James A Fowler

Ninety-Five Theses for the Contemporary Church James A Fowler

Martin Luther posted his ninety-five theses on the Wittenberg Castle Church door on October 31, 1517. Earlier in that same year, Martin Luther stated in one of his sermons, "Where Christ is, there He will always go against the flow." This is a most insightful and significant statement. The living Lord Jesus Christ is not content with the status-quo of "business as usual," and will always counter the routine of religion in order to assure a dynamic and spontaneous expression of His ever unique and novel work in Christian individuals and in His Church. These ninety-five theses for the contemporary Church are written with the sincere desire that the reality of the living Lord Jesus and the genuine manifestation of His life in His Body, the Church, might be allowed full expression by the power of God's Spirit. May the Church of Jesus Christ cease to "quench the Spirit" (I Thess. 5:19) and "grieve the Spirit" (Ephesians 4:30), as God continues to "fill with His Spirit" (Eph. 5:18) and fully reveals Himself within His new creation unto His own glory (II Peter 1:3).