See also Part 1, Part 2 and Part 3 of our 2018 Year in Review. In 2018, Lighthouse Trails released a book by a Canadian pastor titled Calvinism: None Dare Call It Heresy. Needless to say, this created quite a large firestorm for Lighthouse Trails. Below we have listed ten posts from this past year to our “coming out of the closet” on our beliefs about Calvinism.
Lighthouse Trails Publishing Announces New Release: Calvinism: None Dare Call It Heresy – Today, a growing number of churches, ministries, and Christian colleges are promoting Calvinism. While Calvinist scholars claim that Calvinism is complex (and they have indeed created a complex system), the rudiments of it are very basic, and it can be readily understood.
Calvinism Book: A Hornet’s Nest – I am neither Calvinist nor Arminian; in my considered understanding, the Bible teaches neither of these with any degree of clarity, and even further, within both systems of thought, there is much falsity and that which perverts and distorts the Christian life and tragically, even the believer’s understanding of God. Both systems have as their greatest enemy the reading and consistent study of God’s Word in its context!
Letter to the Editor: Reflections of a Calvinist “Unelect” – We moved to this small town as quintessential Yankees without having done any real homework. My spouse and I always considered ourselves devout, but “garden variety” believers in Jesus Christ, along with everyone else we’ve ever known. We joined the largest church in town, largest population in a church, and it is strongly affiliated with the Southern Baptist Convention. Half the town appears to attend this church or a few small other Baptist churches in the area.
Letter to the Editor: Lighthouse Trails Book on Calvinism is Allowing False Teaching into LT – I am really sad that you are anti Calvinist in your ministry. I was a student at Biola university and conversed with you about their heretical teaching in their New Age spirituality.
A Potter Looks at Romans 9 – Calvinism offers a distorted view of salvation based largely on a misconceived idea of what God is like. And while Catholicism is rooted in a misconstrued perception of what John 6 is talking about, Calvinism, likewise, is founded on an equally misconstrued view of what Romans 9 is talking about.
One Woman’s Journey Into Calvinism – My introduction to John Calvin came one spring night while driving down a desolate Wyoming highway. It was early evening. The road conditions were mildly challenging, which was often the case in that part of the country. I was listening intently to reformed theologian R. C. Sproul lecture about Romans 8:28-30.
Letter to the Editor: A Painful Journey Out of Bondage -Having been in a staunch Reformed, 5-point Calvinist church for over 10 years and never being able to embrace it (though I kept that to myself) and feeling guilty that something was wrong with me was very damaging. The joy of His salvation left me little by little with the paralyzing fear of not being a chosen one.
Letter to the Editor: Concerned About Lighthouse Trails Upcoming Book Challenging Calvinism – I’m attending a Presbyterian church. I am not a Calvinist, and my pastor knows it. . . . If you publish that book about the Presbyterians, then that will turn away a lot of your readers who are Presbyterians. And that could be a large proportion of your readers because Presbyterians tend to be well-educated people who care about doctrine.
Letter to the Editor: The Calvinist Book – For Such a Time as This – Just seeing your intention to publish has motivated me to write to you. I want to say emphatically that I thoroughly endorse your stand and thank you for your determination to publish the Truth. At a personal level, Calvinism has had a most destructive, life-altering influence on my family through relatives who had departed from Calvinist Christianity but who have subsequently turned to the occult.
Man’s Views Vs. God’s Views on Eternal Security – For many believers, the doctrines of foreknowledge, predestination, adoption, and election paint a completely distorted picture of God, at least from how God has revealed Himself within His Word. Misunderstood biblical teaching always results in a misunderstanding of the person of God and His purposes, even His relationship to you and me. In the case of these doctrines in particular, there are three basic areas by which they are perceived, each claiming to be Scriptural.
Was Lighthouse Trails formerly Calvinistic? I read “Calvinism. None Dare Call it Heresy.” Also, I just sent for a book on Arminianism. So much of what I have been reading makes sense. For years I have followed John MacArthur so it’s difficult to know which way to lean. I enjoy all of your articles and appreciate how discerning you are regarding false teachers. Lack of discernment is so lacking in churches today. Thanks so much for what you do.
I haven’t read the book, but I want to thank you for endorsing it, because through that and the discussions that ensued here on LT I began to question my own beliefs and seriously search the Scriptures. I have since seen areas where I was flat out deceived and am so thankful for the encouragement I received here in regards to studying the Word of God. Thank you for contending for the truth.
P.S. As Peter said in one of his letters, “God is not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.” How plain can His Word be?!?
I realize this discussion may be considered “old news” now, but I just remembered something that happened about a year ago. I attended a special service at a local church of which I had a generally positive view, and everything seemed great until the pastor made a statement in his sermon wondering “why Jesus was sad when the rich young ruler walked away”. Really??? I thought the answer was quite obvious! Later that day I read some free material I had picked up at the church, saw that they have a “sister church” out West, and that church’s very detailed doctrines made it ultra-clear that they are strict Calvinist. I was shocked and saddened to realize this was the basis for the pastor’s uncomprehending comment. Sad to say, that local church used to be a HUGE force for good, particularly among local teens, but now that it has gone Calvinist, it’s just too sad to think about what the results in people’s lives will be. It is unbelievable how much outright error is being taught from church pulpits — of every kind, not just Calvinism. 🙁