Reformation T-Shirt from Monergism.com

With the recent resurgence of Reformation theology, many adhering to the Doctrines of Grace search for ways to expose the world to their beliefs. This shirt peaks the interest of onlookers and provides an excellent bridge for introducing the Biblical beliefs recovered and heralded during the the Reformation.

Our Children God's Children - Rev C. Bouwman

"Very much of our time as parents is taken up by our children; they have a central, very central place in our daily lives. We tie their shoelaces, dry up their tears, sit with them at the table, read them stories. We send them off to school, fix their torn clothes, help with their homework, listen to their stories, kiss them goodnight. We coach them so they can get their licence, rejoice with them when they make profession of faith, clutch our hearts as they make their first forays into the work force, put together again the heart broken by the failed romance. And once they're married, the involvement remains (be it on a different level), and the fun starts with the next generation. Children take up so much of our time.

With this article, I want to draw out that the children entrusted into our care are heirs of God's kingdom; God has claimed these children for Himself in His covenant of grace, so that all His promises in Jesus Christ are for them. This royal identity implies that each of our children are exceedingly special to God. This identity in turn affects 'even dictates' the way we treat our offspring." Read More

HISTORY: unwrapped, A Radio Ministry of American Vision

Bones that Started a Reformation

England had a head start on the Reformation because of the work of John Wycliffe (c. 1324–1384). It was Wycliffe who held that the Bible alone (sola Scriptura) set forth the definition of true Christianity. Wycliffe’s efforts to translate the Bible into the language of the people prepared the way for a reform movement that would take England and the New World by storm. His hand written translations were based on Jerome’s Latin Vulgate, the only source text available to Wycliffe. Like Luther, Zwingli, Calvin, and Tyndale, Wycliffe’s reform efforts did not go unopposed. Thirty-one years after his death, the Council of Constance condemned Wycliffe on 260 different counts, ordered his writings to be burned, and directed that his bones be exhumed and buried in unconsecrated ground. In 1428, on orders from the Pope, Wycliffe's remains were dug up and burned. His ashes were thrown in a nearby river. Wycliffe's followers, called Lollards,* carried on his work under severe persecution from Henry V (1413–1422). Because of continued opposition from the Crown and the outlawing of Bible reading in the English language, the Lollards worked in secret. But by the late fifteenth century, the activity of the Lollards began to grow more bold and effective. They brought the discussion of theological issues to the masses which in turn led some people to question certain aspects of Roman Catholic doctrine. In the end, Wycliffe’s views won out. His ashes became seed for a Reformation that transformed the world. “The sacred Scriptures,” Wycliffe wrote, “be the property of the people, and one which no party should be allowed to wrest from them.”

* The Lollards derived their name from the medieval Dutch word meaning “to mutter” (lollaerd), possibly a reference to their style of worship, which was based on reading the scriptures. The derivation may be of Latin origin, from lollen, “to sing softly” (cf. Eng. lull).

John Calvin's Birthday - July 10th, 1509

Born July 10, 1509 in Noyon, France, Jean Calvin was raised in a staunch Roman Catholic family. The local bishop employed Calvin's father as an administrator in the town's cathedral. The father, in turn, wanted John to become a priest. Because of close ties with the bishop and his noble family, John's playmates and classmates in Noyon (and later in Paris) were aristocratic and culturally influential in his early life. continue

A Baptist Stuck in a Presbyterian “Body”?

I’m a baptist stuck in a presbyterian (church) body, and that’s okay. God put me here.

I’ve been doing some thinking about the fact that my family and I will soon be joining a Presbyterian church, and how that fits in with my self-identification as a “reformed baptist” (and if it even matters). Through high school and especially in college, I was one of those adamant “just a Christian”-type Christians, valiantly refusing to be shackled to a denominational label. Why, then, did being a “baptist” suddenly matter so much to me? Do I really care that much about congregational governance? How much study have I really put into baptism? Continue