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Jonathan Edwards on Movements
The world was a very different place, nearly 300 years ago, when Jonathan Edwards wrote about events happening during the First Great Awakening. He responded to criticisms of that awakening with careful, biblically-based analysis of pros and cons of the events taking place.
Current discussions about Church Planting Movements (CPMs) and Disciple Making Movements (DMMs) employ numerous terms not found in Edwards’ writings. Yet the Lord has not changed, the Bible has not changed, and the gospel has not changed. Edwards’ incisive and edifying analysis contains numerous insights that have endured through the centuries. The wisdom we glean from Edwards’ comments on the awakening of his time can shed helpful light on current discussions about movements taking place in our time.
See for yourself!
Current discussions about Church Planting Movements (CPMs) and Disciple Making Movements (DMMs) employ numerous terms not found in Edwards’ writings. Yet the Lord has not changed, the Bible has not changed, and the gospel has not changed. Edwards’ incisive and edifying analysis contains numerous insights that have endured through the centuries. The wisdom we glean from Edwards’ comments on the awakening of his time can shed helpful light on current discussions about movements taking place in our time.
See for yourself!
92 pages, Paperback
Published December 13, 2022
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11 people want to read
About the author
Dave Coles
7 booksDave Coles is an encourager and resourcer of Church Planting Movements among unreached groups. After 10 years of pastoral ministry in the US, he served among Muslims in Southeast Asia for 24 years. He has published dozens of articles about Church Planting Movements, contextualization, reaching Muslims, and the nature of the church. He is author of Jonathan Edwards on Movements, coauthor of Cabbages in the Desert: How God Transformed a Devout Muslim and Catalyzed Disciple Making Movements among Unreached Peoples; and Bhojpuri Breakthrough: A Movement that Keeps Multiplying; coeditor of 24:14 - A Testimony to All Peoples, and associate editor of Motus Dei: The Movement of God to Disciple the Nations
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
March 18, 2023
A much needed response to the overly cynical and critical reactions of some in the reformed community towards Movements as a phenomenon and a methodology. Jonathan Edwards is a towering calvinist theologian whose influence on the reformed community is immense. I am thankful that someone finally brings both reformed tradition/theology and movements into one conversation. Both sides need to listen and learn more from each other. I pray for more of such conversations to happen. As summarized by Coles, Edwards would have some words of caution towards those who are excited about movements but he would have very strong words of warning for those who are opposing it.
This book includes plenty of extensive quotations from the writings of Edwards. Many of them are not easy to understand (at least for me) due to the differences in style of writing in the 18th century and thus require multiple readings. I wish Coles would have provided more explanatory comments or notes to make the quotations more readable and accessible for a wider audience. But on the other hand providing too much comments may also weaken the force of the book's arguments. So Coles has wisely let Edwards speak for himself!
This book includes plenty of extensive quotations from the writings of Edwards. Many of them are not easy to understand (at least for me) due to the differences in style of writing in the 18th century and thus require multiple readings. I wish Coles would have provided more explanatory comments or notes to make the quotations more readable and accessible for a wider audience. But on the other hand providing too much comments may also weaken the force of the book's arguments. So Coles has wisely let Edwards speak for himself!
August 16, 2024
Don’t Read (3 stars owing to good quotes, references, and outline)(I reads the “Pastor’s Edition” ISBN 979-8-9870207-2-2 which is not yet on GoodReads)
Dave Coles sets out to use quotes from Jonathan Edward’s writings concerning the validity of the move of the Spirit in the First Great Awakening, despite concerning elements, to address concerns regarding the modern Church Planting Movements and Disciple Making Movements.
The book has the concise, well footnoted approach of an academic journal. I appreciate the outline of Edward’s thoughts and the many articles cited as a good resource issues in the conversation. However, Coles seems to miss Edward’s point. Edwards addresses the criticisms going on being used to discredit the movement in general. He rightly argues that the presence of fleshly and counterfeit elements in no way discredits the fact that God’s Spirit was moving in a unique way and that ministers should celebrate and support that move. What Edwards is certainly not doing is drawing a connection between the methods being used as being the means that God was pouring out his Spirit. The methods were incidental not causal.
Coles applies Edward’s thoughts to show that concerning elements need not condemn the move overall - Good. But he also seems to support many methods of the movement as being justified because a true move of God is taking place and so ministers should not critique the methods or the depth of the results they produce. That is foreign to Edward’s argument.
Edwards defended “newness” in the manifestation of God’s outpouring. That does not speak to methods to “produce” a move of God at all.
Dave Coles sets out to use quotes from Jonathan Edward’s writings concerning the validity of the move of the Spirit in the First Great Awakening, despite concerning elements, to address concerns regarding the modern Church Planting Movements and Disciple Making Movements.
The book has the concise, well footnoted approach of an academic journal. I appreciate the outline of Edward’s thoughts and the many articles cited as a good resource issues in the conversation. However, Coles seems to miss Edward’s point. Edwards addresses the criticisms going on being used to discredit the movement in general. He rightly argues that the presence of fleshly and counterfeit elements in no way discredits the fact that God’s Spirit was moving in a unique way and that ministers should celebrate and support that move. What Edwards is certainly not doing is drawing a connection between the methods being used as being the means that God was pouring out his Spirit. The methods were incidental not causal.
Coles applies Edward’s thoughts to show that concerning elements need not condemn the move overall - Good. But he also seems to support many methods of the movement as being justified because a true move of God is taking place and so ministers should not critique the methods or the depth of the results they produce. That is foreign to Edward’s argument.
Edwards defended “newness” in the manifestation of God’s outpouring. That does not speak to methods to “produce” a move of God at all.
June 4, 2024
I don't understand the point of this book. Jonathan Edwards says you shouldn't oppose "movements."
"Shouldn't oppose" is a double-negative. Also, what movements? Seeker church? Prosperity Gospel? Vineyard movement? Charismatic movement?
I met some charismatic Lutherans in the Bole airport (Addis Ababa). I didn't know there were charismatic Lutherans or Lutherans of any kind in Ethiopia.
There are countless expressions of Christianity around the world. Edwards' comments were locked into the world in which he lived. I'm not sure what he has to say to the house church in China or the underground church in Iran or to post-evangelical gatherings in Roanoke, VA. I don't say this to dis Edwards, and maybe his own observations do add something to one's understanding of "movements," but Coles did not help me see that.
"Shouldn't oppose" is a double-negative. Also, what movements? Seeker church? Prosperity Gospel? Vineyard movement? Charismatic movement?
I met some charismatic Lutherans in the Bole airport (Addis Ababa). I didn't know there were charismatic Lutherans or Lutherans of any kind in Ethiopia.
There are countless expressions of Christianity around the world. Edwards' comments were locked into the world in which he lived. I'm not sure what he has to say to the house church in China or the underground church in Iran or to post-evangelical gatherings in Roanoke, VA. I don't say this to dis Edwards, and maybe his own observations do add something to one's understanding of "movements," but Coles did not help me see that.
October 19, 2024
Disclosure: This book was sent to me unprompted.
This book is interesting in that it seems to be a collection of quotes all driving at one overall point, but the overall point really isn’t clear. It’s actually a little difficult to follow.
I think that the author and I would have a lot in common and I believe if I were to hear more of his thoughts interwoven with the quotes from Edwards, I would find myself agreeing with his thoughts.
However, since he doesn’t expound enough on Edwards’ words in the book itself, it’s hard to figure out what Coles means. I’d rather just read Edwards in its own contexts.
This book is interesting in that it seems to be a collection of quotes all driving at one overall point, but the overall point really isn’t clear. It’s actually a little difficult to follow.
I think that the author and I would have a lot in common and I believe if I were to hear more of his thoughts interwoven with the quotes from Edwards, I would find myself agreeing with his thoughts.
However, since he doesn’t expound enough on Edwards’ words in the book itself, it’s hard to figure out what Coles means. I’d rather just read Edwards in its own contexts.
June 4, 2025
This book arrived at our church unsolicited and without prior request. While it's clear that the author is deeply passionate about Edwards' thoughts on movements, I found the central message difficult to discern.
A significant portion of the content—I'd estimate over 70%—consists of direct quotations from Jonathan Edwards. While Edwards' writings are certainly valuable, such heavy quotations of his words left little room for the author’s own voice or analysis. As a result, the book reads more like a compilation of Edwards' quotes than a cohesive, original work.
Ultimately, I was left unsure of what the author hoped to convey.
A significant portion of the content—I'd estimate over 70%—consists of direct quotations from Jonathan Edwards. While Edwards' writings are certainly valuable, such heavy quotations of his words left little room for the author’s own voice or analysis. As a result, the book reads more like a compilation of Edwards' quotes than a cohesive, original work.
Ultimately, I was left unsure of what the author hoped to convey.
May 18, 2024
On the one hand, I'm unfamiliar with what has caused the author such concern. On the other hand, this has been a good review of Edward's insights about legitimate and illegitimate "revivals." Quick read.
As the author seeks to apply Edwards to something going on in the larger world, I did have doubts and concerns. But I also could see his point about overemphasizing set methodologies and means. The author didn't convince me of what he was seeming to promote, but the book does give me some pause for reflection.
As the author seeks to apply Edwards to something going on in the larger world, I did have doubts and concerns. But I also could see his point about overemphasizing set methodologies and means. The author didn't convince me of what he was seeming to promote, but the book does give me some pause for reflection.
August 21, 2024
A good book of reflection on Jonathan Edward's biblical criteria and thoughts on whether or not something is a movement of God to apply to today's church planting movement.
May 31, 2023
What do we make of revivals, awakenings, and new religious movements? How should we sort out what we hear and see? The author, a proponent of CPM/DMM, takes a look at how influential theologian Jonathan Edwards (1703-1758) responded to the revivals and Great Awakening of his day and advised others to sort out the wheat from the chaff.
Along the way, Coles asks: what would Edwards say, both positive and negative, to critics of disciple-making movements today? It’s a quick read but a challenging one if you’re not used to the language of early American theologians like Edwards.
Along the way, Coles asks: what would Edwards say, both positive and negative, to critics of disciple-making movements today? It’s a quick read but a challenging one if you’re not used to the language of early American theologians like Edwards.
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews