No Christian can downplay the importance of church history. In order to know where we are going, we must have an idea of where we come from. Historic theology and the trials, tribulations, successes, and failures of other faithful Christians provide us with many lessons and illustrations to help us along our way. Regardless of anything else he may have said, Philip Schaff has a wonderful quote on the importance of church history asking, “How shall we labour with any effect to build up the Church, if we have no thorough knowledge of her history, or fail to apprehend it from the proper point of observation? History is, and must ever continue to be, next to God’s Word, the richest foundation of wisdom, and sweet guide to all successful practical activity.” Thus, we recognize that church history is of vital importance to the Christian and the Christian church.
As a Southern Baptist, church history conversations are usually limited to discussions of The Reformers and the Conservative Resurgence. Gather any group of Baptists, and the conversation will invariably turn to the regaling of stories of Martin Luther and John Calvin, Paige Patterson and Adrian Rogers, and Charles Spurgeon. I believe wholeheartedly that each of these men should be studied and are well worth our time and consideration, with each contributing massively to their respective fields. I have a book from 1731 containing Luther’s sermons in German, and Spurgeon (one of my personal favorites) could fill a lifetime of study. However, there is so much value to be had in examining the history of Christ’s church outside of just these men.
For instance, we would do well to study the early church, to study Augustine and his rebuttal of Pelagius, Hus’ faithfulness, and the faithfulness and zeal of the English Baptists such as Andrew Fuller and John Gill, the holiness of the Puritans, and the depth of Edwards. One would do well to study the obscure histories of the church. But, there is one area of church history that is even less obscure, that may be more valuable. That history is the history of your own local church.
At the church that I currently serve, we are fortunate to have books, records, photographs, and historic drawings detailing the history of our church. We are a relatively young church (94 years in existence), but our history is rich. Whether your church is a few years old or has centuries of history, there is much to learn. By examining your church history you will doubtless find examples of faithfulness and failure. However, you and your church will learn much from both. Our church has seen faithful servants persevere through tough times and it has seen conflict. Both should motivate us to further faithfulness and unity moving forward. Though many things are different between eras, the major issues that face the church are not. Every generation deals with hostility toward the Gospel in some way, every generation faces doctrinal debate, every generation has worship preferences, and every generation has generational divides. By studying the past of our own local churches, we are able to see how Biblical truth will sustain when followed and how sin will divide where truth is neglected. Additionally, where faithfulness is found, it is found in familiar faces and families rather than historically distant figures.
Studying your church’s history is a wonderful accent to the history of the Church as a whole. We should not neglect to study either. By knowing the history of the Church Universal and your own local church, you will be better equipped with illustrations and affirmations of Biblical truth. Though history is not necessary to understand God’s word, history always shows how God is faithful to each generation. By seeing God’s hand of providence in history, we are reminded that as the Psalmist says, “Your faithfulness endures to all generations.” (Psalm 119:90 ESV)
Colt Hudson 