Proclaimer Blog
Simply Brilliant – Freedom Movement (Mike Reeves)
“Failing, broken people are not loved because they are attractive, they are attractive because they are loved.” This, says Mike Reeves is the central rediscovery made by Martin Luther, five hundred years ago. And it retains its power to brighten lives today.
In the 500th year since Luther nailed the 95 Theses to the door of the Castle Church of Wittenburg, many churches and movements are rightly celebrating a moment of Gospel rediscovery. But among the general public, awareness of this seminal period in European History remains low.
I clearly remember a game of charades at university where “The Reformation” came up as a clue, to blank faces all round. This is an open door evangelistically speaking. It’s the history teacher’s Narnia; an opportunity to discuss the heart of the Christian faith, while ostensibly talking about German History!
That’s why what Mike Reeves does in Freedom Movement is so timely. Taking advantage of the anniversary, he presents the key idea of the reformation and the impact it has made in the lives of people ever since. This really isn’t a gospel primer so much as a gospel taster. Reeves gives us a tiny window into the wonderful news of the gospel. Then he illustrates the joy of this through the lives of those it transformed. In the lives of Bunyan, Bach, Wilberforce, and others, Mike shows how the joy of knowing the personal love and acceptance of God has beautiful ramifications for every area of life.
This book would make an excellent gift for a friend or family member with little to no knowledge of the Christian faith. It’s clear, jargon free, and most importantly, infectiously exciting. The author resists the urge to knowledge dump on the reader. Two ways to live this is not, rather the aim seems to be to excite, interest, and tantalise. The reader will not end up with a good basic understanding of the Christian faith, but they may well have an incentive to get one!
Perhaps in this it models an element that our personal evangelism can sometimes lack. Reeves seems to want his reader to come to the end of the book with a sense of yearning. “I want what they had!” And in this he wonderfully succeeds, because of that, it’s a great read for Christians too. A reminder of just how beautiful the life we lead in Christ actually is.
A number of books both large and small have been published on the reformation this year. None I have seen captures the beauty, excitement and joy of Reformation doctrine in as clear and accessible a way as Freedom Movement. And all in just thirty-seven pages. Read it yourself, and give a copy to as many of your friends as you can!
- Richard Eves