Schedule

Reformation occurs when the light of God's Word shines into places of spiritual and cultural darkness and transforms the people of God. This is why the motto of the Protestant Reformation became "After Darkness, Light." This session will set the stage for the conference by considering why reformation was needed in the sixteenth century and why it is needed today.

"The church Reformed, always reforming according to the Word of God" is a motto that was born from the Reformation's emphasis on making sure that the church's life, theology, and worship was more and more fully governed by Scripture. We rejoice in what God did in the sixteenth-century Reformation, but we don't merely look back. We look ahead to how the Lord will continually conform His church to the Word of God. This session will examine the church's need for ongoing reform, examine how the church is being reformed today both in the West and around the world, and consider how the Western church can look to examples from Protestant movements around the world.

One of the most neglected contributions of the Reformation is its emphasis on the importance of public worship, and especially the role of hymns and music, for the health of the church. This session will reflect upon this legacy while also considering the importance of public worship today. Finally, it will consider why reforming worship is of utmost importance for the church worldwide in the future.

Martin Luther's actions five-hundred years ago still affect us today. This session will consider his legacy by touching on the book The Legacy of Luther.

One great theme of the Bible is God's presence with His people, and God was present with His people during the Reformation. This session will consider what God's presence with His people meant for His people then, as well as what it means for us today and for the future.

A questions and answers session with Drs. Steven Lawson, John MacArthur, Albert Mohler, and R.C. Sproul

Is theology needed today, or is it outdated? Sound doctrine is vital for Christian growth and is the foundation for loving and serving God rightly, but many have questioned the validity of theology in our time. This session will consider the state of theology since the Reformation, explain why understanding doctrine is vital to being a Christian today, and consider why knowing theology is essential for future reformation. It will also consider why providing sound theological education for every tribe and tongue should be a central goal of God's people.

The Reformers knew that salvation is found in Christ alone. This session will consider how this major theme of the Reformation is no less important today, and it will look at what Christ's sufficiency will mean in the future as we face our culture.

History includes example after example of godly men who have upheld the doctrines of grace. This session will consider the examples of these men, why these doctrines were important historically, and why they are important for Christians both today and in the future.

Martin Luther's rediscovery of the doctrine of justification by faith alone was prompted by his need to be found righteous in the sight of God. His "evangelical breakthrough" forced him to evaluate his standing before God as well as confront moral and theological corruption in the church. This session will explain why the doctrine of justification by faith alone is central to the message of the gospel now and in the future. It will consider what challenges to this central element of the gospel Christians who desire to see a new reformation may face.

Reformation extends to all matters of life, including theology, church, home, and society. This session will outline the doctrine of vocation and explain how it relates to other doctrines such as the priesthood of all believers, with a view toward encouraging greater faithfulness, innovation, and productivity in the workplace and beyond. It will consider why glorifying God in our callings is vital to the kingdom of God for future centuries.

The Reformers' teaching on home life is unknown to many people, but it remains one of the most enduring legacies of the Reformation. From Luther's affectionate references to his wife as "my Lord Katie" to Calvin's pastoral care for families in Geneva, the home played an important role in the Reformation. This session will explore the biblical teaching on marriage, sex, and family and discuss why these topics are important—especially today and in the future. It will also highlight the need for the church to be the family of God in which love for Christ and His Word are nurtured.

Reformation is fueled by men and women who are confident that their true citizenship is in the kingdom of God. This confidence enables them to take bold stances for the gospel in the most difficult environments. This session will consider our citizenship in the kingdom of God as foundational to serving Him in this world.

Roman Catholicism has changed much since the Reformation. This session will consider what Roman Catholic doctrine teaches today, and it will consider how we can love and share the gospel with Roman Catholics.

A questions and answers session with Drs. Michael Horton, W. Robert Godfrey, Stephen Nichols and Derek Thomas.

Until this world comes to an end, the lost need Christ for eternal life. "Faith alone" and "grace alone" are shorthand expressions to underscore that salvation is by "Christ alone." As prophet, priest, and king, Jesus is the only mediator between God and man. This session will show why the person and work of Christ is the greatest need of the church in every generation, and it will reflect on current and future challenges to biblical Christology both in the West and around the world.

We can identify with Job's story because we have all experienced suffering. But the book of Job isn't merely given as a means for identifying with Job; it is given to help us understand and respond rightly to suffering. This session will consider what Job teaches us about how God uses trials and suffering to draw us closer to Himself.

It's often said that a picture is worth a thousand words. Words and pictures together can tell the truth powerfully or proclaim error strongly. This session will consider how we can combine words and pictures to explain truth and edify believers.

Reformation doesn't occur without biblical preaching. Yet developments in technology, a decline in literacy, and the rise of secularization have led some to question the viability of preaching in the modern world. This session will consider the rediscovery of preaching in the ministry of the Reformers, explain why preaching is central to Christianity, and consider why expository preaching is essential for the future.

Jesus promised that He would build His church, and through the centuries He has been doing just that—even when forces of darkness seek to destroy it. In pursuing reform, the Reformers knew that the local church was central. This session will look at the importance of our local churches, consider our need for ongoing reform in accordance with the Word of God, and encourage Christians in the ordinary tasks of serving and supporting their local churches for continuing Reformation in the world.

The commitment of the Reformers' to catechesis, formal education, developing Christian literature, and church planting as faithful methods of discipleship created a cultural infrastructure for biblical teaching to be passed down from one generation to the next. This session will discuss how the biblical call to discipleship includes carefully developing and leveraging resources for the church in the West and abroad in order to proclaim the holiness of God in all its fullness to as many people as possible both now and in the future.

For the church to grow, the gospel must be taken to those who have not heard of Jesus Christ. The task of foreign missions was one of the key reasons why the Protestant Reformation expanded beyond the boundaries of western Europe. This work continues today. One of the most encouraging developments today is the growth of Christianity in the non-western world. Yet the need is still great both here and abroad. This session will explain why the way forward in forging a new reformation is faithfulness to the Great Commission, looking at how believers are called to bring the gospel both to their own communities and to the nations.

On this panel, various international speakers will discuss how God is working in their respective countries. They will consider how reformation is taking place today and what the global future of the church may look like.

The English Reformation had a profound impact upon the course of the world, and today we still benefit from the spiritual wisdom and discernment of this movement. This session will look briefly at the English Reformation and consider what it meant then and for our time.

This session will consider the relationship between law and gospel in the Christian life. It will consider how our understanding of law and gospel affects our approach to evangelism, sanctification, and our understanding of God Himself.

Reformation is an ongoing project of this current age that is aiming toward one final goal: "the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ" (Eph. 4:13). The church will not undergo reformation forever, but reformation will culminate in glory. This session will consider the end goal of biblical reformation—a church that includes people from all nations sharing in the "unity of the faith" and enjoying "the fullness of Christ." It will look at how such unity can be fostered now across denominational, national, and ethnic lines without compromising the gospel, and it will reflect on the glorious destiny of the church: the direct, unmediated presence of God.