This last week I received an e-mail from a brother of the Reformation faith concerning the nailing of the 95 Theses on that Wittenberg 490 years ago. I had been thinking this weekend that I have not heard a trickle of thought of the Reformation. For over 45 years in the ministry I have not forgotten to share some aspect of the Reformation around October 31st. If we forget our heritage we forget what God has done in ages past and watering down our faith today. This week’s Blog is my remembering how the Lord raised up men like John Hus, Martin Luther, John Calvin, John Knox, William Tyndale, and others. Maybe we begin to launch a Reformation by building up the faith that follows the King of kings, and prepare a celebration for the 500th anniversary of that Wittenberg Door in the year 2017.
– Grandpa LaMay
Now read that e-mail:
"When my employer announced an October 31 Halloween lunch a few weeks ago, I first considered my usual response to these celebrations which parallels the late Daniel Patrick Moynahan's sage advice on another matter to [trick or?] "treat it with benign neglect."
I came up with another tactic though, remembering I had on October 31, 2003 posted a copy of the 95 Theses on my office door and have updated the "10-31-1517 to 10-31-20xx" date each year since then. Donning my dusty graduation gown sans hood, a leather tool belt, and a hammer, I came to the party as shown in the picture below. When asked what my costume was about, I only gave the hints:
1) It wasn't to celebrate Halloween.
2) It was for October 31.
3) It happened 490 years ago on October 31.
No one guessed without the hints, and two guessed right with the hints. I was able in a low-key way to divert attention from the usual insipid dark spiritual aspect of these things to remind my coworkers that it was Reformation Day and that Martin Luther had begun the Protestant Reformation 490 years ago on October 31, and remind them that I had a copy of the 95 theses on my office door hoping they might stop by to read them some time.
Soli Deo Gloria! " - Bob Williams
"When my employer announced an October 31 Halloween lunch a few weeks ago, I first considered my usual response to these celebrations which parallels the late Daniel Patrick Moynahan's sage advice on another matter to [trick or?] "treat it with benign neglect."
I came up with another tactic though, remembering I had on October 31, 2003 posted a copy of the 95 Theses on my office door and have updated the "10-31-1517 to 10-31-20xx" date each year since then. Donning my dusty graduation gown sans hood, a leather tool belt, and a hammer, I came to the party as shown in the picture below. When asked what my costume was about, I only gave the hints:
1) It wasn't to celebrate Halloween.
2) It was for October 31.
3) It happened 490 years ago on October 31.
No one guessed without the hints, and two guessed right with the hints. I was able in a low-key way to divert attention from the usual insipid dark spiritual aspect of these things to remind my coworkers that it was Reformation Day and that Martin Luther had begun the Protestant Reformation 490 years ago on October 31, and remind them that I had a copy of the 95 theses on my office door hoping they might stop by to read them some time.
Soli Deo Gloria! " - Bob Williams
