So knowing a little bit of my background, you can understand why Reformation Day is HUGE to me. I became a Christian 16 years ago and it was not until that season, I started reading and studying His Holy Word. I am a sinner saved by His grace alone.
Martin Luther preached that the Bible taught that forgiveness is a gift from God. Eternal life is a matter of faith, not what we say and do, and decisions about it belong to God, not the church. Luther believed that selling tickets to get into heaven was the church being selfish with greed and taking advantage of God’s chosen ones. He stressed the church was making a terrible mistake.
Here are several Reformation Sites and Ideas.
- Reformation Study – lots of great ideas including art projects, writing prompts, and activities
- FREE Notebook Pages
- Design Your Own Coat of Armor
- Luther’s Rose Coloring Sheet
- Pin the Beard on the Theologian Game
- The History of the Reformation
- Explanation of Justification by Faith
- History of John Calvin
- Reformation Skit
- A Mighty Fortress is our God – song and lyrics
- Coloring Page – Martin Luther
- Selected Works of Martin Luther
- Martin Luther’s 95 Thesis – my children post a copy on our front door
Doorposts has an incredible resource to help you celebrate Reformation Day. We usually spend the afternoon watching the movie, Luther while the little ones nap. I highly suggest you preview this movie before allowing your children to watch it. There are gruesome scenes that might frightened little ones.
This year we will start our Reformation Study on Monday and dig a little deeper each day through Friday. This year we will be participating in our church’s Fall Fest.
Have you ever celebrated Reformation Day with your children?
I spent the first 30 years of my life as a Presbyterian before the Holy Spirit lead me to the Catholic Church (my 25yo self would have been appalled!). I see the reformation as the sad tearing apart of the universal institution founded by Jesus.
Shouldn’t we be praying for Christian unity instead of celebrating division?
Hi Christine,
This is not about tearing apart the universal insitition or promoting division, but about speaking the truth and freedom. It’s history that is highly significant in my life today. It would be similiar to not celebrating 4th of July. Of course, we want world peace. I don’t look at it as celebrating division at all.
And yes, we should be praying for Christian unity, but having a different belief on certain issues doesn’t mean division. I happen to have some dear friends who are Catholic as well as my parents. I define the church as the people of Jesus Christ not a religion.
This is interesting. I grew up RC, too, and now attend a non-denominational church. For the last several years I teach my boys about Martin Luther and the 95 Theses, too! I never knew anyone else who did that. He, and his act of rebellion, get so overlooked in favor of free candy. This is an awesome list and I will share with my friends. Thank you!
I don’t think God would have his church in error for 1500 years until Luther or other reformers came along to “fix” it. God’s plan is perfect : “And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. And I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven; and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.” Matthew 16: 18-19 KJV. There were bad actions of some bad people, but the Church has never taught error. “…you may know how one ought to behave in the household of God, which is the pillar and bulwark of truth.” 1 Timothy 3: 15
We are all sinners and the church is run by man. It was corrupt and it still is corrupt and will always be corrupt until Jesus comes. This includes all denomination.
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I am in complete disagreement with Karen’s comment. MAN is the reason why there was, and still is, a problem with the Catholic church, and frankly most denominations. Man’s sin nature; a nature of greed, power, pride, etc. has always been why the church has fallen away from God’s will. God’s original “church” on earth, the Israelites or Jews, fell away from God’s will a lot because they chose to follow man’s will instead. Why would it be any different now? The Catholic church may be the oldest DENOMINATION in the history of God’s people after Christ, but God’s word doesn’t say that is HIS church. Where there are two or more that come together in Jesus’ name, there will he be also.
Martin Luther wanted all people to be able to read God’s word for themselves. The Catholic church at the time had a monopoly on the word of God. They were the only ones who could read and interpret it. They added things to God’s word that was not there. They took away things that were. Jesus wanted all peoples, Jews AND Gentiles, to have God’s true word and greatest gift of eternal life. The Catholic church wanted to keep it for themselves. My belief is that is the reason why it was called “The dark ages” in history. So dark that God’s “only true church” at the time left everyone in the dark about eternal life through Jesus, a gift that no one has to earn or pay for, just have faith. It was a dark time in deed with all those souls lost
Stephanie, I did say it is because of man’s sinful actions there is, was and will be corruption in the church because we are all sinners. There is no church that has perfect people. That is why I stated the TEACHINGS itself should be followed because the teachings are free from error because they come from Jesus Christ himself and the Church that He established. What church was he talking about and what is this binding and loosing He is talking about in Matthew 16:18-19? What does Paul mean in Timothy 3:15 when he says “church of the living God, the pillar and foundation of the truth”? You say that the Catholic Church had a monopoly on the word of God. Where is this proof? In reality it was the church’s monks who preserved and made copies of the Bible. Prior to the invention of the printing press and the fact that some people could not read, the Bible was inaccessible. People learned from oral instruction, passed down, generation to generation, by the Church. Where was the Bible the first 300 years of the early church? Who put the Bible together? You say that the Church added things – really? It was Luther who in HIS German translation added the word ONLY in Romans 3:20 and Romans 4:15, and he inserted the word ALONE in Romans 3:28. What “things” did the Church add and what “things” did the Church take away in sacred scripture? The Catholic Church is made up of every race, with God’s grace it is the largest charitable organization in the entire planet. The Church has established hospitals, orphanages, universities, developed the scientific method and educates more children than any other scholarly or religious institution. It has survived 2,000 years – no organized government or institution can claim that – clearly there is some kind of working of the Holy Spirit. The earning and paying for salvation is what I addressed – the Catholic Church did not teach that – it was bad people who taught that.
I was going to reply, but Stephanie B said it better than I could. God didn’t have his church in error, but people certainly did, and the Dark Ages were the tragic result. We celebrate Reformation Day because of how Martin Luther, at God’s leading, helped to finally bring the church back to what it should’ve always been—faith alone, in Christ alone. Praise God for his bravery and the reformation he started. And thank you, Jill for these links. They’re appreciated.
There are people who think they know what the Catholic Church teaches. They are told things and believe them without investigating actually WHAT and WHY the church teaches what she teaches. I was considering leaving the Catholic Church; however, I wanted to know what I was leaving. When I investigated what the church teaches, I fell in love with Jesus Christ and the church he established. I believe Jesus when he says “And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. And I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.”
James 2:24 is remarkably clear: “You see that a man is justified by works and not by faith alone.”
We Christians are battling plenty enough in this world. We should focus on what we have in common.
Thanks for your thoughtful and biblical responses Jill.
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