Hello and thank you for listening to Desiring God's messages podcast this is Tony Ranky

host of the Ask Pastor Don podcast here today with an announcement on what's coming

up for us at Desiring God in October. It's a series we're calling Here We Stand.

And to explain it, there's Pastor John. 500 years ago, a lowly German priest walked up to a church door in Vittenberg and posted a document that altered the course of history.

It has now been five centuries since Martin Luther stood up and confronted Roman Catholicism with the bright flame of the Gospel.

The kindling had been laid for decades, and Luther's little almost accidental spark soon set all of Europe ablaze.

In time, this lowly monk proved he had what it takes to hold his ground against the church and the world.

And under God the sparks that flew from the anvil of his tongue lit the fires of a global

reformation. In one especially memorable scene,

he stood before the emperor and declared courageously risking his own life.

Here I stand.

I can do no other so help me God

But Luther did not stand alone

The reformation was not about one or two or three big names, Luther, Calvin, Zwingley, but about

a massive movement of Christian conviction, boldness, and joy that cost many men and women their lives and

scattered the seeds of gospel truth that are still bearing eternal fruit in the 21st century.

Not only was Luther surrounded by fruit in the 21st century.

Not only was Luther surrounded by reformers in Germany and Switzerland, but lesser-known

heroes of the faith rose up all over Europe.

Heinrich Bullinger, Hugh Latimer, Lady Jane Gray, Theodore Biza, Johannes Ocalumpedias.

Luther was the battering ram, but once the wall was breached, the foot soldiers of the

reformation could not be stopped.

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