This week marks the 500th anniversary of the Protestant Reformation. On October 31st, 1517 Martin Luther nailed his 95 Theses to the door of a church in Wittenburg and thus began what history now looks back on as the Protestant Reformation. It was because of men like Luther that the Gospel was recovered from underneath years of tradition and opinion.

Yesterday evening, in lieu of a normal church service, my church put on a program dedicated to the Reformation. There was an hour of fellowship time with plenty of food and games for the kids (such as Pin the Theses and Toss the Indulgence) and then a short skit that summarized a few essentials of the Reformation. I had the privilege to play Martin Luther and got to harness my inner Reformer and nail the 95 Theses to a set of doors especially made for the program!

All in all, it was a fun, educational evening for the whole church. Which got me thinking. Growing up in church, I never heard a single word about the Reformation. No one taught me about men like Luther and Calvin, who shined the light of the Gospel when the church at large was shrouding it in darkness. No one told me that if it weren’t for the Spirit of God moving as mightily as it did in those men, I would be attending mass daily to receive God’s grace through the sacraments.

So Christian, make the Reformation a priority. Use this 500th anniversary as a way to get your family and your church to talk about the history behind this great movement. Watch a video, read a book, rent the Luther movie! Do something this week to celebrate this great event in church history! Get those around you thinking and talking about the Reformation!

And do it to the glory of God! One of the five solas that are often associated with the Reformation is soli deo Gloria – to God alone be the glory! Take some time this week to thank God for His mighty work in the Reformation.

What’s your favorite story from the Reformation? Who’s your favorite Reformer (mine is John Calvin)? Leave a comment below and let me know! And don’t forget to hit that subscribe button below! You’ll get weekly updates delivered right to your inbox!