Lesson 8A Star is Born

We leave the first century – and the infallible word of God – with this knowledge:

• That the Apostles have taken the Gospel to a good portion of known world. They have literally “turned the world upside down” with their message.

• That as they sowed the seed of the Word of God, Satan followed and sowed the tares of heresy among them.

Remember, all of this is happening in a dynamic world environment:

• Christianity sprung out of the faith of the Jews

• The Jews were the subjects of Roman Occupation

• Rome was a powerful but volatile world ruler

I. THE ESTABLISHED CHURCH DEVELOPS

By the 150 AD there is evidence of churches that have developed

• A Christian priesthood• A sacramental practice of baptism

and• A segregation into classes of

prospects

II. THE FAITHFUL CHURCH STANDS

A. There is no real proof of any of the accusations against the Montanists

B. They could all be exaggerations of the truth

C. They had one famous convert: Tertullian

III. THE BRITISH CHURCH ALREADY EXISTSA. It is where the majority of Baptist

influence in America comes from.

B. It has claims to a very ancient form of Christianity – predating Roman Catholicism by several hundred years.

C. It was a relatively isolated place back then – to the far west and an Island to boot.