Introduction & Background

The Pilgrim’s Progress

April 19, 2020 • Chris Reighley

Introduction

Before we set off on Christian’s journey to the Celestial City, we must understand the world and soul of the man who wrote it. The Pilgrim’s Progress was not born in a study, but in a prison cell—written by a tinker-preacher who saw both heaven and hell with the clarity of a man awakened by grace. In this introductory session, we walk with John Bunyan through the fields of Bedfordshire, the shadows of persecution, and the inward storms of conviction, conversion, and calling.

With vivid selections from Grace Abounding to the Chief of Sinners, we hear Bunyan’s own voice cry out from the darkness of sin into the marvelous light of Christ. His spiritual autobiography becomes the key to unlocking the meaning and power of The Pilgrim’s Progress.

This isn’t just about literary history. This is your story too. A story of conviction and hope, of judgment and mercy, of a soul rescued for the kingdom of heaven. And the same questions Bunyan wrestled with echo into your own heart:

“Wilt thou leave thy sins and go to heaven, or have thy sins and go to hell?”

Episode Outline: Introduction & Background

Title: “Wilt Thou Leave Thy Sins?” – The Journey Begins

1. Setting the Scene: Why This Book Still Matters

• Overview of The Pilgrim’s Progress as the most widely read Christian allegory in history.
• Its lasting impact on theology, discipleship, and devotional life.
• Bunyan’s unique pastoral purpose: “From this world to that which is to come.”

2. Meet the Author: John Bunyan’s Testimony

• Key excerpts from Grace Abounding to the Chief of Sinners:
  • Bunyan’s early depravity (“no equal for cursing…”)
  • Conviction as a child amid vanities.
  • The war between judgment and mercy.
  • His fear, struggle, and final rest in Christ’s righteousness.

3. The Cost of Preaching: Persecution & Prison

• The Conventicle Act and religious oppression in 17th-century England.
• Bunyan’s twelve-year imprisonment for preaching outside the Church of England.
• His response: contentment, boldness, and writing The Pilgrim’s Progress while jailed.

4. Themes Introduced in the Introduction

• The struggle of sin and salvation.
• Joy in gospel clarity.
• The sweetness of Scripture as the “key to the kingdom of heaven.”
• The spiritual journey as both deeply personal and universally human.

5. Framing the Series: What This Journey Will Teach Us

• Our three-fold lens:
  1. Through Bunyan’s eyes (his life, theology, and historical context)
  2. Through Scripture’s lens (biblical texts behind every image)
  3. Through our own pilgrimage (how it shapes your walk “from this world to that which is to come”)