You and I are shaped by words.
Even before we learned to speak, the words of our parents and other members of our households played a formative role in our lives. Then, much of our education revolved around the books we read and the instructors we heard. Like me, I’m sure you still fondly remember your favorite books and teachers from childhood.
Not only do words shape us—words shape all of society. The written and spoken word has moved armies, changed cultures, and done much more for good or ill. We especially see the world-shaping power of words in the war over words currently being fought as the vanguards of the so-called sexual revolution seek to institutionalize their false understandings of human nature.
Ligonier Ministries understands the power of words. That’s why Dr. R.C. Sproul directed our teaching outreach to proclaim and defend the inerrant Word of God. For your donation of any amount this month, we’ll send you a new 90-day devotional to help you grow in your knowledge of God’s Word: Our Great Salvation. More on this resource below.
It should be no surprise that words are powerful. Fundamentally, we are shaped by God, who spoke creation into being, creating the universe through His eternal Word, the Lord Jesus Christ (Gen. 1:1–2:3; John 1:1–3). This same Word took on flesh to bring us the words of eternal life, the truths we must believe for salvation (John 6:68).
Biblical Christianity is steadfastly focused on words. Every theological assertion, every confrontation of false teaching, every edifying sermon, and even every conversation is a matter of speaking the right words.
Thus, Christians are people of the Book. We grow in Christ by being immersed in the Scriptures. This means reading God’s Word as well as faithful Christian literature that enables us to better understand the Bible. The Protestant Reformers well understood this, establishing a back-to-the-Bible movement deeply involved with the printing revolution. The Reformers didn’t keep biblical truth to themselves but spread it far and wide by means of the printing press, prolifically producing books, pamphlets, catechisms, hymnals, and other written materials to give every Christian access to divine truth in an understandable way.
Continuing the strategy of the Reformation and its commitment to the written word, Ligonier is committed to publishing discipleship resources in a printed format. We continue to publish our monthly Bible study magazine, Tabletalk, physically as well as digitally even when many publishers have switched to a digital-only format. We also maintain an ever-growing library of physical and digital titles. I hope you have a copy of the Reformation Study Bible that you can reach for regularly.
We also have a substantial collection of upcoming releases including a new devotional by Dr. Sinclair Ferguson, an overview of covenant theology from Dr. J.V. Fesko, several books featuring Dr. Sproul’s teaching on the gospel, and more.
Millions of people worldwide—in homes, churches, prisons, active military duty, and schools—are using these resources to great benefit. I recently heard the request of a pastor in Australia serving in a growing congregation with many new or newly Reformed Christians. It was a joy to send that church many resources, including copies of the Reformation Study Bible for all the elders. This is the kind of equipping outreach you enable through your support.
Providential opportunities to serve the church exist everywhere from Michigan to Madagascar. We ask for your support to pursue these opportunities and to provide growing Christians with faithful discipleship materials to guide them in their pursuit of holiness. And we’re hard at work now as we prepare to release a new children’s curriculum in 2025, but we cannot accomplish this without your help.
One way God’s people seek to remain under the life-shaping influence of the Word is by reading devotional writings. Ligonier’s new 90-day devotional on the Christian life, Our Great Salvation, was carefully created for this purpose. Over the course of three months, this book seeks to help you know the character of God, His blessings in salvation, our privilege of worship, and the lifelong pursuit of holiness—crucial truths to help you follow our Lord Jesus Christ. We’ll send you our new devotional when you give a gift of any amount to Ligonier’s outreach.
Your support this month is crucial for taking the message of the gospel—the Word of God—to the nations and encouraging Christian growth globally. Your gift, no matter how large or small, will help place solid Christian teaching into the hands of many people. Thank you.
