Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind

so that you may be able to prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect.

Romans 12.

This is resistance and reformation on the Fight Laugh Feast network.

In 1815, Thomas Chalmers left his beloved rural Fyffeur congregation in Kilmony for the bustling

Urban Tron Church in Glasgow, Scotland. He did so in large part to demonstrate that the mission and

vision of parish life, which had brought such extraordinary revival and renewal to sleepy

Kilmony could usher in the same spiritual and cultural vitality to a major commercial and industrial city.

Over the course of the next five years it did. Chalmers led the church

in a lively reformation marked by the ordinary means of grace.

Substantive biblical preaching, fervent intercessory prayer,

confessional faithfulness, evangelistic zeal, interpersonal discipleship, diligent catechizing, along with pioneering efforts in missions, education,

publishing, apologetics, and care for the poor. These varied efforts spawned an

enthusiastic evangelical resurgence and soon the church was bursting at the seams.

In 1820, Chalmers petitioned the Glasgow Presbytery to carve out a new jurisdiction for a church plant in the poorest section of the thriving city.

With great reluctance, he was granted permission and St John's Parish Church was planted.

From the start, it too was thriving.

Chalmers saw the need for aggressive church planting and he began to craft a plan. He started a training

regimen for potential planting pastors, elders, and deacons, he initiated a fundraising scheme. The so-called

moderates who still constituted a majority in the presbytery were increasingly

concerned that the influence of the Chalmers-led evangelicals

threatened to overwhelm the establishment. They refused to warrant any expansion efforts.

...