The Importance Of Church History

The fourth element in perspective is viewing Church history through humility. It is understanding that the humanity is an integrate part of the church; therefore, the church is filled with many achievements as well as failures. “We have not done a good job with what we have been given” (Hoskin Lecture). This is true for us as it is for some of those that we study. The teaching and study of church history is important for my ministry because it helps us identify with those who have laid down the groundwork. As we look into the past, we learn the elements that propelled the Church as well as the elements that hindered it. We also learn that we are tied to those of the past; they formulated some of the beliefs, and interpretations that we hold today. They influenced how we got to where we are, and they can help influence where we are going. From church history we can also learn from not to repeat the mistakes of the past, by observing why those mistakes were made. However, it is important that we start with the right perspective in studying church history, since the concept of perspective mentioned earlier identifies for us a clearer understanding of church history. The second topic I

The result of persecution on the early church is that it expanded the reach and influence of Christianity beyond the borders of Jerusalem. Although, Christianity had experienced evangelism outside of Jerusalem through missionaries (Paul, Barnabbas, etc.), Christians carried off in service to Roman Empire, and the people who had come to worship God on the Day of Pentecost. It was through persecution that Christianity experienced its greatest growth. Persecution affected Christianity in two ways, first, persecution spread people to all areas of the Roman Empire, and second, persecution tested people’s faith to remain faithful in the midst of dire