"Pastor Be Honest"

Calvinism is a hot-button issue today, what with its promotion by John Piper and others in an America that often doesn't want to hear about this topic. A recent poll showed that 30% of graduates from a certain SBC seminary (Southern?) are Calvinist in theology.



Of course, many an evangelical Christian has unknowingly fallen in love with JI Packer's "Knowing God" over the years, and he is a staunch Calvinist (and a wonderful theologian).



So there is a conflict. Many churches do not want a Calvinist pastor, but many Calvinist pastors are going out into the ministry. My poll that has been up for a month is a question on how forthcoming a pastor candidate ought to be with a church about his personal views on these deep theological issues. This poll only got nine votes, but it was something like 8 to 1 in favor of total pastoral honesty on the Calvinism/Arminianism issue. The people who are reading my blog have spoken: "Pastor--be honest about your theological convictions with those to whom you minister ."