"Being the Man God
Calls You to Be"
is an extensive joint interview featuring Paul Washer (founder of
the HeartCry
Missionary Society) and Dr. Joel Beeke (author and president of
Puritan Reformed Theological Seminary). Released by Reformation Heritage
Books, the conversation centres around Dr. Beeke’s book, “How to Lead
Your Family: A Guide for Men Wanting to be More,” and dives into the
practicalities of biblical masculinity, family headship, and countering the
frantic pace of modern life.
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@JoelBeeke
Mar 8
Shepherds Conference
2026 at Grace Community Church in Los Angeles concluded last night, and the
Queen and I are now winging our way home so that I can preach in our beloved
church in Grand Rapids tomorrow. A highlight yesterday was my good friend Paul
Washer’s moving, convicting, and encouraging address to the thousands of
ministers, exhorting us earnestly to dedicate ourselves to feeding, loving, and
praying for our flocks of sheep (based on Joshua 1 and 1 Timothy 4). After his
address, I was privileged to spend two hours of valuable time fellowshipping
with brother Paul (photo 1). Part way through this time, we were joined first
by David Woollin, then H. B. Charles, and later on Al Mohler. Those were sweet
hours. Other highlights included: being interviewed by GCC about my memories of
Dr. John MacArthur and my friendship with him (photo 2); Dr. Nathan Busenitz’s
remarkable address on “The Glory of Heaven” as a motivation for endurance in
ministry and Dr. H. B. Charles’s closing conference address on “The Ministry of
the Word” based on a clear exposition of the parable of the rich man and
Lazarus (Luke 16:19-31), with an insightful emphasis on the clarity and
sufficiency of preaching the Word (photo 3). All of these addresses were very
edifying for mind and soul. I also thoroughly enjoyed visits with old friends
including Ligon Duncan (photo 4), Andrew Courtis (photo 5, with whom David
Woollin and I made plans for our forthcoming “Puritan Conference” in his church
in Australia in 2027, D.V.), Matthew Johnston from New Zealand, together with
his elder Sam (photo 6), and librarian John Stone (photo 7—together with Daniel
Clothier, who faithfully drove us and accompanied us everywhere above and
beyond the call of duty). Due to all the visits and networking going on with
various friends and ministries, we did not have the opportunity to attend the
25 breakout sessions held over the last two days of the conference. But we did
have well over a hundred mini-visits with different brothers at our RHB book
tables with friends old and new, which of course was combined with selling
hundreds of books to the joy of my heart and, I trust, to their growth in grace
(photo 📷!
[PHOTO SOURCE: https://x.com/JoelBeeke/status/2030389961644515751]
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PURITAN GALLERIES:
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Who Were the Puritans?
The Puritans were one of the most influential movements in the history of
Protestant Christianity. Emerging during the sixteenth and seventeenth
centuries, they were not a separate denomination but a reform movement within
the Church of England. Their greatest desire was to see the church fully
reformed according to the authority of Scripture. Their commitment to biblical
doctrine, reverent worship, holy living, faithful preaching, and practical
godliness has left an enduring legacy that continues to shape evangelical and
Reformed Christianity today.
Far from being merely historical figures dressed in black clothing, the
Puritans were pastors, theologians, missionaries, scholars, and ordinary
believers whose greatest passion was the glory of God. They believed that every
area of life—family, work, government, worship, and personal conduct—should be
governed by the Word of God.
Historical Background
The story of the Puritans begins with the English Reformation. In 1534, King
Henry VIII broke England's ties with the Roman Catholic Church through the Act
of Supremacy. Although this separated England from papal authority, many
reformers believed the English church retained too many Roman Catholic
ceremonies, vestments, liturgical practices, and ecclesiastical structures.
During the reign of Queen Elizabeth I (1558–1603), attempts were made to
establish religious uniformity through the Elizabethan Settlement. While this
brought stability to England, many pastors and theologians remained convinced
that the Reformation was incomplete. These men became known as Puritans because
they desired to "purify" the Church of England according to the
teaching of Scripture.
Throughout the seventeenth century, Puritans often experienced persecution.
Many ministers were suspended, fined, imprisoned, or removed from their
churches for refusing to conform to state-imposed religious practices. Some
fled to Holland seeking religious liberty, while others crossed the Atlantic to
New England, where they established colonies such as Plymouth and Massachusetts
Bay.
Despite suffering opposition, the Puritans profoundly influenced
English-speaking Christianity through their preaching, writing, and example.
Their Theological Foundation
The Puritans stood firmly within the tradition of the Protestant Reformation
and embraced what is now called Reformed theology. They believed that theology
must never remain merely academic but should transform the believer's heart and
life.
Their core convictions included:
The absolute authority and sufficiency of Holy Scripture (Sola Scriptura)
Salvation by grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone
The sovereignty of God over creation and redemption
Total dependence upon God's grace for salvation
Justification by faith apart from works
The necessity of regeneration by the Holy Spirit
Progressive sanctification throughout the Christian life
The perseverance of the saints
The ordinary means of grace—preaching, prayer, baptism, the Lord's Supper, and
the fellowship of the church
To the Puritans, sound doctrine and practical holiness were inseparable.
Their View of Scripture
No doctrine shaped the Puritans more than Sola Scriptura. They believed that
the Bible is God's inspired, infallible, sufficient, and final authority in
matters of faith and practice.
Every doctrine, church practice, and form of worship had to be examined by
Scripture. Human traditions possessed authority only insofar as they agreed
with God's Word.
Because of this conviction, Puritan preaching was overwhelmingly biblical.
Ministers devoted themselves to careful exposition of Scripture, believing that
God speaks to His people through His Word.
Worship According to Scripture
The Puritans advocated what later became known as the Regulative Principle of
Worship. They believed that corporate worship should include only those
elements God has commanded in Scripture.
As a result, Puritan worship emphasized:
Expository preaching
Public reading of Scripture
Prayer
Congregational singing of biblical truth
Baptism
The Lord's Supper
Reverence and simplicity
Their concern was not to make worship attractive according to human preferences
but acceptable according to God's commands.
Puritan Preaching
Puritan preaching has become legendary for its depth and practical application.
Their sermons generally followed a consistent pattern:
Explanation of the biblical text.
Doctrinal teaching drawn from the passage.
Practical application to everyday life.
The Puritans believed that preaching should address both the mind and the
heart. Doctrine was intended to produce repentance, faith, worship, holiness,
and joy.
John Owen summarized this emphasis well:
"The first and principal duty of a pastor is to feed the flock by diligent
preaching of the Word."
The Puritan View of the Christian Life
The Puritans believed that Christianity encompasses every aspect of life. There
was no distinction between the sacred and the secular because every vocation
belongs to God.
They emphasized:
Personal holiness
Daily repentance
Prayer
Bible reading
Family worship
Christian education
Honest labor
Love for neighbor
Evangelism
Dependence upon the Holy Spirit
Their goal was not outward legalism but inward transformation through the
gospel.
Family Worship
One of the defining characteristics of Puritan homes was regular family
worship.
Parents, especially fathers, were expected to lead their families by:
Reading Scripture
Praying together
Singing psalms and hymns
Catechizing their children
Discussing biblical truth
The home was viewed as a "little church" where children learned the
fear of the Lord.
The Lord's Day
The Puritans held a high view of the Lord's Day.
Sunday was devoted to:
Public worship
Prayer
Scripture reading
Catechism
Christian fellowship
Meditation upon God's Word
Rest from ordinary labor
Rather than viewing the Lord's Day as a burden, they regarded it as God's
gracious gift for spiritual renewal.
Puritan Pastoral Ministry
Puritan pastors viewed themselves primarily as shepherds rather than religious
administrators.
Richard Baxter's The Reformed Pastor became the classic model of pastoral
ministry, emphasizing:
Faithful preaching
Personal visitation
Catechizing families
Prayer
Church discipline
Loving care for every member
Pastoral ministry centered upon knowing the flock personally.
Influential Puritan Leaders
John Owen (1616–1683)
Perhaps the greatest Puritan theologian, Owen wrote extensively on the Holy
Spirit, sanctification, assurance, and communion with God. His works remain
among the finest examples of Reformed theology.
Thomas Watson (c. 1620–1686)
Known for his clarity and warmth, Watson authored A Body of Divinity, The
Doctrine of Repentance, and The Beatitudes.
Richard Baxter (1615–1691)
Best remembered for The Reformed Pastor and The Saints' Everlasting Rest, Baxter
emphasized pastoral care and practical holiness.
John Bunyan (1628–1688)
Though technically a Nonconformist Baptist rather than an Anglican Puritan,
Bunyan shared the Puritan vision. Imprisoned for preaching, he wrote The
Pilgrim's Progress, one of the most influential Christian books ever published.
Thomas Goodwin (1600–1680)
A gifted theologian known for his writings on assurance, union with Christ, and
the work of the Holy Spirit.
Stephen Charnock (1628–1680)
Remembered especially for his monumental work The Existence and Attributes of
God, Charnock provided profound reflections on the character and perfections of
God.
Common Misconceptions
The Puritans are frequently portrayed as gloomy, joyless, and overly strict.
Such caricatures ignore the richness of their writings.
While they took sin seriously, they also wrote extensively about:
Christian joy
Assurance of salvation
Communion with Christ
The love of God
Heavenly hope
The beauty of holiness
Their pursuit of holiness was motivated not by fear but by gratitude for God's
saving grace.
Their Influence on Modern Christianity
The Puritans profoundly shaped both Britain and America. Their influence can be
seen in:
Reformed theology
Expository preaching
Baptist and Presbyterian traditions
Christian education
Family worship
Missions
Biblical counseling
Pastoral ministry
Even today, pastors and theologians continue to recommend Puritan writings
because they unite deep theology with practical application.
Charles H. Spurgeon greatly admired them and famously remarked:
"The next best thing to reading the Bible is to read the Puritans."
Why the Puritans Still Matter
The Puritans speak powerfully to the modern church because they remind us that
Christianity is far more than intellectual agreement with doctrine. They teach
us that biblical truth must transform the whole person. In an age often marked
by shallow teaching, entertainment-driven worship, and pragmatic ministry,
their commitment to Scripture, reverent worship, faithful preaching, and
practical godliness offers a needed corrective.
Their writings encourage believers to pursue a deeper knowledge of God, cultivate
personal holiness, treasure Christ above all else, and delight in the ordinary
means of grace. They demonstrate that genuine spiritual vitality flows not from
novelty or emotionalism but from a life rooted in God's Word and empowered by
the Holy Spirit.
Conclusion
The Puritans were not perfect, nor should every aspect of their historical
context be uncritically adopted. Yet their enduring legacy lies in their
unwavering devotion to the glory of God, the authority of Scripture, and the
lordship of Christ over every area of life. They sought to reform the church
according to God's Word and to cultivate hearts wholly devoted to Him.
Their lives remind us that true Christianity is not merely orthodox doctrine or
outward morality—it is a joyful, reverent, and wholehearted pursuit of God. As
the Puritans themselves demonstrated, theology is meant to lead to doxology,
and doctrine is meant to produce devotion. In recovering their emphasis on
biblical truth and practical godliness, the church today can continue to
benefit from one of the richest spiritual legacies in Christian history.
[PHOTO SOURCE: https://www.facebook.com/share/p/19WLHNRi28/]
TEMPORARY BLOG: https://lutherandcalvinbrigade914.blogspot.com/2026/09/joel-beeke-and-paul-washer-in-joint.html
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RELATED LINKS:
https://lutherandcalvinbrigade914.blogspot.com/2019/05/paul-washers-sermon-shocking-youth.html
https://lutherandcalvinbrigade914.blogspot.com/2020/01/sermon-by-joel-beeke-puritan-view-of.html
https://lutherandcalvinbrigade914.blogspot.com/2020/07/sermon-by-joel-beeke-killing-remaining.html
https://credomag.com/article/a-plea-for-calvinistic-compatibilism/
https://www.thegospelcoalition.org/themelios/article/christological-arguments-for-compatibilism-in-reformed-theology/
https://www.monergism.com/compatibilistic-determinism
https://www.gotquestions.org/compatibilism.html
https://billmuehlenberg.com/2019/08/27/on-compatibilism/
https://www.monergism.com/thethreshold/articles/onsite/qna/compatibilism.html
THE DOCTRINES OF GRACE
LINKS:
I have often
confessed that, when my spirit gets depressed, nothing will sustain it but the
good old-fashioned Calvinistic doctrine. – Charles Spurgeon
https://www.spurgeon.org/sermons/god-in-nature-and-in-revelation
Prayer
of TULIP
https://lutherandcalvinbrigade914.blogspot.com/2026/07/prayer-of-tulip.html
“We
are all sinners by nature, therefore we are held under the yoke of sin. But if
the whole man is subject to the dominion of sin, surely the will, which is its
principal seat, must be bound with the closest of chains. And indeed if divine
grace were preceded by any will of ours, Paul could not have said that, ‘it is
God that worketh in us to will and to do'” (Phil. 2:13) –John Calvin
The Effect of Sin: "Total Depravity"
https://lutherandcalvinbrigade914.blogspot.com/2018/07/the-effect-of-sin-total-depravity.html
Thus,
I say, the electing love of God in Christ (when I have been able to realize it)
has often been the means of producing holiness, instead of leading me into sin.
It is only the notional apprehension of such truths, the want of having them in
the heart, whilst they are in the head, which is dangerous. – George
Muller on the Doctrines of Grace
https://lutherandcalvinbrigade914.blogspot.com/2026/03/george-muller-on-doctrines-of-grace.html
I
would rather believe a limited atonement that is efficacious for all men for
whom it was intended, than a universal atonement that is not efficacious for
anybody, except the will of men be added to it. - Charles Spurgeon
UNIVERSAL REDEMPTION: THE MOST HIDEOUS DOCTRINE IN THE
WORLD – SERMON BY PASTOR DON FORTNER
https://lutherandcalvinbrigade914.blogspot.com/2026/01/universal-redemption-most-hideous.html
Election
is God’s decree “whereby on his own free will, he hath ordained certain men to
salvation, to the praise of the glory of his grace.” Reprobation is “that part
of predestination, whereby God, according to the most free and just purpose of
his will, hath determined to reject certain men unto eternal destruction, and
misery, and that to the praise of his justice.” – William Perkins
https://lutherandcalvinbrigade914.blogspot.com/2020/10/sermon-by-joel-beeke-william-perkinss.html
Erase
John Calvin and his theology from church history, and I still believe in the
absolute depravity of man, the unconditional election of God, the definite
atonement of Christ, the efficacious grace of God, and the perseverance of all
the saints. Because the Bible tells me so. – Dustin Benge
https://lutherandcalvinbrigade914.blogspot.com/2022/07/dustin-benge-on-erasing-john-calvin.html
PROPONENTS OF THE DOCTRINES
OF GRACE LINKS:
https://lutherandcalvinbrigade914.blogspot.com/2026/05/endorsing-narrow-path-doctrine.html
https://findlivinghope.com/2025/03/why-i-love-the-doctrines-of-grace/
https://churcheswithoutchests.net/2025/08/21/the-doctrines-of-grace-found-me/
https://www.walkingthroughthegospel.com/2023/09/10-reasons-to-believe-doctrines-of-grace.html
https://www.oakhillspca.com/blog/post/why-i-love-the-doctrine-of-irresistible-grace
https://www.desiringgod.org/articles/devastated-and-delighted
https://www.desiringgod.org/articles/the-joy-of-calvinism--2
https://www.desiringgod.org/articles/how-does-tulip-make-you-feel
https://www.desiringgod.org/messages/the-beauty-of-reformed-theology
https://lutherandcalvinbrigade914.blogspot.com/2021/05/john-calvin-on-isaiah-41-verse-10-and-13.html
https://lutherandcalvinbrigade914.blogspot.com/2024/01/540th-birthday-for-zwingli-swiss.html
https://www.apuritansmind.com/tulip/
https://www.apuritansmind.com/tulip/why-i-am-a-calvinist-by-dr-c-matthew-mcmahon/
How I Became A Calvinist Playlist: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLjSIFDZIs-qdeGX01aYguVUstfiTFwKg1&si=JgdsQfXS-qN1uSgu
Michael
Jeshurun:
https://michaeljeshurun.wordpress.com/2023/04/18/did-christ-go-to-the-cross-to-make-certain-the-salvation-of-all-his-sheep-or-make-salvation-possible-for-any-and-all-who-might-believe-of-their-own-free-will/
https://michaeljeshurun.wordpress.com/2023/04/15/biblical-election-a-truth-to-be-preached-2/
https://michaeljeshurun.wordpress.com/2023/05/26/rejoicing-in-the-truth-of-sovereign-election/
https://michaeljeshurun.wordpress.com/tag/calvinism-not-from-calvin/
Frontline
Fellowship:
https://www.frontlinemissionsa.org/answers-to-critical-questions
https://www.frontlinemissionsa.org/answers-to-critical-questions/john-calvin-was-a-murderous-dictator-who-had-people-killed-just-for-disagreeing-with-himhow-can-you-speak-well-of-such-an-evil-man-who-murdered-servetuswill-durant-called-calvin-the-dictator-of-genevahundrededs-were-executed
https://www.frontlinemissionsa.org/answers-to-critical-questions/you-calvinists-side-with-man-and-not-the-scriptures-god-wants-everyone-to-be-saved-you-limit-the-love-and-gospel-of-christ-with-your-tulip-doctrines-and-word-games
https://lutherandcalvinbrigade914.blogspot.com/2023/10/470-years-ago-michael-servetus-was.html
David
Kaywood:
https://www.gospelrelevance.com/2016/05/22/john-calvin-burn-michael-servetus-stake/
https://bible.org/article/what-theology-dave-hunt-s-misrepresentation-god-and-calvinism
https://www.desiringgod.org/messages/the-beauty-of-reformed-theology
https://conciliarpost.com/theology-spirituality/im-not-reformed-admire-anyway/
Refuting
Provisionist:
https://growrag.wordpress.com/2020/06/19/confronting-leighton-flowers-and-kevin-thompson-on-their-humanless-reading-of-holy-scripture/
https://theparticularbaptist.net/2020/05/29/leightons-ministry-of-selfishness/
https://puritanboard.com/threads/countering-provisionism.106713/
https://aviewfromtheright.com/2024/07/28/white-responds-to-turek-if-we-dont-have-free-will-to-accept-god/
If you
believe that salvation is all your choosing, have the courage and conviction to
stand before God and tell Him you would like to pause from thanking Him, and
thank yourself. — Derek Thomas
Response
to Dave Hunt’s book: What Love is This? subtitled, “Calvinism’s
Misrepresentation of God.”
https://lutherandcalvinbrigade914.blogspot.com/2025/05/response-to-dave-hunts-book-what-love.html
https://shoebat.com/2026/04/19/jewish-idf-soldier-smashes-a-statue-of-the-crucified-jesus-christ-in-lebanon-the-antichrist-spirit-of-israel-is-rising-up-and-exposing-itself-and-the-jewish-fanatics-will-continue-to-slaughter-christ/
