A brief history of the church

Church History Timeline

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Too Much Stuff, Too Little Space!

The Fencepost Approach to Church History

1. Introduction2. The Church Fathers3. Creeds, Councils,

and Heretics4. Eastern Orthodoxy5. Roman Catholicism 6. The Crusades and

Islam7. The Reformation

(Continental

Europe)8. The Reformation

(the British Isles)9. The Puritans10. Colonial America11. 1st and 2nd Great

Awakenings12. Missionary

Movements13. To the future

Course Outline

Why study church history?

Today we will

examine how a

study of the past

might serve to

warn, exhort, and

edify us in the

present.

…and invisible

The Church Visible…

The invisible church consists of all believers throughout history.

The visible church is a physical manifestation of the invisible church and is flawed.

We must not evaluate the invisible church according to the actions of the visible church.

What is church history?A record of

God’s leading of the visible churchWhy is this

important to keep in mind?

1. To see the great variety of people God uses to accomplish His purposes, including those who were only interested in their own glory or who openly opposed Him.

Can you think of an example of how God used a villain in history to accomplish His purpose?

The Top Ten Reasons to Study Church History

2. To realize that each generation was a product of its own time.We must carefully study the historical/cultural

context before we pass judgment.We must not impose our time and culture on

the past.Every culture has its blind spots; we must work

to be aware of our own areas of weakness and failing.

How does this differ from cultural relativism (a view that ethical truths depend on the individuals and groups holding them)?

Top Ten, cont.

Top Ten, cont.3. To learn the lessons of the past so that we may not

repeat their mistakes.

No one in church history is perfect. Even the greatest heroes of the faith were badly flawed.

Why does God use broken vessels?

4. To recognize our part in the flow of God’s redemptive history and its effect upon us.In Acts, we see the beginning of the church.In Revelation, we see the end—the church

triumphant.We are in between these two points.

Top Ten, cont.

5. To recognize that even though the church went through many "dark periods" it was and still is God's witness.God always has a remnant.

Top Ten, cont.

6. To realize that God has a plan for his church and that He will see it through every difficulty until Christ's return.  It is His church, not ours.Our responsibility is to

be faithful.Martin Luther said "If I

knew Jesus was coming back in 24 hours I would plant an apple seed today." 

Top Ten, cont.

Question for contemplation: to what role has God called you in the church today? How can you be faithful in fulfilling that calling?

7. To learn from the many good examples and be inspired by the diverse ways in which God has used men and women throughout history.

Top Ten, cont.

8. To learn that controversies aren't necessarily bad.

How do you think controversy might help the church?The church was sharpened and shaped by

controversy.Controversy makes us aware of what we

believe.Controversy helps us focus on what is true.Controversy can help us learn to examine

issues without making it personal.

Top Ten, cont.

9. We have a model for the study of church history in the Bible itself: Hebrews 11.

What is the purpose of the “Heroes of the Faith” chapter of Hebrews?

What does the author choose as his focus in each of the Old Testament accounts listed?

Top Ten, cont.

10. To realize that we are creating our own history and that we will be studied someday. 

What will our testimony to future generations be?

Top Ten, cont.