# I know within the church some people want John Calvin to "re-appear," but I think..



## SolaGratia (Oct 3, 2008)

From the intro. of the book, _A Reformation Debate John Calvin and Jacopo Sadoleto_ (p 14);

Bern, Geneva's allys had adapted Zwinglian reform in 1528 and *was miliant in her support of the new faith. She was soon dispatching preachers to neighboring towns and countryside and using her influence to gain a hearing for their doctrines.* With her backing Guillaume Farel, a fiery French evangelist, returned to Geneva in December, 1533 (his previous visit to the city in October, 1532, had resulted in his speedy expulsion) and, soon joined by a disciple, Pierre Viret of Obre, stayed on to lay the foundations of Genevan Protestanism. At Bern's insistence a public disputation, with Farel and Viret defending "evangelical truth," was held early in 1534 and a church was susbsequently turned over to the reformers.

The Church was militant dispatching preachers here and there in order for their doctrines to be heard. 

I know within the church some people want John Calvin to "re-appeared," but I think we need more Farel's. We already have Calvin's works and the reformers contributions. What we need is men to go out there and preach these truths like the reformers with the power of the Holy Spirit to people, cities, regions, other churches, yes other churches, etc.


----------



## Pergamum (Oct 5, 2008)

Calvin sent hundreds of pastors back into France to spread the Gospel. I think the two men were matched in their evangelistic zeal.


----------



## jd.morrison (Oct 5, 2008)

Yeah, virtually no one knows about how pastoral and missions minded John Calvin was... He even sent a couple of missionaries into the jungles of Brazil. They did not accomplish their mission because they could not learn the native speech but, the did put forth a huge effort to share the gospel to the Native Americans of the Brazilian Jungle.


----------



## Pergamum (Oct 5, 2008)

Geneva was a missions center. 


But, I do agree with the OP, let's get out there...


----------



## py3ak (Oct 5, 2008)

Frances Bevan's biography of William Farel is one of the most enjoyable biographies I have ever read.


----------



## TheFleshProfitethNothing (Oct 5, 2008)

Funny, I thought Calvin and Farel were working together on virtually everything they did, infact, Bern's called a session for debate and both attended if I'm not mistaken.


----------



## GTMOPC (Nov 10, 2008)

The way I understood Farel and Calvin's relationship was that Farel started the fire in Geneva and he petitioned Calvin to manage the flames. Farel was a top notch evangelist yet not a leader. Calvin fit the bill to administer order that Farel couldn't provide. That's just the story I heard via a couple audio sermons, correct me if I'm wrong.

I also heard somewhere that Calvin taught a missions training program of sorts to equip preachers. Someone else mentioned that but what I hear is that it wasn't something casual, it was a well thought out, organized, program. Could we expect less from Calvin?

I think we need two things: The zeal of Farel and the mind of Calvin. Both heart and wisdom. With a dose of both I think we can go farther than our imaginations can conceive. Not to mention a little help from the Holy Spirit!


----------



## VirginiaHuguenot (Nov 10, 2008)

On the relationship between Calvin and Farel (and Viret) see this thread:

http://www.puritanboard.com/f18/genevas-triple-light-38761/

On the missionaries sent by John Calvin into France and Brazil, see these threads:

http://www.puritanboard.com/f29/geneva-coming-wars-religion-france-1555-1563-robert-kingdon-27036/
http://www.puritanboard.com/f18/calvins-church-planting-endeavors-17380/
http://www.puritanboard.com/f71/missionary-books-26440/
http://www.puritanboard.com/f18/jean-crespin-13713/
http://www.puritanboard.com/f29/calvinism-frontier-1600-1660-a-15030/


----------



## Prufrock (Nov 10, 2008)

Side note: (Andrew, you're a machine.)


----------



## kvanlaan (Nov 10, 2008)

I love the Farel/Calvin dynamic. Farel was like the gravitational pull used to sling-shot a spacecraft to greater speed and range.

The speech of a lifetime - calling down judgment on John Calvin if he jumped ship.


----------



## kvanlaan (Nov 10, 2008)

> Side note: (Andrew, you're a machine.)



And he doesn't google, either. All URLs are typed in from memory.


----------



## JohnGill (Nov 10, 2008)

kvanlaan said:


> > Side note: (Andrew, you're a machine.)
> 
> 
> 
> And he doesn't google, either. All URLs are typed in from memory.



You're incorrect. Andrew *IS* Google. His brain is permanently wired in. Why else do you think you get so many PB links in google when searching for things, even things unreformed.


----------



## VirginiaHuguenot (Nov 10, 2008)

You guys...


----------

