Reformed Resources

“Ecclesia Reformata, Semper Reformanda.”
“The Church Reformed, Always Reforming.”

—Rev. Jodocus van Lodenstein, 1674
Reformed Church of the United Provinces

“Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.” (Romans 12:2)

We want to be a “church reformed, always reforming.” W. Robert Godfrey writes, “since we now have a church reformed in the externals of doctrine, worship, and government, let us always be working to ensure that our hearts and lives are being reformed by the Word and Spirit of God” (What Does “Semper Reformanda” Mean?).

In our pursuit to be “always reforming,” Emmaus Road recommends the following resources.

Recommended Books

Advanced Resource List

• What Books Should I Read before Starting at RBC? by Dr. Keith Mathison
• R.C. Sproul’s Recommended Resources by Ligonier Ministries
• 10 Books (and One Letter) Every New Calvinist Needs to Read by Dr. Keith Mathison
• Kevin DeYoung's 12 Old(ish) Books To Read When You Are Young by Kevin DeYoung
• Reformed Forum Suggested Reading List by Reformed Forum

Recommended Articles

Delighting in the Trinity by Michael Reeves
“It is not to be expected that we should love God supremely if we have not known him to be more desirable than all other things.” So wrote the great hymn writer Isaac Watts. And of course, he was quite right, for we always love what seems most attractive to us. Whether it be God, money, sex, or fame, we live for and love what captures our hearts.” Read More ➔

Does the Father Love You Because of Jesus? by Nick Batzig
“One of the more spiritually edifying questions that I remember debating with several brothers in seminary (and there were certainly plenty of spiritually unedifying ones!) was, 'Does God the Father love us because of Jesus?' It might not seem like an obviously difficult question on the surface. The instinctive answer would seem to be, 'Absolutely!' After all, when I think of my sin and what I deserve from the hand of the infinitely righteous and just God, how could He love me apart from a representative who is Himself perfectly holy and lovely? It might surprise you, then, to know that the answer is actually, 'No!'” Read More ➔

Three Things to Remember about Your (Imperfect) Marriage by Paul David Tripp
“So, when you are sinned against or when the fallen world breaks your door down, don’t lash out or run away. Stand in your weakness and confusion and say, 'I am not alone. God is with me, and he is faithful, powerful, and willing.' You can be realistic and hopeful at the very same time. Realistic expectations are not about hope without honesty, and they are not about honesty without hope. Realism is found at the intersection of unabashed honesty and uncompromising hope. God’s Word and God’s grace make both possible in your marriage.” Read More ➔

The Christian’s Hope (1 Peter 1:3-5) by Geerhardus Vos
“The Christian is a man…who lives with his heavenly destiny ever in full view. His outlook is not bounded by the present life and the present world. He sees that which is and that which is to come in their true proportions and in their proper perspective. The centre of gravity of his consciousness lies not in the present but in the future. Hope, not possession, is that which gives tone and colour to his life. His is the frame of mind of the heir who knows himself entitled to large treasures upon which he will enter at a definite point of time…” Read More ➔

How to Live as a Christian: Facing Sickness and Death by Joel Beeke
“Clearly, only the sustaining grace of God can enable us to face sickness and death as a Christian—that is, as someone who trusts his heavenly Father and the unfailing promises of His Word. We must learn to make use of these promises when serious trials become our portion. Only by appropriating God’s precious covenantal promises will we be able to rise above our circumstances and trust our heavenly Father when nothing appears to make any sense. We must learn to judge God by His Word rather than our feelings and circumstances…” Read More ➔

The Fruit of the Spirit: Kindness by Megan Taylor
“True kindness is generous. It flows freely and impartially to those we disagree with, those we hardly know, and those who cannot thank us. True kindness looks odd to the world. It means meeting the needs of others, without the need for recognition. It means self sacrifice, without the thought of self preservation. True kindness is the Samaritan, who reached into his own pocket to meet the needs of a suffering enemy stranger. In God’s true kindness, He meets the needs of His creation and He even provides for those who hate Him…” Read More ➔

Five of the Most Comforting Catechism Questions by Matthew S. Miller
“We often think of Reformed catechisms—such as the Westminster Shorter Catechism or the Heidelberg Catechism—as dense summaries of Christian truth wrapped in time-tested language. But they’re more than that. When fixed before the eyes and settled in the heart, these little questions and answers have the power to counsel us with big-picture perspective, soul-stabilizing assurance, and fear-dispelling hope. In this piece, I want to highlight five of the most comforting lines in various Reformed catechisms…” Read More ➔

A Pastor’s Love for Christ by Nick Batzig
“The loveless heart will be cured only when we know and are convinced of the love that Christ has for unworthy sinners like us. We must ever guard against doing what is formally right without putting our heart in what we are doing. We must not be like those who draw near to God with their mouth and honor Him with their lips, but whose heart is far from Him (Matthew 7:6-7). May God grant us a faith in Christ that is genuine and true, which joyously and spontaneously expresses itself in deeds of compassion, service, and love.” Read More ➔

Persecution in Turkey – From Polycarp to Fikret Böcek by Simonetta Carr
“If it’s true, as the ancient Tertullian said, that “the blood of martyrs is the seed of the church,” much seed has been sown on Turkish soil, from the 2nd-century martyrdom of Polycarp to the massacre of Christian Armenians in 1915 (where 1.5 million Armenians lost their lives). And these are only the most notorious cases. In Turkey, persecution against Christians has spanned centuries, perpetrated first by the Romans and then by the Muslims. In fact, it’s still happening today. In every case, the justification is political: Christians are enemies of the state.” Read More ➔