20 Years Ago: The Launch of the Reformation Society

20 Years Ago:  The Launch of the Reformation Society

By Dr. Peter Hammond

"Those from among you shall build the old waste places;
you shall raise up the foundations of many generations;
and you shall be called the Repairer of the breach,
Restorer of streets to dwell in." Isaiah 58:12

The Reformation Society at Livingstone House Every Thursday night since 2006
Since 2006, every Thursday night at Livingstone House, the Reformation society has met.  At first we met in the Boardroom, downstairs. Since November 2000, the Reformation Society has gathered in the Upper Room Bathman Memorial Hall. Mrs. Dorothea Scarborough, Helga Strey, George Osche and Rev Bill Bathman were among our founder members. Doctor Philip Stott was a popular guest speaker and our venue was often too small to accommodate the crowds that would want to hear his Creation Science presentations.  Economist and author Stephen Mitford Goodson was another popular guest speaker. Later his mother and sister became regular attenders of the Thursday night presentations at Livingstone House.

How the Reformation Society Developed
It was after my 11-country, five-week Mission to Europe in 2005 that the Lord impressed upon my heart to launch The Reformation Society in Cape Town. I witnessed strongholds of Protestant Christianity and dynamic evangelistic churches as far afield as Northern Ireland and Romania. It was a tremendous privilege and a very humbling experience for me to be able to visit monuments and churches precious to our Reformation heritage. So this ministry trip, across 11-nations in Europe was both a time of ministry and of research. I had 50 speaking engagements in 6 countries, including being the main speaker at a Missions Conference in England, speaking at missions rallies in London, Belfast, Berlin, and Geneva. I lectured on the Reformation and Missions at a University in Romania, conducted missions seminars in Poland, preached in 14 churches, spoke at 3 missions bases, and concluded with preaching in Geneva and lecturing at the Geneva Bible Institute.

It was a privilege to visit the great Reformation centres in Europe: The Schlosskirche (Castle Church) where Luther nailed the 95 Theses 31 October 1517; the Stadkirche where Luther preached at least three times a week, Lutherhaus which was the original university of Wittenberg and Melanchthonhaus, in Germany, in Zurich I visited Grossmünster (The Great Cathedral) where Ulrich Zwingli launched the Swiss Reformation, 1 January 1519; Zwinglihaus and his place of birth in Wildhaus, in the Alps, the great Reformation Wall Monument in Geneva, Calvin’s Auditoir and Academy and St Pierre (St Peter's) where Calvin had preached daily, for 26 years, in Geneva; the Martyrs Memorial in Oxford and many other Reformation sites in Europe. I accumulated many thousands of photographs and a library of books on, or from, the Reformers. From these resources, I developed lectures and PowerPoint presentations on each of the key Reformers, doctrines and events which God so wonderfully used to transform the Church and to change the world. 

Examples of Excellence
We launched our weekly Thursday night Reformation Society meetings in January 2006. From the beginning, we realised that this pilot project would be not only for our own benefit, but to develop resources, strategies and insights which would bless and benefit others throughout South Africa, Africa and even further afield. 
https://www.reformationsa.org/ 

"Will You not revive us again, that Your people may rejoice in You?" Psalm 85:6

The Greatest Century of Reformation
When I was invited to minister at the Minister's Conference near Zurich and at the Geneva Bible Institute, in May 2006, I determined to complete the book project: The Greatest Century of Reformation in time to launch it in Switzerland.  Later, in 2017, by God's grace and in time for the 500th anniversary of when Professor Martin Luther nailed his 95 Theses to the church door of the Schlosskirche, we revised and expanded the updated edition of The Greatest Century of Reformation, which now includes twenty chapters and sixteen appendices. The 288 pages and over 200 pictures present incredible stories of the courageous Reformers and the momentous events which God used to bring about the greatest Revival of Faith and freedom in history. Anyone wanting to start a Reformation Society in their home, church, school or college, will find The Greatest Century of Reformation of an invaluable textbook and resource. 
https://www.christianlibertybooks.co.za/item/greatest_century_of_reformation_updated_and_expanded

Reformation Societies multiply worldwide
We have been informed of others who have been inspired to launch Reformation Societies in KwaZulu Natal, Zambia, The United States and in Europe. I have been informed that some congregations have screened our PowerPoint presentations, or videos, at their Sunday evening services, or midweek Bible studies. Others have reported regularly using chapters from our Greatest Century of Reformation book and Victorious Christians who Changed the World for their Sunday schools and Bible colleges.  It has been our earnest prayer that through these Reformation Society studies and events there would be a Revival of interest in the Doctrines and Devotions of the Reformers, whom God used to transform countless lives and change history for the better. Our prayer is that Reformation Societies will continue to be launched in many hundreds of homes, churches, schools and colleges throughout Africa and the world. For this purpose we produced the 95 Thesis for Reformation Today, incorporating key principles, teachings and quotes from the different Reformers, which has since been translated into Afrikaans, German, French and Dutch: https://www.reformationsa.org/95-theses-for-reformation.html

Reformation Events and Movements
We have organized Reformation Day services every 31st of October and on occasion we have hosted Reformation seminars and conferences, not only in Cape Town, but also in KwaZulu Natal, Mpumulanga, the Transvaal, Zambia, The Congo, Sudan and Nigeria, as well as in Europe and in the United States of America. In 2005, I initiated the Calvin500 movement which was even referenced in a cover article in Time magazine and resulted in the Calvin500  Conference in Geneva, Switzerland, July 2009. I also was the Initiator and Convenor of the Reformation500Back to the Bible movement which included conferences and services in the USA, Zambia, Belgium, the Netherlands and culminating in Wittenberg, Germany, October 2017. I then initiated and organized the ZwingliReformation500 which culminated  in the Global Back to Expository Preaching through the whole Bible in 2019.  This involved studying and preaching through every Book of the Bible and producing the Old Testament Survey and New Testament Survey books. The audios of these Surveys of every Book of the Bible are available on Sermon Audio. 
https://www.sermonaudio.com/gb/speakers/1583/ 

JOY! magazine and JUIG! Tydskrif  published my summaries of every Book of the Bible under TheBible in a Nutshell series. This year, the Andrew Carrington Hitchcock ACH radio program is broadcasting my Bible Survey summaries of every Book of the Bible, along with an ongoing reading through the whole Bible on their British based  radio program.  https://www.frontlinemissionsa.org/andrew_carrington_show.html 

The Eurochor in Cape Town
In 2016 we hosted the Eurochor in Cape Town,. This international Choir was made-up of Christians from Germany, France, the Netherlands, Belgium, Romania and Switzerland. Their inspiring singing in multiple languages was enjoyed by crowds at the Waterfront where we conducted an open air outreach, At the amphitheatre, at the Reformation Sunday celebration service in the oldest Protestant Church in the Southern Hemisphere, Strand Street Lutheran Church. On Reformation Day the Eurochor thrilled participants at the Huguenot monument in Franschhoek and at a Concert in the beautiful Dutch Reformed Church in Franschhoek. 
https://youtu.be/TH1uEHW2e8U

The Reformation Study Bible
After my 2005 mission to Europe, I approached Dr. RC Sproul, with the vision and request that he consider publishing a Reformation Study Bible in time for the 500th anniversary of the launch of the Reformation, coming up in 12 years time: 2017. In time, Dr. RC Sproul produced the Reformation Study Bible, in both NKJV and ESV, of which he generously donated over 2200 copies for our mission to strategically distribute throughout Africa.  Dr Joel Beeke also responded to my challenge to produce a KJV Reformation Study Bible.

Doctrines and Devotion
The Reformation was one of the most momentous turning points in world history. It was led by men of strong Faith, deep convictions, great intelligence, high moral standards and tremendous courage. The energies that were released by the rediscovery of the Bible in the common tongue led to the most extraordinary Spiritual Revival in history. The Reformation freed the Christians of Northern Europe from the decadence of renaissance paganism and led to the greatest birth of freedom and scientific discoveries in history. The Reformers of the 16th century won for us the principles of religious freedom, liberty of conscience, the rule of law, separation of powers and constitutionally limited republics. There is such an abundance of inspiring material, gripping stories, colourful characters, life-transforming doctrines, incredible courage and tremendous examples of God's miraculous answers to prayer that you will not lack for great material to inform, inspire and involve your people in Reformation. 

"If My people who are called by My Name will humble themselves and pray, and seek My face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from Heaven, I will forgive their sin and I will heal their land." 2 Chronicles 7:14

Reformation Today
Ecclesia Reformata Reformanda Est!
(The Church, having been Reformed, is still to be Reformed).

Sola Scriptura!
Scripture alone is our ultimate authority on all matters of faith and conduct.
Solus Christus!
Christ alone is the Head of the Church, and He is the only Mediator between God and man.
Sola Gratia!
Salvation is by the Grace of God alone.
Sola Fide!
Salvation is received by Faith alone.
Soli Deo Gloria!
Everything is to be done for the glory of God alone.

“But seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness and all these things shall be added to you.” Matthew 6:33

Reformation Resources on Line
You will also find our www.ReformationSA.org website a Treasure trove of helpful resource for lecture notes, recommended films, books, available audios, videos, PowerPoints, MP3s and Digital Libraries. We have also launched the www.livingstonefellowship.co.za website 20 years ago. Numerous audio lectures have been placed on our Sermon Audio page https://www.sermonaudio.com/gb/speakers/1583/ 
and Hundreds of Audiovisual presentations of Reformation Society lectures uploaded onto the on the Frontline YouTube page 
https://www.frontlinemissionsa.org/onthefrontline.html.
https://www.reformationsa.org/95-theses-for-reformation.html

Numerous books have been produced on the basis of the research and presentations at the Reformation Society including...

The Greatest Century of Reformation 
https://www.christianlibertybooks.co.za/item/greatest_century_of_reformation_updated_and_expanded

Victorious Christians – Who Changed the World 
https://www.christianlibertybooks.co.za/item/victorious_christians

The POWER OF PRAYER HANDBOOK 
https://www.christianlibertybooks.co.za/item/power_of_prayer_handbook

REFORMING OUR FAMILIES
https://www.christianlibertybooks.co.za/item/reforming_our_families

Old Testament Survey – Exploring the Central Messages of Every Book of the Bible 
https://www.christianlibertybooks.co.za/item/old_testament_survey

New Testament Survey - Exploring the Central Messages of Every Book of the Bible
 https://www.christianlibertybooks.co.za/item/new_testament_survey

Several of these books are also available as eBooks or as print on demand 
https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/ChristianLibertyBooks 
 
May the Lord fill us, and empower us, with His Holy Spirit - to be faithful to His Word and effective in His service.

May the examples of the Reformers inspire us to go back to Bible, to love God wholeheartedly and to fear God alone, to work for Biblical Reformation and to pray for spiritual Revival.
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May God find us faithful to His Word and effective in His service as we work for Biblical Reformation and pray for Spiritual Revival.