Jesus Is Still on His Throne, Building His Church

You may remember the first time the truth of God began to make sense to you. I know I do.

Picture the early pioneers venturing in the American West and first glimpsing the vast, blue Pacific Ocean. I relate to their sense of astonishment when I remember my experience as a college student discovering the doctrines of grace through Dr. R.C. Sproul and Ligonier Ministries. That awe-inspiring view of God’s holy character changed my life forever.

R.C. was simply conveying the insights of the great figures of Christian history, whose teaching has helped generations of Christians know the Word of God. When you give a gift of any amount to Ligonier this month, we’ll send you Dr. W. Robert Godfrey’s comprehensive overview of church history—a 73-message teaching series. More on that below.

Ligonier’s teaching led me into the riches of the historic Christian faith and reframed my worldview in a more Godward direction so that I began to know the gospel better and to understand how to serve Christ more faithfully. I don’t know where my life would have been were it not for this ministry.

So as you might imagine, for me it is an honor and the privilege of a lifetime to serve God’s people through Ligonier today as we seek to make the riches of Scripture and the faith once delivered to the saints available and accessible to people all around the world.

R.C. reminded us that we stand on the shoulders of giants to the end that we will be courageous contenders for the truth. There is no need to reinvent the church in every generation or accommodate the truth to changing cultural preferences. Rather, God tells us to preach the Word in season and out of season, and He has provided faithful teachers and shepherds to help us stay on the narrow path of faithfulness (Eph. 4:11–14; 2 Tim. 4:2).

Many problems in the church today can be traced to a failure to learn from the past. Dr. W. Robert Godfrey, our board chairman and noted church historian, has observed that history might not necessarily repeat itself, but today’s events are often similar to events of the past. Any defection today from the gospel of Jesus Christ needs to be refuted with the truth that confronted similar errors in past ages. Yet many people prefer novelty rather than the tried-and-true teaching of Scripture as expounded in the church’s historic confessions of faith. Thus, we are seeing instability and doctrinal compromise throughout the church.

Ligonier is committed to helping the church maintain its faithful witness by creating discipleship materials for every age and stage of the Christian journey. We’re equally committed to making sure that these materials accurately present biblical teaching as understood by the saints of all ages.

Your support for Ligonier means that the ministry is on track to reach more people over the next five years than in our entire previous five decades. By God’s grace, this outreach expansion is taking place through conferences, broadcasts, Tabletalk magazine, books, teaching series, podcasts, international partnerships, Reformation Bible College, the RefNet internet radio app, our Ligonier Connect online learning platform, and more. I hope you’ve had an opportunity to listen to our new devotional podcast, Things Unseen with Sinclair B. Ferguson.

There’s much more to be done. God regularly provides for this ministry by raising up friends and supporters such as you. Expansion cannot continue without your help, and this month’s financial needs starting off the year are significant.

We are praying for a year of expansive gospel outreach fueled by increased spending on strategic outreaches. The way to make that happen is to have strong support during these first two months. Meeting or even exceeding our 60-day fundraising goal will expand the reach of trustworthy biblical teaching both here and abroad over the rest of the year: more study Bibles to pastors and others in need around the world, more copies of Tabletalk to inmates in correctional facilities, more Bible and apologetics instruction to young people through our Always Ready student events, and more discipleship resources translated to serve more people in more languages.

Wars, recessions, and other problems will almost certainly continue to foster a sense of uncertainty for the foreseeable future. Christians know that this isn’t the time to let up. Ligonier’s unique outreach is grounded in the only thing that is certain—God and His Word—and this teaching, Lord willing, can be the lifeline that so many people are looking for in these trying times. God has continued to bless these efforts, and friends like you make ministry happen with your gifts and prayers.

Your support is vital for this mission. To thank you for your gift of any amount this month, we’ll send you the monumental study series A Survey of Church History from Dr. Godfrey. I love Dr. Godfrey’s teaching in this 73-message overview teaching series, as it takes us on a guided tour through the key events and figures of church history while showing how Christ has built His church even as it has endured many troubles, toils, and snares. It is one of the most important series that Ligonier has ever produced.

God is calling a people for Himself from every tribe and tongue, and He is using Ligonier to help the church fulfill the Great Commission to disciple the nations. We’re praying that in 2023 the Lord will far surpass our expectations and hopes for what He might do through these efforts to equip God’s people. Your gift of any amount can be part of the answer to that prayer.

Thank you for helping people everywhere to know God and to stand firm in historic Christian truth through your generous support.