October: A Reformation Celebration

 

REFORMATION CHALLENGE!
Week 1 - Sola Scriptura

October is Reformation month in our house. Every day, we are singing A Mighty Fortress is Our God (Martin Luther). It is our goal that our children will be able to sing all four stanzas by Reformation Day at the end of the month.  I hope you will do this challenge along with us! We will post a video of us singing together on Reformation Day. I'd love to see our feeds full of this wonderful text!

We also focus on one of the Five Solas each week. This past week, we sang about Sola Scriptura. We sang The B-I-B-L-E with my littles and sang "How Firm a Foundation" with my bigger ones.  God's Word is true - One way to reiterate that to your children is every time you read the Bible to them, tell them that it is God's true Word - that every Word is true! As you go about this week, be thinking of songs and hymns that talk about how the Bible is true, sufficient, and how God keeps His promises. Take every opportunity you can get!

We have already studied this hymn this year, so here is a little review about it to share with your family. This month is also a great springboard for teaching your children (or yourself) some great church history. This week, you could read about Martin Luther.

Luther believed in music as a powerful tool given by God (and I agree!). He wrote:  "Music is a gift and grace of God, no an invention of men. I wish to compose sacred hymns so that the Word of God may dwell among the people also by means of songs. I would allow no man to preach or teach God's people without a proper knowledge of the use and power of sacred song."

Here is a great resource that we are beginning this month with our older kids. The younger ones are present too, and I'm sure will pick up some things from it. 

Fun Facts

Text: Martin Luther (1483-1546)

• He translated the Bible into German so that his people could read it for themselves. 
• He wrote hymns so that people could sing the truths they learned
• He endured persecution for the reforms he pursued
• He was inspired to write this hymn from Psalm 46. It was translated into English in 1852.

Tune: EIN FESTE BURG

• literally means "a firm castle"
• Luther either wrote it or adapted it from a folk song
• J.S. Bach ( a believer and organist in a Lutheran church ) harmonized it as the hymn we know today.

Things to think about ...

• When we feel afraid, defeated, or in great doubt - Sing the Word! This hymn helps us to sing the mighty promises of God.
• Define terms for your children: "LORD Sabaoth" is a Hebrew name for God meaning, "Lord of the Armies." He does battle for us.
• Define Bulwark - a solid wall built for defense
• Make sure you are familiar with the music of Keith and Kristyn Getty. They remind me much of Luther in their fervor for writing hymns based on the Word of God to aid the congregation. They wrote the forward in the hymnal I am using and have such a heart for getting the Word into the hearts of people through song. Their music is well written and well wed to their poetry. 

  

Looking Ahead....

Start working on - Amazing Grace, How Firm a Foundation, By Faith, to God be the Glory, and In Christ Alone with your family. We are singing these every day so that we can sing the entirety of all of them by the end of the month. If this seems too daunting, then take one of these each week and just learn the first stanza.

Resource Corner

Here is a great book for children. It can be read a page at a time for younger children. Beautifully illustrated and written. These would make great Christmas gifts if you are looking for solid books for your family or grandchildren. 

• Five Reasons to Teach your children about the Reformation
• How the Protestant Reformation Started
• Keller, Piper, and Carson on why the Reformation matters today

There are also numerous books on Amazon if you are looking for yourself. One for girls (teenage) is this one.  Happy reading!