from this book and put them into action.

Medders writes laugh-out-loud Reformed theology. Humble Calvinism is far as it can be from the dour stereotype of the Genevan Reformer’s legacy. The book is a tract for our sectarian times, a delightful cornucopia of sprightly prose, fresh insights, and heartfelt self-examination. At times I found myself guffawing through the funny-bone pain of his all-too-accurate descriptions of the company of the Reformed. The humor serves a serious purpose: intellectual Calvinism puffs up; humble Calvinism builds people up in Christ. May the tribe of humble Calvinists increase!

Experience isn’t the best teacher. Someone else’s experience is. You learn the same lesson without paying the same price. I’m grateful for Jeff’s book for this reason. He charts a course through the land mines of Calvinism with the shrewdness (and sympathy) of someone who’s recklessly walked the path and lost a few limbs in the process. He doesn’t stop with explanations but leads us to the desired end of any expression of Calvinism (or Christianity, for that matter)—a deep love and humility.

I am a truer Calvinist and a happier Christian having read this book. Like a trained physician, Jeff carefully diagnosed pride in areas of my heart that I did not know existed. As a skilled pastor, he then prescribed the the only thing that can cure me—the glorious gospel of grace.

I knew the ins and outs of Calvinism well before I understood the ins and outs of God’s grace, which is an insane thing to write—but also why Jeff’s book is so valuable. I likely would’ve been too arrogant to appreciate it then, but looking back it is exactly the message I desperately needed as a young Reformed guy. Medders’ message of Jesus-centric, humble, grateful life and theology is what I was missing, and I was a theological wrecking ball because of it, leaving bruised and broken people in my wake. I’m so grateful this book is available now and I pray it will save some other cocksure Calvinist from himself.

It has been said that sound doctrine is to faith as the skeleton is to a body. The skeleton is foundational to strength and health, but if it is the most visible thing about the body, then the body is either malnourished or dead. Jeff's wonderful book, Humble Calvinism, serves as a wake-up call for that part of us that tends to be more doctrinaire than doctrinal, with a knowledge that puffs up instead of a love that builds up. If you want to add flesh and bones to your faith, you'll find in this book an excellent—not to mention refreshing—way forward.

A great book on how to be robustly Reformed and savour the doctrines of grace without being a jerk about it. I wish I had read this book when I was in seminary. This book is about how theological knowledge and Christlike love go together, and if they don’t, then you’re doing it wrong.

Calvinists should be humble and happy. It’s sadly not always the case, and Young, Restless and Reformed has too often become Proud, Aggressive and Tiresome. The trouble is we’ve misunderstood and misapplied Calvinism. J.A. Medders has done us all—and me in particular—a very great service in providing some helpful and necessary correction. I was both convicted and encouraged by his exhortation, and you will be too.