Last month marked 20 years since my Christianity Today cover story “Young, Restless, Reformed.” And last year, we recognized 20 years since the founding of The Gospel Coalition. During TGC’s most recent Colloquium, a private meeting of our Council, president Mark Vroegop asked me to reflect on the “Not-So-Young, Restless, Reformed.”
I took his prompt as an occasion to reflect on four eras that have unfolded over those 20-plus years, noting distinctive characteristics of ministry amid the changing tides. Then I reflected on the perspective we bring to cultural change, with an emphasis on the benefits of focusing on the deeper structures that don’t change as often. The result, I hope, helps church leaders understand the times without overreacting to superficial trends—all the while staying focused on God’s unchanging promises.
In This Episode
00:00 – Reflecting on the Young, Restless Reformed movement’s influence
02:39 – Defining gospel-centeredness in modern evangelical discourse
04:20 – Church rupture over gay marriage
05:35 – Evolution and influence of The Gospel Coalition
11:07 – Intersection of theology, suffering, and political engagement
14:29 – Rise and fall of the Young, Restless, Reformed movement
19:20 – Intersection of politics, society, and technological change
27:18 – Navigating church dynamics amid rapid cultural and political changes
31:00 – Christian materialism, Platonism, and the future of the West
Resources Mentioned:
The Gospel Coalition
The Keller Center for Cultural Apologetics
Gospel-Centered Ministry by Don Carson and Tim Keller
A History of the Work of Redemption by Jonathan Edwards
A Secular Age by Charles Taylor
The Righteous Mind by Jonathan Haidt
A God-Sized Vision by Collin Hansen and John D. Woodbridge
City of God by Augustine
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