Yesterday was Reformation Day 2012. It was the 495th anniversary of the day Martin Luther first published his “95 Theses,” igniting the movement which has come to be known as the “Protestant Reformation.”
Reformation Day is a good day to reflect on why we do what we do here at Five More Talents. We spend a lot of time building websites for Reformed churches, non-profits, and conferences. We do this because we long to see Reformed churches flourish. In the words of 18th-century hymn-writer Isaac Watts,
We long to see Thy churches full,
That all the chosen race
May, with one voice and heart and soul,
Sing Thy redeeming grace.(Source: “How Sweet and Awful is the Place”)
The legacy of the Reformers
I thank God for His servants the Reformers. I thank God for their legacy which lives on in tens of thousands of Reformed congregations throughout the world. As the late Dr. Jack Arnold wrote,
The Reformers, while not free from fault, were men with pure motives and high aims. They were unique in the history of the church as men of intellectual ability and passion for Jesus Christ. Most of what they wrote is still as relevant today as when it was written, for most of the same issues prevail at this very hour. The Reformers set forth the Bible and opposed all false religious systems. What the Reformers maintained was in the main truth — God’s own truth as revealed in the Scriptures. (Source: “The Cause and Results of the Reformation,” italics mine.)
The Web is the “new printing press”
How does this relate to our work making websites for the church? Consider the role of the technology in the Reformation.
It is well-known that the printing press was an important tool in spreading the 16th-century Protestant Reformation in Europe. In Germany, Martin Luther, Philipp Melancthon, and Lucas Cranach used the printing press to publish pamphlets and engravings which embodied their ideas. They leveraged the technologies of their time in their quest to reform the church “in accordance with the Word of God.”
Fast forward to the 21st century. The World Wide Web is the “new printing press.” As those who long to see “God’s churches full,” shouldn’t we seek to leverage the power of the Web as the Reformers sought to leverage the power of the printing press?
Does your website leverage the full power of the Web?
As you reflect on the precious legacy of the Reformers this week, take a few moments to ask some questions about your website:
- Is your website up-to-date and easy-to-use — not only on desktops and laptops, but also tablets and smartphones? To ensure a delightful user experience, we perform extensive testing on every website we build to ensure that it runs well on smartphones and tablets in addition to desktops and laptops
- Does the design of your website create a positive emotional connection with website visitors? We hand-craft your website to make a positive first impression, connect with your audience, and persuade them to act.
- Does your church website convey the beauty and excellence of God’s truth? We want every website we build to point to the beauty and excellence of the Creator. Soli Deo gloria!
If you long to see the Lord’s churches full, and you believe that Web technology can help your church, ministry, or event, we would love to hear from you. Let’s talk soon!
