The "New Christendom" Movement is the Way Forward

Why Reformed Christians Shouldn't Bash the Concept of "Christian Boroughs"

In recent years, the "New Christendom" movement spearheaded by the Refuge Church in Ogden, Utah, and echoed in places like Moscow, Idaho, with the Doug Wilson camp and Joel Webbon’s church in Georgetown, Texas, and its "Christian Boroughs" model has sparked considerable debate within Reformed Baptist circles. The model emphasizes the formation of intentionally Christian communities—"boroughs"—where believers live, worship, and work together to cultivate a distinctly biblical way of life. While some have critiqued this approach as insular or utopian, I contend that Reformed Baptists should reconsider their stance. Drawing from Scripture, historical examples, and theological principles, we will explore why this model is worth embracing—albeit with certain critiques—and why dismissing such efforts might amount to unhelpful infighting.