Happy Reformation Day!

In just a few days, most people living in the United States will be celebrating Halloween, while many Christians will be remembering the Protestant Reformation. On the same day that some celebrate darkness, others celebrate the light of the gospel that shone amid the spiritual darkness of the medieval church.

On October 31, 1517, Martin Luther traditionally is said to have nailed his 95 Theses to the door of the Castle Church in Wittenberg, Germany, marking the beginning of the Protestant Reformation. The Reformation was not simply a movement to change church traditions or practices. At its heart was a rediscovery of the biblical gospel: Salvation is by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone, according to Scripture alone, and for the glory of God alone.

The Reformation required men of faith, courage, and conviction who were willing to stand for the truth, even at the cost of their lives. Reformation Day is not primarily about celebrating Martin Luther or other Reformers. It is about giving thanks to God for preserving His Word and the truth of the gospel.

William Tyndale
This year also marks the 500th anniversary of William Tyndale's English New Testament translation. Tyndale was a gifted scholar who knew multiple languages and devoted much of his life to studying and translating the Bible. In 1526, William Tyndale published the first printed English New Testament translated directly from Greek. His work helped lay the foundation for later English Bible translations, particularly the King James Version, and influenced the broader tradition of English Bible translation.

For more information about William Tyndale's life and Bible translation work, I encourage you to watch a short documentary published by Crossway, available on YouTube and other platforms, titled The Enduring Word: From William Tyndale to the English Standard Version.

May we be a church that treasures Scripture, proclaims the gospel faithfully, stands courageously for biblical truth, and gives all glory to God!

Continue supporting the churches working among the people who have suffered from the war in Ukraine.

"He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will abide in the shadow of the Almighty.
I will say to the LORD, “My refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust.”
For he will deliver you from the snare of the fowler and from the deadly pestilence.
He will cover you with his pinions, and under his wings you will find refuge; his faithfulness is a shield and buckler."
Psalm 91:1-4