As I work on the current sermon series, “Jesus, Friend of Sinners: Our Reformation Roots,” I’m finding many terrific resources. Like:
Michael Reeves, Freedom Movement, a brilliant little book about what happened in the 16th century and why it matters today. You can download it for free at Desiring God. Get it and read it out loud (in under an hour) with family or friends. It will make church history come alive.
The fall 2017 journal from 9Marks is entitled, “The Reformation and Your Church,” with contributions from numerous Christian scholars and pastors—and a big emphasis on the abiding significance of God’s great work to revive his church 500 years ago.
So, is the Reformation over? To explore this issue, see two excellent books: Gregg Allison & Chris Castaldo, The Unfinished Reformation; and Michael Reeves & Tim Chester, Why the Reformation Still Matters. For more from Castaldo or Allison, visit reformandainitiative.org. Also, check out Allison’s contributions at thegospelcoalition.org.
Chris Castaldo grew up Catholic and worked full-time in the Catholic church, but he was transformed by the Reformation gospel message and now pastors an evangelical church in Illinois. He tells his story in Holy Ground: Walking with Jesus as a Former Catholic.
For an official Catholic perspective on the Christian message and the nature of the church, see The Catechism of the Catholic Church.
God led many Christian leaders to be key figures of the Reformation. John Wycliffe and William Tyndale were early pioneers who paved the way for gospel renewal. Martin Luther sparked a spiritual revolution with his 95 Theses. John Calvin’s Institutes of the Christian Religion provided a comprehensive survey of doctrine.
And then there were the Anabaptists! These devout Christ-followers were saying, “Luther, Calvin, and Co., we’re with you on justification by faith and the authority of Scripture—but you need to finish the reforming job!” For example, Anabaptists like Menno Simons also called for separation of church and state and insisted on a regenerate (i.e., born again) church membership signified by believers’ baptism rather by infant baptism. Goshen is in the line of the Anabaptist spiritual pioneers who suffered much for their faithfulness to Jesus!
We stand on the shoulders of godly men and women who’ve gone before us. They’re part of our spiritual family—brothers and sisters in Christ who have much to teach us. Join me in digging into the great true story of how the Lord raised up courageous Christian leaders to carry the gospel torch and pass it on faithfully to future generations!
