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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's a husband and father who loves church, good food, and 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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128 Items found Print
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100 Most Important Events in Christian History
by A. Kenneth Curtis, et al.
from Revell Publishing
Church History Reference for 9th-Adult
in Church History Overviews (Location: XCH-OVE)
$21.99 $11.50 (1 in stock)
101 More Hymn Stories
by Kenneth Osbeck
from Kregel Publications
for 6th-12th grade
in History of Hymns (Location: XCH-HYMN)
$19.99
32 Christians Who Changed the World
by Glenn S. Sunshine
from Canon Press
for 10th-Adult
in Church History (Location: XCH-HIS)
$21.95
Against All Odds
by Jim Stier
from YWAM Publishing
for 7th-Adult
in International Adventures (Location: BIO-INTADV)
$14.99
Ann Judson
by Sharon James
from Evangelical Press
for 9th-Adult
in Biographies (Location: BIO)
$17.99
Anne Bradstreet
by Heidi L. Nichols
from P&R Publishing
Biography for 10th-Adult
in Clearance: Biographies (Location: ZCLE-BIO)
$9.79 $8.00 (1 in stock)
Apostolic Fathers
by J. B. Lightfoot
from Apocryphile Press
for Adult
in Ancient Literature (Location: LIT1-ANC)
$38.99
Arthur Erskine's Story
Reformation Trail Series #14
by Deborah Alcock
from Inheritance Publications
for 9th-Adult
in Reformation Trail Series (Location: FIC-WH06)
$25.95
At the Edge of the Village
by Lisa Leidenfrost
from Canon Press
Biographies for Adult
in Evangelism & Missions (Location: XAP-EVA)
$17.00
Athanasius
by Peter Leithart
from Baker Academics
in Biographies (Location: BIO)
$27.99
Autobiography of Charles G. Finney
by Charles G. Finney
from Bethany House
Autobiography for 9th-Adult
in Biographies (Location: BIO)
$18.00
Autobiography of George Muller
by George Muller
from Whitaker House
Biography for 11th-Adult
in Biographies (Location: BIO)
$9.99
Between Babel and Beast
by Peter J. Leithart
from Cascade Books
in America's Christian Heritage (Location: HISA-CH)
$28.00
Bible in Spain
by George Henry Borrow
from Living Book Press
for Adult
in Europe (Location: HISMC-EUR)
$19.99
Bondage of the Will
by Martin Luther, translated by J. I. Packer and O. R. Robinson
from Baker Academics
for 9th-Adult
in Renaissance & Reformation Literature (Location: LIT3-REN)
$26.99
Bondage of the Will
by Martin Luther, translated by Henry Cole
from Canon Press
for 9th-Adult
in Renaissance & Reformation Literature (Location: LIT3-REN)
$16.95
Bonhoeffer
by Eric Metaxas, foreword by Timothy J. Keller
Revised and Updated from Thomas Nelson Publishers
for 11th-Adult
in Biographies (Location: BIO)
$26.99
Born Again
by Charles Colson
from Chosen Books
for 9th grade-Adult
in Biographies (Location: BIO)
$19.99
Bring Your Eyes and See
International Adventures
by Steve Goode, Mary Goode
from YWAM Publishing
for 7th-Adult
in Clearance: Biographies (Location: ZCLE-BIO)
$12.00
Bruchko
by Bruce Olson
from Charisma House
Biography for 10th-Adult
in Biographies (Location: BIO)
$19.99
Bruchko and the Motilone Miracle
by Bruce Olson
from Charisma House
Biography for 10th-Adult
in Biographies (Location: BIO)
$14.99
Calvin and the Calvinists
by Paul Helm
from Banner of Truth Trust
Biography for Adult
in Clearance: Biographies (Location: ZCLE-BIO)
$14.50
Cell 58
International Adventures
by Dan Baumann
from YWAM Publishing
for 7th-Adult
in International Adventures (Location: BIO-INTADV)
$12.50
Chance to Die
by Elisabeth Elliot
from Revell Publishing
Biography for 8th-12th grade
in Biographies (Location: BIO)
$22.99
Christian History Made Easy
Rose Bible Basics
by Timothy Paul Jones
from Rose Publishing
for 9th-Adult
in Church History Overviews (Location: XCH-OVE)
$14.99 $10.50 (1 in stock)
Christian Survey of World History - Compact Disc Set
by R. J. Rushdoony
from Chalcedon / Ross House Books
for 10th grade-Adult
in History Conferences & Lectures (Location: HISRF-CONF)
$75.00
Church History in Plain Language
by Dr. Bruce L. Shelley
5th edition from Thomas Nelson Publishers
for 9th-Adult
in Church History Overviews (Location: XCH-OVE)
$39.99
Church in History
by B. K. Kuiper
2nd edition from Eerdmans
Church History Reference for 9th-Adult
in Church History Overviews (Location: XCH-OVE)
$33.99 $15.00 (1 in stock)
Church in History - Answer Key
by Diane C. Olson (for B. K. Kuiper's book)
2nd edition from Christian Liberty Press
Church History Reference for 9th-Adult
in Church History Overviews (Location: XCH-OVE)
$8.40
Cross and the Switchblade
by David Wilkerson
from Penguin Putnam
Biography for 10th-Adult
in Biographies (Location: BIO)
$9.99
D. L. Moody
by Kevin Belmonte
from Thomas Nelson Publishers
for 7th-Adult
in Clearance: Biographies (Location: ZCLE-BIO)
$8.40
Darius, Artaxerxes, and Ahasuerus in the Bible
by James B. Jordan
from Athanasius Press
for 9th-Adult
in Bible Commentaries (Location: XBI-COMM)
$8.95
Dayuma
by Ethel Emily Wallis
from YWAM Publishing
for 7th-Adult
in International Adventures (Location: BIO-INTADV)
$14.99 $7.50 (2 in stock)
Don't Let the Goats Eat the Loquat Trees
by Thomas Hale
from Zondervan
for 9th-Adult
in History of Missions (Location: XCH-MIS)
$15.99
Early Christian Fathers
by Cyril Richardson
from Touchstone
for 10th-Adult
in Church History (Location: XCH-HIS)
$17.00
Early Church
by Henry Chadwick
2nd edition from Penguin Putnam
for Adult
in Church History (Location: XCH-HIS)
$18.00
Ecclesiastical History of the English People
Penguin Classics
by Bede (translation by Leo Sherley-Price)
from Penguin Classics
Church History for 10th-Adult
in Medieval Literature (Location: LIT2-MED)
$15.00
Ecclesiastical History of the English People
by Bede (edited by Judith McClure & Roger Collins)
from Oxford University
Church History for 10th-Adult
in Medieval Literature (Location: LIT2-MED)
$13.95
Epic
by Tim Challies
from Zondervan
for 7th-Adult
in Church History Overviews (Location: XCH-OVE)
$19.99
Eternity in Their Hearts
by Don Richardson
from Regal Books
for 10th-Adult
in History of Missions (Location: XCH-MIS)
$17.99
Eusebius: The Church History
by Eusebius & Paul L. Maier (translator)
from Kregel Publications
Church History for 10th-Adult
in Ancient Literature (Location: LIT1-ANC)
$19.99
Eusebius: The Church History
by Eusebius & Paul L. Maier (translator)
from Kregel Publications
Church History for 10th-Adult
in Ancient Literature (Location: LIT1-ANC)
$32.99
Evidence Not Seen
by Darlene Deibler Rose
from HarperCollins
Biography for 9th-Adult
in Biographies (Location: BIO)
$18.99
Five Pioneer Missionaries
by Various
from Banner of Truth Trust
Biography for 9th-Adult
in History of Missions (Location: XCH-MIS)
$13.00 $7.00 (1 in stock)
Flames of Rome
by Paul L. Maier
2nd edition from Kregel Publications
for 9th-Adult
in 20th & 21st Century Literature (Location: LIT7-20)
$18.99 $8.00 (1 in stock)
For Christ's Crown
by Richard Hannula
1st edition from Canon Press
for 5th-Adult
in Church History for Kids (Location: XCH-KID)
$16.00
For God and His People
by J. H. Merle D'Aubigne
from Bob Jones University Press
Biography for 9th-12th grade
in Biographies (Location: BIO)
$13.00
Fount of Heaven
by Robert Elmer, editor
from Lexham Press
for Adult
in Church History (Location: XCH-HIS)
$26.99
Foxe's Book of Martyrs
by John Foxe
from Bridge-Logos
for 10th-Adult
in Renaissance & Reformation Literature (Location: LIT3-REN)
$18.99
Francis Schaeffer
by Bruce Little, ed.
from P&R Publishing
for 10th-Adult
in Biographies (Location: BIO)
$9.09
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
From the Village to the Ends of the Earth
by Lisa Leidenfrost
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
God's Battalions
by Rodney Stark
Reprint from HarperOne
for 11th-Adult
in History for Adults (Location: ADU-HIS)
$17.99
God's Samurai
by Gordon Prange, with Donald Goldstein & Katherine Dillon
from Potomoc Books
for 10th-Adult
in Biographies (Location: BIO)
$21.95
God's Smuggler
by Brother Andrew
from Chosen Books
Biography for 7th-Adult
in Biographies (Location: BIO)
$18.99
Heavenly Man
by Brother Yun, Paul Hattaway
from Monarch Books
for 10th-Adult
in Clearance: Biographies (Location: ZCLE-BIO)
$11.89 $6.00 (1 in stock)
Heidelberg Catechism - A Study Guide
by G. I. Williamson
from P&R Publishing
for 9th-Adult
in Creeds, Confessions & Catechisms (Location: XTH-CREED)
$17.99
Heralds of the Reformation
by Richard Hannula
from Canon Press
for 5th-Adult
in Church History for Kids (Location: XCH-KID)
$15.00
History of the Church
by Eusebius
Revised from Penguin Putnam
for 10th-Adult
in Ancient Literature (Location: LIT1-ANC)
$20.00
Home Fires
by Mally Ham, introduction by Ken Ham, foreword by Heidi St. John
from Master Books
for Adult
in Biographies (Location: BIO)
$17.59
How I Know God Answers Prayer
by Rosalind Goforth
Revised from Evangel Publishing House
for Adult
in Spiritual Disciplines (Location: XCL-SPDI)
$5.99
How to Remember
by Andrew Osenga
from Moody Press
for Adult
in Worship & Sabbath (Location: XWO-SABB)
$15.99
Hudson Taylor
by Vance Christie
from P&R Publishing
for 11th-Adult
in Biographies (Location: BIO)
$17.99
I Dared to Call Him Father
by Bilquis Sheikh & Richard H. Schneider
25th Anniversary from Chosen Books
Biography for Adult
in Biographies (Location: BIO)
$16.99
Institutes of the Christian Religion
by John Calvin, translated by Ford Lewis Battles, edited by John McNeill
from Westminster John Knox Press
Theology for 11th-Adult
in Renaissance & Reformation Literature (Location: LIT3-REN)
$90.00
John Knox: Stalwart Courage
by Douglas Wilson, foreword by George Grant
from Canon Press
for 9th-Adult
in Biographies (Location: BIO)
$15.95
Jonathan Edwards
by Stephen J. Nichols
from P&R Publishing
Biography for 9th-Adult
in Biographies (Location: BIO)
$16.99
Jonathan Edwards
by Iain H. Murray
from Banner of Truth Trust
for 11th-Adult
in Clearance: Christian Books (Location: XCLE)
$23.10
Joni
by Joni Tada
from Zondervan
Biography for 9th-Adult
in Biographies (Location: BIO)
$19.99
Katherine Parr
by Brandon G. Withrow
from P&R Publishing
Biography for 10th-Adult
in Biographies (Location: BIO)
$13.99 $6.50 (1 in stock)
Kisses from Katie
by Katie J. Davis
from Howard Books
for Adult
in Biographies (Location: BIO)
$18.99
Letters of Geerhardus Vos
by Geerhardus Vos, James T. Dennison, Jr.
from P&R Publishing
for Adult
in Clearance: Biographies (Location: ZCLE-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
Life of John Calvin
by Theodore Beza
3rd edition from Back Home Industries
Biography for 9th-Adult
in Biographies (Location: BIO)
$15.00
Life of John Knox
by Thomas McCrie
from Back Home Industries
Biography for 10th-Adult
in Clearance: Biographies (Location: ZCLE-BIO)
$11.90 $10.00 (2 in stock)
Life of John Newton
by American Missionary Fellowship
from Attic Books
for 10th-Adult
in Clearance: Biographies (Location: ZCLE-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
Life of Sir Thomas More
by William Roper
from CreateSpace
for 9th-Adult
in Renaissance & Reformation Literature (Location: LIT3-REN)
$5.99
Light From Old Times
by J. C. Ryle
from Banner of Truth Trust
in Church History (Location: XCH-HIS)
$29.00
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 (2 in stock)
Luther by Those Who Knew Him
Reformation Trail Series #20
by Elizabeth R. Charles
from Inheritance Publications
for 9th-Adult
in Reformation Trail Series (Location: FIC-WH06)
$19.95
Makers of Puritan History
by Marcus L. Loane
from Banner of Truth Trust
for 10th-Adult
in Church History (Location: XCH-HIS)
$24.00
Martin Luther: Selections from His Writings
by Martin Luther
from Anchor Books
Biography for 11th-Adult
in Renaissance & Reformation Literature (Location: LIT3-REN)
$20.00
Martin Luther: The Man and His Work
Reformation Trail Series #19
by Arthur C. McGiffert
from Inheritance Publications
for 9th-Adult
in Reformation Trail Series (Location: FIC-WH06)
$19.95
Memoir & Remains of Robert Murray M’Cheyne
by Andrew Bonar
from Banner of Truth Trust
for Adult
in Biographies (Location: BIO)
$35.00
Mighty Weakness of John Knox
Long Line of Godly Men Profiles
by Douglas Bond
from P&R Publishing
for 9th-Adult
in Clearance: Biographies (Location: ZCLE-BIO)
$11.20
Mimosa
by Amy Carmichael
from Christian Literature Crusade
for 9th-Adult
in History of Missions (Location: XCH-MIS)
$11.99
Missionary Travels
by David Livingstone
from Living Book Press
for 10th-Adult
in 19th Century Literature (Location: LIT6-19)
$22.99
Narrow Road
by Brother Andrew, Elizabeth Sherrill, Jars of Clay, John Sherrill
from YWAM Publishing
for 10th-Adult
in International Adventures (Location: BIO-INTADV)
$14.99
Next Christendom
by Philip Jenkins
Revised and Updated from Oxford University
for Adult
in Evangelism & Missions (Location: XAP-EVA)
$9.95
Old Western Culture Year 3 Volume 4 - Workbook
by Wesley Callihan & Chris Schlect
version 1.0.0 from Roman Roads Media
for 9th-Adult
in Old Western Culture (Location: LITCUR-OWC)
$16.00
Our Hymns, Our Heritage
by David & Barbara Leeman, foreword by Keith & Kristyn Getty
from Moody Press
for 9th-Adult
in History of Hymns (Location: XCH-HYMN)
$24.99
Pages from Church History
by Stephen J. Nichols
from P&R Publishing
Church History Reference for 10th-Adult
in Church History Overviews (Location: XCH-OVE)
$15.99
Peace Child
by Don Richardson
4th edition from Regal Books
Biography for 10th-Adult
in History of Missions (Location: XCH-MIS)
$15.99
Pierre Viret
by Jean-Marc Berthoud
1st edition
for 9th-Adult
in Clearance: Biographies (Location: ZCLE-BIO)
$14.50
Prince and Heretic
Prince of Orange Nassau Volume 1
by Marjorie Bowen
from Inheritance Publications
for 9th-Adult
in Historical Fiction (Location: FIC-HIF)
$17.95
Prince and the Pauper
Signet Classics
by Mark Twain
from Signet Classics
Historical Fiction for 8th-Adult
in 19th Century Literature (Location: LIT6-19)
$6.95
Revival and Revivalism
by John Flavel
from Banner of Truth Trust
for Adult
in Church History (Location: XCH-HIS)
$33.00
Romance of Protestantism
Reformation Trail Series #04
by Deborah Alcock
from Inheritance Publications
for 9th-12th grade
in Reformation Trail Series (Location: FIC-WH06)
$12.95
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