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Church History

There is no branch of history as diverse as the story of the Christian Church. It spans two millennia, every continent, and factors into just about every major event in some form or another, but it's not just an interesting tale or adventure story that happens to be true. The history of the Church is the history of God's people and His direct dealings with mankind.

It's also not just an academic discipline. That's not to say we don't need scholars willing to devote their lives and talents to studying it as such, because we do. It's only to say that it's not merely academic, that the study of Church history is as much for our spiritual benefit and growth as for our intellectual knowledge and maturity.

One of the best ways to engage the subject is as a story. The lives of godly men and women make a great starting place, and provide context for things like the Great Schism, the Protestant Reformation, and the birth of Neo-orthodoxy. Contrary to popular opinion, making the study of history personal isn't an impediment; this is especially true when learning about the Church and past saints, who are our spiritual forebears.

Spiritual forebears, that is, who had an immense impact on the secular as well as the spiritual realm. The printing of books was realized through the work of Johannes Gutenberg, who built his printing press to make Bibles; David Livingstone explored much of unknown Africa in order to share the Gospel with unreached tribes; Hudson Taylor made inroads into China as a missionary long before the West was generally admitted. (For locals, the Pacific Northwest was largely settled through missionary activity.)

There are plenty of lowlights, too. Persecution and hardship are common themes in the story of God's people, and while we usually look back to the Roman holocausts, the 20th century saw more Christian martyrdoms than any previous century and the 21st century is already shaping up to be much worse. And that's not even addressing the damage done in the name of Christ.

Some might suppose Church history should be less distinctly human, but that's to confuse Christ Himself with His Body. In His ineffable wisdom, God ordained fallen humans to comprise His people; our sins are forgiven, not expelled, and perfection is something only enjoyed once we pass from this life into the eternal one.

Still, God's hand is present and active in all of history, not least in the history of the Church. It's a story we neglect at our own peril as followers of Christ—we cannot imagine our generation is the first to encounter attacks from secularism, or to have discovered orthodox doctrine, or to successfully identify the marks of a healthy congregation.

The past is our measure for most things. What Christians have always believed, how they have always worshipped, how they have always prayed: these are our standards for thought and practice. That's not to say there's no room for progress, but it's only progress if it doesn't counter or depart from the historically established truths of the faith.

Church history is a cornerstone of Christian education. We think it's just as important as science, English, math, or social studies, and in many ways more so. That doesn't mean those disciplines should be neglected, but that they should be contextualized within the story of God's people. As you study, revel in the grace of a God whose will is accomplished even through the chief of sinners and the weakest of men.

Review by C. Hollis Crossman
C. Hollis Crossman used to be a child. Now he is a husband and father, teaches adult Sunday school in his Presbyterian congregation, and likes weird stuff. He might be a mythical creature, but he's definitely not a centaur. Read more of his reviews here.

 

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'But Now I See': The Life of John Newton
by Josiah Bull
from Banner of Truth Trust
for 10th-Adult
in Biographies (Location: BIO)
$6.00 (1 in stock)
Arrow Pointing to Heaven
by James Bryan Smith
Revised from B&H Books
for 10th-Adult
in Biographies (Location: BIO)
$14.99
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by Lisa Leidenfrost
from Canon Press
Biographies for Adult
in Evangelism & Missions (Location: XAP-EVA)
$17.00
Autobiography of Charles G. Finney
by Charles G. Finney
from Bethany House
Autobiography for 9th-Adult
in Biographies (Location: BIO)
$19.00
Autobiography of George Muller
by George Muller
from Whitaker House
Biography for 11th-Adult
in Biographies (Location: BIO)
$9.99
Between Worlds
by Marilyn R. Gardner
from Doorlight Publications
for Adult
in Diversity & Multicultural Books (Location: HISMC-MUL)
$11.00 (1 in stock)
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by Retha Hazel Eldridge
from Review and Herald Publishing Association
for 9th-Adult
in Vintage History & Biographies (Location: VIN-HIS)
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by Eric Metaxas
1st edition from Thomas Nelson Publishers
for 11th-Adult
in Biographies (Location: BIO)
Bonhoeffer
by Eric Metaxas, foreword by Timothy J. Keller
Revised and Updated from Thomas Nelson Publishers
for 11th-Adult
in Biographies (Location: BIO)
$24.99
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by Charles Colson
from Chosen Books
for 9th grade-Adult
in Biographies (Location: BIO)
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Bring Your Eyes and See
International Adventures
by Steve Goode, Mary Goode
from YWAM Publishing
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in International Adventures (Location: BIO-INTADV)
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Bruchko
by Bruce Olson
from Charisma House
Biography for 10th-Adult
in Biographies (Location: BIO)
$16.99
Bruchko
by Bruce Olson
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from Charisma House
Biography for 10th-Adult
in Biographies (Location: BIO)
$14.99 $10.00 (1 in stock)
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1st edition from Christian Herald Books
for Adult
in Biographies (Location: BIO)
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Chance to Die
by Elisabeth Elliot
from Revell Publishing
Biography for 8th-12th grade
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China Cry
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from Thomas Nelson Publishers
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in Clearance: Christian Books (Location: XCLE)
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by David Wilkerson
from Penguin Putnam
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$8.99
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by Kevin Belmonte
from Thomas Nelson Publishers
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in Christian Encounters (Location: BIO-CE)
$12.00
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by Ethel Emily Wallis
from YWAM Publishing
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in International Adventures (Location: BIO-INTADV)
$14.99 $7.50 (1 in stock)
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from Zondervan
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in History of Missions (Location: XCH-MIS)
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from Crossway Books
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Evidence Not Seen
by Darlene Deibler Rose
from HarperCollins
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in Biographies (Location: BIO)
$16.99
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from Banner of Truth Trust
Biography for 9th-Adult
in History of Missions (Location: XCH-MIS)
$13.00 $7.00 (1 in stock)
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by John Hudson Tiner
from Master Books
for 8th-Adult
in Church History Overviews (Location: XCH-OVE)
$7.00 (1 in stock)
Forgotten Founding Father
Leaders in Action Series
by Stephen Mansfield
from Cumberland House
Biography for 9th-12th grade
in Leaders in Action (Location: BIO-LIA)
$16.95 $10.00 (2 in stock)
Forgotten Spurgeon
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2nd edition from Banner of Truth Trust
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in Biographies (Location: BIO)
Francis Asbury
by Charles Ludwig
from Mott Media
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Francis Schaeffer
by Bruce Little, ed.
from P&R Publishing
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in Biographies (Location: BIO)
$12.99
From Jerusalem to Irian Jaya
by Ruth Tucker
2nd edition from Zondervan
History of missions for 11th-Adult
in History of Missions (Location: XCH-MIS)
$32.99 $14.00 (3 in stock)
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from Canon Press
in Evangelism & Missions (Location: XAP-EVA)
$16.95
George Whitefield
by Arnold A. Dallimore
from Crossway Books
for 9th-Adult
in Biographies (Location: BIO)
$14.50
George Whitefield: Wayfaring Witness
by Stuart C. Henry
from Abingdon Press
for 9th-Adult
in Vintage History & Biographies (Location: VIN-HIS)
$7.50 (1 in stock)
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Biography for 9th-Adult
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God's Samurai
by Gordon Prange, with Donald Goldstein & Katherine Dillon
from Potomoc Books
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in Biographies (Location: BIO)
$21.95
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by Brother Andrew
from Chosen Books
Biography for 7th-Adult
in Biographies (Location: BIO)
$16.99
Great Waters
by Creston Donald Ketchum
from Hutchinson & Co.
for Adult
in Nautical History (Location: VIN-NAUT)
$7.00 (1 in stock)
Heavenly Man
by Brother Yun, Paul Hattaway
from Monarch Books
for 10th-Adult
in Biographies (Location: BIO)
$16.99 $8.50 (1 in stock)
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by Wesley L. Duewel
from Zondervan
for 8th-Adult
in Biography Anthologies (Location: BIO-ANTH)
$6.00 (1 in stock)
How I Know God Answers Prayer
by Rosalind Goforth
Revised from Evangel Publishing House
for Adult
in Prayer (Location: XCL-PRAY)
$5.99
Hudson Taylor
by Vance Christie
from P&R Publishing
for 11th-Adult
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$14.99
I Dared to Call Him Father
by Bilquis Sheikh & Richard H. Schneider
25th Anniversary from Chosen Books
Biography for Adult
in Biographies (Location: BIO)
$15.99 $10.00 (1 in stock)
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by Neil Anderson, Hyatt Moore
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Missionary Biography for 9th-Adult
in Biographies (Location: BIO)
$8.00 (3 in stock)
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2nd edition from Chalcedon / Ross House Books
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in Covenant Theology (Location: XTH-COV)
$24.00
John Charles Ryle
by Peter Toon, Michael Smout
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in Vintage History & Biographies (Location: VIN-HIS)
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by Edna Gerstner
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in Biographies (Location: BIO)
$10.00 (2 in stock)
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from P&R Publishing
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in Biographies (Location: BIO)
$16.99
Jonathan Edwards
by Iain H. Murray
from Banner of Truth Trust
for 11th-Adult
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Joni
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from Zondervan
Biography for 9th-Adult
in Biographies (Location: BIO)
$16.99
Joni Eareckson Tada: Her Story
by Joni Eareckson Tada, Joe Musser, Steve Estes
from Inspirational Press
for 9th-Adult
in Biographies (Location: BIO)
$6.00 (1 in stock)
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by Jim Elliot
from Fleming H Revell Co.
for 9th-Adult
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Jungle Pilot
by Russell Hitt
Updated from Discovery House Publishers
Biography for 10th-Adult
in Biographies (Location: BIO)
Jungle Pilot
by Russell Hitt
from Discovery House Publishers
Biography for 10th-Adult
in Biographies (Location: BIO)
$16.99
Kisses from Katie
by Katie J. Davis
from Howard Books
for Adult
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$18.99 $10.00 (1 in stock)
Letters of Geerhardus Vos
by Geerhardus Vos, James T. Dennison, Jr.
from P&R Publishing
for Adult
in Biographies (Location: BIO)
$18.00
Life and Diary of David Brainerd
by David Brainerd
from Baker Books
Biography for 10th-Adult
in Biographies (Location: BIO)
$17.00 $9.00 (2 in stock)
Life and Diary of David Brainerd
by David Brainerd
from Moody Press
Biography for 10th-Adult
in Vintage History & Biographies (Location: VIN-HIS)
$24.00 (1 in stock)
Life of John Newton
by American Missionary Fellowship
from Attic Books
for 10th-Adult
in Biographies (Location: BIO)
$9.50
Life of Robert Murray M'Cheyne
by Andrew Bonar
from Banner of Truth Trust
for Adult
in Biographies (Location: BIO)
$13.00
Living on the Devil's Doorstep
International Adventures
by Floyd McClung
from YWAM Publishing
for 7th-Adult
in International Adventures (Location: BIO-INTADV)
$14.99 $7.50 (1 in stock)
Livingstone and his African Journeys
by Elspeth Huxley
from Saturday Review Press
for 10th-Adult
in Biographies (Location: BIO)
$12.00 (1 in stock)
Lords of the Earth
by Don Richardson
Reprint. from Regal Books
for 9th-Adult
in Church History (Location: XCH-HIS)
$6.00 (1 in stock)
Maria
by Maria von Trapp
from Creation House
for 7th-Adult
in Biographies (Location: BIO)
$6.00 (1 in stock)
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from Audobon Press
Biography for 9th-Adult
in Biographies (Location: BIO)
$10.00 (1 in stock)
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by Phyllis Thompson
3rd Printing from Hodder & Stoughton
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$4.00 (1 in stock)
Missionary Patriarch
by John G. Paton
from Vision Forum
Biography for 9th-Adult
in Biographies (Location: BIO)
$16.00 (1 in stock)
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for 10th-Adult
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$11.00 (1 in stock)
Narrow Road
by Brother Andrew, Elizabeth Sherrill, Jars of Clay, John Sherrill
from YWAM Publishing
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$14.99 $9.00 (1 in stock)
Papua Pilot
by Paul Westlund with Dane Skelton, foreword by Steve Sinant
from Paul Westlund
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$6.00 (1 in stock)
Passion for the Impossible
by Miriam Huffman Rockness
from Discovery House Publishers
for 8th-Adult
in Biographies (Location: BIO)
Peace Child
by Don Richardson
from Regal Books
Biography for 10th-Adult
in History of Missions (Location: XCH-MIS)
Peace Child
by Don Richardson
4th edition from Regal Books
Biography for 10th-Adult
in History of Missions (Location: XCH-MIS)
$15.99
Personal Life of David Livingstone
Heroes of the Faith
by W Garden Blaikie
from Fleming H Revell Co.
for 10th-Adult
in Vintage History & Biographies (Location: VIN-HIS)
Pigtail and Chopsticks Man
by Jim Cromarty
2010 Printing from Evangelical Press
for 8th-Adult
in Biographies (Location: BIO)
$6.00 (1 in stock)
Rev. William S. White, D. D., and His Times [1800-1873]
by Rev. H. M. White, D. D., editor
from Sprinkle Publications
for Adult
in Biographies (Location: BIO)
$9.00 (2 in stock)
Saint Patrick
by Jonathan Rogers
from Thomas Nelson Publishers
for 7th-Adult
in Christian Encounters (Location: BIO-CE)
$12.00
Sergeant York and the Great War
by Alvin C. York
from My Father's World
Autobiography for 7th-Adult
in World War I (1914-1919) (Location: HISA-20WW1)
$22.00
Seven Men
by Eric Metaxas
from Thomas Nelson Publishers
for 8th-Adult
in Biography Anthologies (Location: BIO-ANTH)
$12.00 (1 in stock)
Seven Men
by Eric Metaxas
from Thomas Nelson Publishers
for 8th-Adult
in Biography Anthologies (Location: BIO-ANTH)
$16.99
Seven Women
by Eric Metaxas
from Thomas Nelson Publishers
for 8th-Adult
in Biography Anthologies (Location: BIO-ANTH)
$17.99
Shadow of the Almighty
by Elisabeth Elliot
from HarperCollins
Biography for 10th-Adult
in Biographies (Location: BIO)
$16.99 $9.00 (1 in stock)
Shadow of the Almighty
by Elisabeth Elliot
from Harper & Row
for 10th-Adult
in Biographies (Location: BIO)
$6.00 (1 in stock)
Shorter Life of D. L. Moody
Moody Colportage Library #83
by A. P. Fitt
from Moody Press
for 8th-Adult
in Vintage History & Biographies (Location: VIN-HIS)
$4.00 (1 in stock)
Skipper of the Sentinel
by May Cole Kuhn
from Review and Herald Publishing Association
for 6th-Adult
in Vintage History & Biographies (Location: VIN-HIS)
$6.00 (1 in stock)
Something Beautiful for God
Lives of Faith
by Malcolm Muggeridge
from HarperCollins
Biography for
in Biographies (Location: BIO)
$16.99
St. Francis
Christian Encounters
by Robert West
from Thomas Nelson Publishers
for 10th-Adult
in Christian Encounters (Location: BIO-CE)
$12.00
Taking on Giants
by Joe Portale
from YWAM Publishing
for 7th-Adult
in International Adventures (Location: BIO-INTADV)
These are the Generations
by Mr. and Mrs. Bae, as told to the Rev. Eric Foley
from Voice of the Martyrs
for 10th-Adult
in Biographies (Location: BIO)
$5.00 (1 in stock)
Through Gates of Splendor
by Elisabeth Elliot
from Tyndale House
Biography for 8th-Adult
in Biographies (Location: BIO)
$16.99
Through Gates of Splendor
by Elisabeth Elliot
40th Anniversary from Tyndale House
Missionary Biography for 8th-Adult
in Biographies (Location: BIO)
$7.99
To Live Again
by Catherine Marshall
from McGraw-Hill
for 9th-Adult
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$4.50 (1 in stock)
Tommorow You Die
International Adventures
by Reona Peterson Joly
from YWAM Publishing
for 7th-Adult
in International Adventures (Location: BIO-INTADV)
$7.50 (2 in stock)
Torches of Joy
International Adventures
by John Dekker & Lois Neely
from YWAM Publishing
Missionary Biography for 10th-Adult
in International Adventures (Location: BIO-INTADV)
$14.99 $8.00 (2 in stock)
Warfield on the Christian Life
Theologians on the Christian Life
by Fred G. Zaspel
Redesign from Crossway Books
for Adult
in Practical Christian Living (Location: XCL-PRAC)
We Died Before We Came Here
from NavPress
in Biographies (Location: BIO)
$7.00 (1 in stock)
Wesley on the Christian Life
Theologians on the Christian Life
by Fred Sanders
from Crossway Books
for 11th-Adult
in Practical Christian Living (Location: XCL-PRAC)
Wigglesworth
by George Storemont
from Harrison House
for 10th-Adult
in Biographies (Location: BIO)
$3.50 (1 in stock)
William Penn
by Catherine Owens Peare
from University of Michigan Press
for 9th-Adult
in Clearance: History & Geography (Location: ZCLE-HIS)
Worlds Apart
by Marilyn Gardner
from Doorlight Publications
for Adult
in Diversity & Multicultural Books (Location: HISMC-MUL)
$11.00 (1 in stock)
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