John Calvin - Theologian and Missionary?

John Calvin died on this day in 1564. On Feb. 6th of that year Calvin, 55 years old, stood for the last time in his pulpit of Saint Pierre in Geneva, Switzerland. In mid-sermon he was seized by a coughing fit and his mouth filled with blood.

Days later while in bed he was still working feverishly on his papers. When friends begged him to rest he said, "What! Would you have the Lord find me idle when He comes?"

It was a Saturday, May 27th, 1564 just as the sun was setting that Calvin passed from one life to another. His dear friend Theodore Beza then said, "On this day with the setting of the sun the brightest light in the Church of God on earth was taken to heaven."

Calvin instructed that his body be laid in a common cemetery with no tombstone. He didn't want his grave becoming a shrine as tombs of earlier saints had become. It didn't and today his grave site is unknown.

Most don't think of missions when they think of John Calvin, but the truth is under Calvin's leadership Geneva became the hub of a vast missionary enterprise. Protestant refugees from all over Europe fled to Geneva; they came not only for safety but also to learn from Calvin the doctrines of the Reformation (which were the doctrines of Scripture) so they could return home to spread the true gospel.

The pastors of Geneva, including Calvin himself, met regularly and kept notes of their actions in a register, which became the greatest source of information on the missionary activity in Geneva. In April 1555 the Register of the Company of Pastors for the first time listed men who were sent out from Geneva to "evangelize Foreign Parts."

Between 1555 and 1562 the Register records 88 men by name who were sent out from Geneva to different places as "bearers of the gospel." From all over Europe requests came to Geneva for ministers of the gospel and the Genevan Company of Pastors filled as many as possible. At times even their own churches were deprived of pastors in order to meet the needs of struggling groups abroad. Thus, Geneva, under Calvin's direction, served as the heart of the Reformation in Europe, pumping out the lifeblood of trained ministers into all areas.

I know that most of you reading this blog know very little about the life of John Calvin. I would encourage you to listen to this sermon about his life by John Piper. It's about an hour long but can be downloaded and burned to a CD to listen to in your car.