Why Study Church History? part 10

The study of church history continues the story of the book of Acts.

            The final words of Jesus to his disciples were “you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, all Judea, Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”  The rest of the Book of Acts is the story of the beginning of how the church fulfilled that commission.  The story doesn’t end with Paul in the prison in Rome, though.  It continues with the continued development and expansion of the church into the entire world.  From the evangelization of the barbaric tribes of Europe to  missionaries forging into the New World to William Carey going to India, the history of the church is the history of the spread of the gospel.  The disciples of Jesus didn’t disappear when Luke ended his story—they continued to faithfully obey the wishes of Jesus and bore witness to Him throughout the entire world.

Why Study Church History? part 9

The study of church history keeps us relevant to our culture.

            This past presidential election nearly witnessed a first.  Mitt Romney came close to running for President.  If elected, he would have been the first Mormon president.  Most people who feared having a Mormon in the White House had absolutely no idea where the Mormons came from or why they are considered a cult.  A study of church history, though, would have answered these questions and kept those people relevant to the current culture.

            Church history is useful for keeping relevant to pop culture as well.  A new movie or book regularly is released that questions the history of the church or Christianity.  Bestselling author Dan Brown has sold millions of books doing just this.  Knowing the truth about church history helps to either confirm or refute what these books or movies present as truth.  I had many conversations with people who read these books (The DaVinci Code and Angels and Demons) and thought that they were historically accurate.  When Christians know the facts, though, it keeps us engaged with the culture and sets us up as a place to get the truth.

Why Study Church History? part 8

The study of church history deepens our appreciation of the Bible.

            Unaware of the history of the Bible (in particular the English Bible), many Christians either give the history of the Bible little or no thought or believe that God just miraculously dropped their NIV Study Bible down from heaven.  However, spending some time studying the history and development of the Hebrew and Greek text, as well as the English Bible, can do nothing but deepen our appreciation of God’s Word.  Many people devoted their lives to the preservation, translating, copying, and distribution of the Bible.  Some were lauded as scholars (Erasmus) while others were imprisoned as outlaws (William Tyndale).  Without their dedication and sacrifice, though, we would not have the luxury of a readily available Bible in our own language.

Why Study Church History? part 7

The study of church history provides perspective on how to handle conflict.

            As long as people are in the church, they will engage in conflict.  Throughout the centuries, the church has experienced conflict and dissension from within and without.  Whether it be literal enemies at the gate (like the advancing hordes on Rome or the Muslim invaders) or subtle ideological attacks (like the Gnostics or cults), the church will always deal with conflict. 

            What is the best way to handle these conflicts?  We can look to our past for help and direction.  The history of the church is replete with good and bad examples of how to handle conflict.  We can learn from Martin Luther, Augustine, and John Calvin and how they handled situations in their day.  We don’t have to look that far back either.  How did the church handle the challenges of modernism the previous century?  The answers to these questions can certainly provide help as the church faces new enemies from within and without.

Why Study Church History? part 6

The study of church history illuminates how the world came to be as it is today.

            In the summer of 2007 I spent two weeks touring Israel and the West Bank.  We spent three days in the city of Jerusalem and it was absolutely amazing.  Two things permeated that ancient city.  First, there were remnants of Judaism, Christianity, and Islam everywhere.  From the Temple Mount, to the Dome of the Rock, to the Church of the Holy Sepulcher, constant reminders of past occupation and domination stand at every turn.  Second, there were just as many people from each of these faiths throughout the land.  How did Israel become place with such deep seeded animosity and hostility?  The answer, of course, lies in the study of church history.

            Touch your finger to nearly any place on a globe and the story of the influence of the church will explain the current culture.  Why are there so many abandoned cathedrals in England?  Why is there a church on every corner in much of the US?  What is the source of conflict between Northern Ireland and Ireland?  Knowing the history of the church is the key to understanding the world as it is today.

Why Study Church History? part 5

The study of church history reveals “new” heresy as repackaged “old” heresy.

            When Dan Brown’s The DaVinci Code swept the country a few years ago, many Christians were paralyzed with fear about the claims made in the book regarding the origins of the Bible, the development of the church, and the divinity of Jesus.  If they would have had even a limited knowledge of church history, they would have had little reason to be afraid of anything contained in any of Dan Brown’s books.  Many groups or individuals today introduce “new” ideas about the Bible, the church, or Jesus that catch many by surprise.  These “new” ideas are many times theories, controversies, and heresies that the church dealt with hundreds of years ago.  Whether it be “new discoveries” about the origins of the Bible or “insider knowledge” about Jesus, these ideas turn out to be just repackaged Gnosticism or some other form of ancient heresy.

Why Study Church History? part 4

The study of church history inspires us with the testimonies, examples, and writings of those disciples who have gone before us.

            Hebrews 12:1 speaks of the “great cloud of witnesses” that surrounds Christians and encourages us.  We usually (and correctly) assume this to mean the great men and women of faith who lived in Old Testament times and are listed in the previous chapter.  However, I think that this “great cloud of witnesses” certainly extents to the men and women who have lived by faith during the church age.  These men and women can serve can inspire us as we live for Christ as well.  We have the courage of Martin Luther and William Tyndale.  We see the devotion of Augustine and Thomas a Kempis.  We are inspired by the preaching of George Whitefield and Charles Spurgeon.  This list can go on and on, but the truth is that just because these great people did not live in “biblical times” does not mean that God worked any less through them.  We certainly can learn from the examples, their writings, their sermons, their methods, and their faith.

Why Study Church History? part 3

The study of church history explains the current state of the church.

            As I drive to work every day I pass Winds of Pentecost church, Ridgecrest Baptist Church, Faith Baptist Church, St. Robert Bellarmine Catholic Church, a Lutheran Church, and Friedens United Church of Christ before arriving at Harvester Christian Church.  All of these churches in less than five miles.  Why are there so many different types of churches?  Why are there so many kinds of Baptist churches?  How can churches stand literally side by side and be so different?  These and many more questions regarding the current state of the church can be answered through a study of church history.  In particular, it explains three characteristics of the current church.  Church history explains the fragmented nature of the current church, the theological diversity of the current church and the uncooperative attitude of the current church.

Why Study Church History? part 2

The study of church history provides a launching point for evangelistic conversations.

            When we moved to our current neighborhood I had an interesting conversation with one of my new neighbors.  He said that he was happy to have a minister living in the area because it brought good karma to everyone.  Of course I pushed that conversation further to find out his church background.  Eventually, he said that “All churches are really the same.”  A five year conversation followed as we talked over the backyard fence about church.  I spent five years answering questions about Catholicism, Protestants, Mormons, etc.  Without knowledge of church history, those evangelistic conversations would have never happened.  Nearly everyone we encounter in our country has some concept or experience with church.  Providing accurate answers about churches (and specifically their past) can be a starting point for many evangelistic conversations.

Why Study Church History? part 1

The study of church history reveals where we stand in the theological continuum.

            Protestant vs. Catholic.  Liberal vs. Conservative.  Traditional vs. Contemporary.  Calvinistic vs. Armenian.  Premillennial vs. Amillennial.  This list could go on and on.  Knowing where you, as an individual and as a corporate body of local believers, stand on the theological continuum can only be achieved by a study of church history.  The terms and labels that are attached to people and churches are only meaningful when the counterpart is known.  This idea is like being able to pinpoint your location geographically.  I live in Missouri, and to truly understand where Missouri is, I must know the states that surround it and even those that do not physically connect.  Without knowing what lies to the north, south, east or west, those terms become meaningless.  In the same way, all the designations we give to particular theological positions only have meaning when we understand what the other positions are.