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Reformation of the church

Why We Need Reformation Now

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  • Roger Hitchings

Lack of biblical doctrine, decreased confidence in the sufficiency of scripture, lack of meaningful prayer, and decreased dependence on the Holy Spirit are current issues which warrant the call for reformation today.

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The Danger of Being Concerned

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  • Peter Y. De Jong

What are the dangers of being concerned about apostasy in your church? This article looks at a good way of working on problems and toward reformation in your church.

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The World in the Church: Irreligious World, Irreligious Church?

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  • Garry J. Williams

The distinction drawn between being spiritual instead of religious has resulted in negative thinking around formal religion. This has become a tool Satan has used to bring worldliness into the church. This is the third in a series of four articles looking at some examples of worldly thinking infiltrating the church. 

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Belief We Can Change In

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  • Paul H. Treick

This article is about change, and the reason for change. The author also discusses reformation in the church.

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'O the Depth!'

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  • Maurice Roberts

This article is about the shallowness in the church and how we can once again recover the depth of the gospel and witness to the world.

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Is Your Church Healthy?

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  • James Visscher

Is your church a healthy church? What are the marks of a healthy church?

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The Power of the Word Preached

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  • Brian A. Bernal

In this article the author discusses the idea that reformation is not through modern techniques, but through the preaching of the Word.

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Why Do We Stand Still?

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  • Maurice Roberts

How must we seek revival? What can we do to have the work of God advance again?

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Nine Ideas for Leading a Church through Change

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  • Chuck Lawless

Leading the church through change is challenging. How can you help the church go through a change in a good way, when needed? Here are nine ideas for leading a church through change.

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Revelations of Spiritual Growth

  • Basic
  • Tony Bird

Why is that churches decline, and how do they recover? This article explains that a church declines when it loses its first love, shuns suffering, becomes lax in its orthodoxy, tolerates immorality, lacks spiritual life, and senses no personal need. The author goes on to explain several ways that churches recover, and experience renewed spiritual growth.

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God's Church Bent to Backsliding

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  • Joel R. Beeke

This article explains seven steps that lead the church to backsliding.

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Semper Reformanda – Always Reformed The Most Misused Motto in the Church Today

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  • Fletcher Matandika

This article shows that the semper reformanda motto should be appealed to by the church if the church acknowledges that true reformation is based on God’s Word, is something that can only be done by God, and that Christianity is historic.

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What Does Revival Look Like?

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  • Winfield Bevins

Revival is not something we do, but what God does in and through us. This article looks at some historical revivals to affirm this truth.

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What Does It Mean to Be Reformed?

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  • Clarence Bouwman

Are you Reformed? To answer this question you must know what it means to be Reformed. This article discusses some of the distinctives of Reformed doctrine, particularly its view of God, man, covenant, God's mercy, and human responsibility.

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Special Seasons of Mercy: Jonathan Edwards and the Great Awakening

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  • David B. Calhoun

This article draws some lessons from Jonathan Edwards’ thoughts on revival. It shows that revival is a work of God, and emphasizes the need for true preaching and prayer.

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Iterative Reformation

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  • Bob Burridge

This article looks at the reformations during the time of Josiah, Luther and Calvin. Although reformation is God's work, believers have a role to play by praying for God's will to be done and honoring God's word.

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What is True Revival?

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  • Liam Cleary

Currently in the church there are some claims of revival, and there are many calls for revival. This article shows that a distinction must be made between true and false revival. The revival under Josiah is an example of true revival, since it was rooted in the word of God and the desire for truth, was Christ-centrered, and displayed the evidence of repentance.

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Reformation: Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow (Part 1)

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  • Jack Sin

The rediscovery of the gospel was at the heart of the Reformation. This refocusing on the gospel brought about a change in how pastors viewed themselves, how the church was viewed, and the recovery of the family as a center for education.

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Reformation: Today and Tomorrow (Part 2)

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  • Jack Sin

If our lives are to mirror the great lessons of yesterday's reformation, we must pursue today's reformation by reforming our minds, family, church, and preaching.

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What is Revival?

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  • Roger Fay

Biblical revival is rooted in biblical preaching, which the Holy Spirit uses to bring a conviction of sin, regeneration, repentance, faith and love.

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Praying for Revival

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  • Stan K. Evers

This article discusses three reasons why the church today may not be experiencing revival. The author also states that the church can show her desire for revival through prayer, being a living sacrifice, and fighting sin.

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A Reformer's Tough Assignment

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  • Peter Y. De Jong

This article on Jeremiah 1:9-10 is about reformation in the church and being "negative" in the church. There is a place for demolition in the church!

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Is it Genuine Revival?

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  • Jack Sin

Many people claim to have experienced a Holy Spirit revival. This article identifies 13 crucial questions to ask in order to determine whether revival is genuine or not.

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The Glory of Christ (Part 1)

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  • David Anderson

The Reformation centered around the glory of Christ. This article shows that this conviction is a biblical one - everything should center around the glory of Christ. Christians find their identity in Christ. However, the danger exists that some may find their identity in other things. This article is a call to repentance and faith in Christ as all in all.

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The Glory of Christ (Part 2)

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  • David Anderson

The Reformation was centered around the glory of Christ. This article shows how the glory of Christ can be reflected through the ministry of the church, in dealing with sin, in speaking about salvation, and in preaching.

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Back to the Gospel

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  • Roger Ellsworth

Looking at Galatians 1:6-10, this article shows that the church must remain rooted to the gospel as delivered by the apostles. The church must reject all other forms or variations of the gospel message.

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Recovering the Gospel

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  • Paul Washer

The gospel is vanishing in God's church. Preaching and teaching has become shallower and lacks an urgent call to repentance. Nonchalant attitudes lead to false assurance of salvation. Pastors must remember that their contribution to the church either builds or breaks her. Recovering the gospel is essential to building the church of God.

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The World in the Church: Lawless World: Lawless Church?

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  • Garry J. Williams

Reflecting on the modern trend where the self has become the law, this article shows how rebellion against the law can be used by Satan to bring worldliness in the church. The cure can be found in keeping the balance between justification and sanctification. This is the fourth and final article in a series looking at some examples of worldly thinking infiltrating the church. 

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The World in the Church: Ordinary World, Ordinary Church?

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  • Garry J. Williams

This article shows how the church can become worldly by desiring to appear to be normal before the world. In this article, the author shows how Satan uses the desire for normality to bring a worldly influence into the worship service. This is the second in a series of four articles looking at some examples of worldly thinking infiltrating the church. 

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The World in the Church: A Distracted World, A Distracted Church?

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  • Garry J. Williams

This article shows how the church can become worldly through distraction. In this article, the author shows how Satan can use distraction to negatively influence public worship in church. This is the first in a series of four articles looking at some examples of worldly thinking infiltrating the church. 

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Reformation of the Church

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  • Ernest C. Reisinger

The author discusses the question: When does the church need to be reformed? 

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Maintaining the Vision

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  • Maurice Roberts

This article is about maintaining the vision for the reformation of the church and society, and praying for a blessing on our work as Christians.

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The Marketing of Religion

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  • Michael A. Flinn

This article is about the modern 'marketing' of Christianity and warping worship in order to entertain men, rather than serve God.

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A Discussion of "The Necessity of Reforming the Church" by John Calvin

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  • W. Robert Godfrey

This article is about Calvin's view of the reformation of the church. The author discusses Calvin's view on worship, justification, sacraments, and church government.

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How Relevant is the 16th-Century Reformation?

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  • Daniel R. Hyde

This article is about the Reformation of the 16th century and the reformation of the church today.

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The Place of Prayer

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  • Iain H. Murray

Will revival always come as long as enough people pray for it? This article also looks at the will of God and our dependence on God in prayer.

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Why We Need a New Reformation

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  • Michael Horton

Do we need another reformation? This article explains what was unique about the first Reformation, and goes on to indicate that since the church today is in a worse state, there is a need for a second reformation.

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The Reformers and Change

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  • Joel R. Beeke

How should the church think about change? From the Reformation and the Reformers there are three principles that should guide change in the church.

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Time for the Acts of the Australians

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  • Douglas Milne

Two things constitute revival: a new enjoyment of God and many new converts join the church. This twofold pattern appears repeatedly in the book of Acts. This article comments on how revival can come the church today.

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Hearers or Doers?

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  • John Palmer

This article distinguishes between reformation by kings, people, or preachers. The author maintains that we are currently facing a time of reformation by preachers. However, the fact that preaching does not always cause a change in individual life results in a lack of church growth.

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Is Revival a Non-Starter? (Part 1)

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  • Des Frost

Do we hunger for revival in the church? This the first of two articles on the topic of revival. The lack of genuine conversion today is cause to call for revival. However, if the church is not willing to live in obedience to God, it will not pray for revival or hunger for the conversion of sinners and will preach a shallow gospel.

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Is Revival a Non-Starter? (Part 2)

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  • Des Frost

Do we hunger for revival in the church? This the second of two articles on the topic of revival. One hindrance to revival today is the emphasis on human instrumentality rather than on God's work. This concept makes faith out to be a mechanical process and the work of the Holy Spirit to be of secondary importance. Revival can come when we understand the Holy Spirit's work to be priority.

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Evangelical Drift

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  • David Phillips

This article shows concern regarding a growing drift away from the past in what it means to be evangelical. The author focuses here on the issues of inerrancy, the position of women in the church, homosexuality, intellectual idolatry, and the influence of consumerism in spreading the gospel.

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95 Theses on Martin Luther Against the Self-Indulgences of the Modern Church

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  • Carl R. Trueman

This article looks at the character and views of Martin Luther, discussing whether or not they are in line with the modern evangelical church.

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Reformation

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  • Jakob Geertsema

The word "reformation" means forming anew, returning to the old, proper form. This article looks at the reformation of the church.

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Revive Us Again

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  • J. H. MacLean

This article is about revival and prayer in the church.

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A Reforming Reformed Church

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  • Herman C. Hanko

This article is about the reformation of the church. The author also discusses relativism and traditionalism in the church, church separation, the relevance of the church, and he looks at the church through the ages.

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'Larger Measures of the Spirit of God'

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  • Iain H. Murray

What is the distinction between the normal and the extraordinary work of the Holy Spirit? In this article, the author discusses what true revival is. 

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Recovering Our Scottish Reformed Heritage

  • Basic
  • John J. Murray

The Reformation in Scotland was God-centred, Scripture-centred, salvation-centred, church-centred, and nation-centred. Is it possible for the church today to recover this approach? This article weighs in.

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A Diagnosis

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  • Thomas Adams

The author discusses the evils of error, heresy, ignorance, and dissension that can be found in the church. As far as error is concerned, the author is convinced that no one hardly lives without error of some kind.

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Reformed but Ever Reforming

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  • I. John Hesselink

This article discusses what it means that a Reformed church is continually reforming.

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Secessionist

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  • John Grier

Secession is not an ideal choice for the church of Christ, but at times it must happen. This article shows the biblical grounds for secession, as well as the dangers of the secession.

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Charles Grandison Finney: Revivalist (4)

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  • Herman C. Hanko

This article examines Charles Finney's revivalism efforts, discussing whether revival is biblical. The author discusses this by looking at the doctrine of the covenant and preaching.

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Charles Grandison Finney: Revivalist (3)

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  • Herman C. Hanko

Charles Finney is often viewed as the father of the Second Great Awakening. This article looks at whether revivals and revivalism are biblical.

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Charles Grandison Finney: Revivalist (2)

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  • Herman C. Hanko

This article looks at the state of the Presbyterian church in the time of the Second Great Awakening and at Charles Finney's theology and revivialism.

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Charles Grandison Finney: Revivalist (1)

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  • Herman C. Hanko

The author of this article names Charles Finney 'the father of American revivalism'. This article looks at the Second Great Awakening and gives a brief overview of Finney's life, conversion, and preaching.

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The Implications of Semper Reformanda

  • Semi-Technical
  • Andrew Atherstone

What does it mean that the the church must be "always reforming"? This is a call expressed in the well-known saying ecclesia reformata, semper reformanda. In this article Andrew Atherstone argues that the motto lays down a challenge to both radicals and conservatives in today’s church. It is a motto which sums up the sense of restless and continual energy of the church reforming seeking to be what the Lord wants her to be.

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Romans 10:13-14 - The Purpose of the Ministry

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  • Wesley Brice

This article on Romans 10:13-14 is about the thing that is most important to the church. The author looks at the necessity of faith, the necessity of the Word of God and the necessity of faithful preachers.

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