Thursday, May 12, 2016

3 Lessons I’ve Learned from the Reformation


On October 31, 1517, Martin Luther nailed his 95 theses to the Wittenberg Cathedral door and, as they say, the rest is history. That act ignited what may be the most revolutionary movement in the history of Christianity since Pentecost.

In 2017 we will celebrate the 500th anniversary of this landscape-changing event. But to be a kingdom people Christians cannot and must not live in the past, lest we become a museum. Still, we should learn from the past to live effectively in the present and impact the future. We move forward by first going backward. That’s why God called the Israelites to raise an Ebenezer—a stone of remembrance—and to recount to their kids all his marvelous acts.

When we know what God has done and why, we can celebrate those great acts in worship and learn to implement biblical principles in our commitment to expand Christ’s kingdom to all nations.

Over the years I have been privileged to lead a number of Reformation tours, taking fellow believers to sites in Europe where God brought about one of the most profound revivals in church history. Along the way, I’ve learned some helpful insights. Here are three, each with a “life takeaway”.... Read More
God also gave us Thomas Cranmer, John Hooper, William Tyndale, Thomas Becon, John Jewel, Alexander Nowell, Thomas Rogers, Willim Whitaker, and others. At its heart the Reformation, both in the British Isles and on the Continent, was movement of the Holy Spirit restoring the Bible and the Gospel to the Church and bringing the Church's teaching and practices into alignment with God's Word. Those who strive to undo the Reformation in our time, whether they are Catholic Revivalists or liberals, are striving to undo the work of the Holy Spirit.

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