Today’s blog title is from a quote from a rather obscure craftsman who broke on the scene with an amazing invention. Something that, when it was really pressured in the right way, took off and revolutionized the modern world. It made endless possibilities when it came to evangelism, information sharing, and knowledge; something that had long been suppressed by a global church that ran governments and wars. What was it? Who was it? Little is known about the man behind the madness, but you could say he had a rather intriguing life. Born to a wealthy upper class father he could have gone far. However, he was the youngest child of a marriage to a commoner, which in those days was an economic death sentence to any young man looking to make his mark in the world. So he left the idea of joining a guild and becoming a craftsman behind and appeared to instead choose a life of religious study. His studying lasted for a number of years until an uprising in the town, which forced a number of families to leave, his included. After that, we know nothing of him for fifteen years until there are records indicating he had learned the art of jewelry and gem cutting. It is clear that from this man, and his invention, that the world would be forever changed, both for the good and the bad. Out of his desire to see hope and change brought to society he unwittingly unleashed the ability of man to bring out the worst of their hearts, and to lead whole nations into war. To allow the spread of such vile hatred that allowed the holocaust to spread in Nazi Germany. To even cause whole churches to more easily succumb to the false teaching of indulgences, and heretics simply by giving them a voice they likely never would have had. Also, the brilliance of it all allowed millions of people through seven different centuries to be able to spread the love of God to far-flung continents because of knowledge of maps, share His Word together as believers, build His church and even have a direct relation to revivals over countless years to come; if the Lord tarries. The maps, money, even the directions on a medicine bottle are all there for our benefit because of this man. Just like the heresy and filth in books or magazines are also able to be spread by this man’s invention. It is a tool, arguably used to spread truth, but one that Satan has also used to spread so much sin. Without this man, most likely “Amazing Grace”, “Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God” and “Mere Chrisianity” would never have lasted like they have. So what man could have possibly been, arguably, used of God to advance his church and plant a seed that will spread God’s Word to countless millions thought out the ages?

“It is a press, certainly, but a press from which shall flow in inexhaustible streams. Through it, God will spread His Word. A spring of truth shall flow from it: like a new star it shall scatter the darkness of ignorance, and cause a light heretofore unknown to shine amongst men.” Is what Johnanes Gutenberg said of his invention of the movable-type printing press. And it had its effect for sure! It did then and continues to scatter the darkness that allowed such prevalence of false teaching and heresy to take root in the church for centuries by allowing the light of God’s Word to be translated and shared. Because the grip of the state church was slowly being loosened by the end of the 1400s. Because of this leading of God, a tinkerer’s knack for not giving up and continuing to make something that would provide him an income to last he made a profound change. Also his ability to look beyond money and see the ramifications of what he built and what it could be used for. All of this combined led to the mass production of the English translated Bible from William Tyndale, the German Bible from Martin Luther, and sparked not only the Age of Enlightenment of knowledge, but also the greatest revival in the church age! All because of some blocks with letters on them.

From A.W. Tozer, Billy Graham, Billy Sunday, C.S. Lewis, Menno Simons, Ulrich Zwinlgi, and John Calvin. All of these men would not have been able to have the influence on the church of God if it wasn’t for the ability of the Word to be mass produced and begin a desire for better understanding and literacy in the church. Hymns, sermons, doctrinal thesis’ would all be lost to future generations if not for the ability to preserve them in the written word. Again because of the ability to put to paper countless times over, men were moved by God’s Word to speak out on the heresy and apostasy in the church and look to a better way found in scripture. Because of print God’s Word can go out like never before and change the hearts of humanity to bring about salvation and redemption because of the knowledge and acceptance of a Savior Jesus Christ.

So yes, arguably the Reformation was led of God and His Holy Spirit stirring the hearts of men to repentance. However we cannot deny the fact that God used people to put the puzzle together. Just like the Roman roads being used to travel beyond the known world of the Disciples to better reach the lost, the printing press was used to bring the written Word of God to a world yearning for something different than the status quo; and thus lighting the spark that lit the Reformation. Just like Isaiah 55:11 says, God’s Word will …”not return void”, and praise Him for that. We can be in a closer walk with Him, by being deeper in His Word. And we owe the many bibles we have in our homes to a lowly youngest son of a wealthy patrician in Mainz, Germany: Johannes Gensfleisch zur Laden zum Gutenberg