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Telling the Reformation Story to Our Children

SHERRY KENDRICK | GUEST A year ago, I had the privilege of going on a Reformation tour with fifty people from my church. Several pastors who had both interest and training in church history served as guides. It was a wonderful learning experience for me and deepened my faith. The more I learned about the Reformation, the more I came to treasure the power of God’s Word, the gift of salvation by grace alone, and the steadfast courage needed to stand for gospel truth. This year’s Reformation Sunday is October 26, and I find myself asking: how do we pass this history on to our children? The Protestant Reformation is a story of God’s faithfulness to His church—and it is a story worth telling them. What Was the Reformation? The beginning of the Reformation usually dates to October 31, 1517, when Martin Luther, a German monk, nailed his 95 Theses to the door of Castle Church in Wittenberg, Germany. The 95 Theses was a list of Luther’s arguments against the Catholic Church’s practice of selling indulgences—which were like "get out of jail free" cards for sins—often sold for money to raise funds for the church. The Protestant Reformation would continue for over 130 years throughout all of Europe. There were many “reformers,” men and women, who with courage stood in the face of persecution and death for believing the five key truths that came from the Reformation. They are known as the Five Solas: Sola Scriptura – Scripture alone Sola Fide – Faith alone Sola Gratia – Grace alone Solus Christus – Christ alone Soli Deo Gloria – To God alone be the glory To prepare for the Reformation tour, my pastor recommended reading The Unquenchable Flame: Discovering the Heart of the Reformation by Michael Reeves. He describes the Reformation as a fire that could not be put out—a flame of gospel truth blazing across Europe. That imagery has stayed with me. It is my heart’s desire for the flame of these gospel truths to burn in me and into the hearts of the children we are discipling today...

Telling the Reformation Story to Our Children2025-10-03T19:48:25+00:00

A Mighty Fortress is Our God

KATHLEEN CHAPELL | GUEST “A mighty fortress is our God, a bulwark never failing! Our helper He, amidst the flood of mortal ills prevailing. For still our ancient foe doth seek to work us woe. His craft and power are great, and armed with cruel hate, On earth is not his equal.”                                     (based on Psalm 46) Recently, I happened to tune into our local radio station in the middle of a discussion on the effects of music on our brains. The interviewer was referencing studies that indicate that, yes, music does affect our brain function—building stronger neuropathways between the two sides of our brain, triggering the release of dopamine, calming stress—even, under certain circumstances, lessoning physical pain. One can certainly google the effects of music on our brains and learn all about it—but the part of the discussion that really captured my attention was an account phoned in by one of the listeners. “Jane Doe,” I will call her, related the following story: While skiing in a remote area of Montana, Jane found herself going too fast for her skill level, and she suddenly lost control; her skis tangled, and she fell hard. The twisting impact broke her femur—reputedly the most painful bone injury one can suffer. Jane and her husband were alone on the ski run, so far off the grid that there was no phone signal to summon aid. Jane’s husband made her as comfortable as he could, and then skied away to find help. The story went on: there was Jane, lying in deep snow, in terrible pain, and very cold, frightened that she would die. Suddenly she remembered that in some long-ago church of her childhood, the congregation sang ‘A Mighty Fortress Is Our God.’ In that moment, recalling those words, “Our helper, He, amidst the flood of mortal ills prevailing,” Jane decided that if ever there were a flood of mortal ills, she was there, IN that flood—and so she began to sing. She sang timidly at first, struggling to recall the lyrics, but as she sang, more of the words began to come back to her, and soon she was singing at the top of her lungs: “A mighty fortress is our God, a bulwark NEVER FAILING!” This fight song, written centuries before, became Jane’s fight song—fighting against the pain, pushing back against the bitter cold and fear. When help finally arrived, her rescuers were shocked at how conscious and coherent and calm Jane was—and she was still singing! “A mighty fortress—a bulwark never failing!” Jane continued her song as she was transported down the mountain on a snowmobile and throughout the three-hour ambulance ride to the hospital. She credits this bold hymn with saving her life that day. The discussion continued, but I wasn’t really listening any longer; I was thanking the Lord for this testimony coming over the radio waves and into my heart and thoughts.   This hymn that so stirred my heart that afternoon was written around 1521 by Martin Luther (1483-1546)...

A Mighty Fortress is Our God2023-11-10T22:43:28+00:00

Standing on Their Shoulders: Our Sisters in the Faith

Last fall, my sister and I had the great opportunity to travel up the beautiful Rhine River valley. Armed with a shared love of history, we ventured down side streets, through museums, and into countless churches in search of as many Reformation era sites as we could find. In Strasburg, we made a point to visit the church where John Calvin served as pastor from 1538-1541. While standing in the lovely church courtyard, my mind started wandering. We had visited a number of sites which gave account for men who had served and suffered for the Lord's church, but what about our church mothers? What history has been recorded of the women who have helped shape our church history—the women upon whose shoulders we now stand...

Standing on Their Shoulders: Our Sisters in the Faith2025-07-13T00:58:08+00:00
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