1. History of Christianity Why Study Christian History?

2. What is Christian History? God’s Hand moving through people, events, for Him until His ultimate victory

3. Why Study Christian History? 1. Christian History is an essential part of universal history 2. The study of Christian history is necessary to understand current Christianity 3. Studying Christian history helps us understand the Christian Life

4. Why Study Christian History? 4. Christian history keeps us from falling into previous heresies 5. Studying Christian history enables us to see the working of great biblical principles through history 6. Christian history gives us the strongest evidence that Christianity will be triumphant. 7. Christian History is essential to understanding theology (systematic)

5. Beginning of Christianity Galatians 4:4 “But when the fullness of time had come. God sent forth his Son, born of a woman, born under the law.” God has an active role of in History in general. God is not a deistic God when it comes to history. God is active in his role in History. This is evidence in the incarnation of Christ. John 1:14 Jesus born around 4 to 6 A.D. by some scholars, Jesus died under the rule of Pontius Pilate between 30 and 33 A.D.

6. Beginning of Christianity In Acts 1, Jesus ascends into heaven. His followers are left behind. We can learn some early lessons from the church in its birth. 1. It was small Only about 120 believers

7. Beginning of Christianity 2. It was in one Location: Jerusalem 3. It was dependent on the Holy Spirit for growth, not programs 4. Everything was common 5. It spread through persecution: Stoning of Stephen 6. It was missional: Church at Antioch.