Church History

ACTS 1 to this Kinship2000 years in 40 minutes.

Compiled by John Ensworth,West Springfield Kinship

Why Study Church History? Learn the Mistakes of History → Avoid

them? Those who cannot learn from history are doomed to repeat it.

Discover our own roots (Restoration Movement, Vineyard)

Avoid swinging the pendulum Grace ↔ Legalism Doctrine ↔ Zeal, Emotion, Heart Asceticism ↔ Freedom

The beginning

Acts 1 + Reading from “Introduction to Church History”

Persecution & Growth The Temple priests went after them in Acts

4 First a warning, then a beating, then

murder. Stephen – the first martyr – Acts 7:54-60

Scattered the church and spread the word world wide.

Paul’s Conversion Saul of Tarsus, a devote Pharisee

(present at the stoning of Stephen) Was heading to stamp out believers in

Damascus - Acts 9 Met Christ along the way Annanias was sent by God to help Paul Was baptized and received the Holy

Spirit in Damascus –then went to Arabia for 3 years

Gal 1:17-19 16 to reveal his Son in me so that I might

preach him among the Gentiles, I did not consult any man, 17 nor did I go up to Jerusalem to see those who were apostles before I was, but I went immediately into Arabia and later returned to Damascus.

18 Then after three years, I went up to Jerusalem to get acquainted with Peter and stayed with him fifteen days. 19I saw none of the other apostles—only James, the Lord's brother.

Paul planted, taught and wrote Worked and spent time with some of the

disciples ((Barnabas), Peter, James) Church in Antioch Cyprus and Asia Minor (Turkey) Macedonia Greece – Philippi, Thessalonica, Berea,

Corinth Ephesus – then imprisoned in Rome 2

years Crete

Other early church planters Bartholomew – Armenia Andrew – Southern Russia and Ukraine Thomas – Persia and India Matthew – Ethiopia James (younger) – Egypt Jude – Assyria and Persia Mark (not the apostle) – Alexandria Peter- Babylonia (? – or name for Rome)

After the apostles and friends passed away…

The Apostolic Fathers: Apostolic or Post-Apostolic Fathers (c. 95-105

AD) The Apologists (c. 140-200) The Polemicists (c. 180-225) The Scientific Theologians (c. 225-460)

(Arbitrary periods and designations, but useful)

The Apostolic Fathers Purpose: To exhort and edify the

church Writers/Writings:

Clement Shepherd of Hermas Papias Barnabas Ignatius Didache Polycarp

(c. 95-105 AD)

The Apologists Purpose: To defend the Faith

Leaders: Justin Martyr, Tatian, Tertulllian

(c. 140-200 AD)

Early Schisms and Heresies

Judaizers legalism

Gnostics humanity of Jesus, deep knowledge, we are divine souls trapped in material world by imperfect God/spirit,

matter = evil, our spirit = good

Marcionites Jehovah an evil god- Hebrew bible rejected

Montanists charismatic, newer prophecies supersede apostles, were ‘possessed by God’ when they spoke

Early Schisms and Heresies

Novatianists purity of the church, back sliders (those who renounced Christ under persecution) not readmitted to the church

Arians deity of Jesus and different relationship between the Father and Jesus – nontrinitarian

Ebionism opposed Paul, discounted his writings and teachings

Monarchianism rule of one- bothered by the trinity – power of God sank into Jesus over time

Manicheism Gnosticism with strong Oriental religious elements – mix of light and dark (good and evil). Christ came to help the light side.

The Polemicists Purpose:To attack error.

Leaders: Irenaeus, Hippolytus, Tertullian, Cyprian

(c. 180-225 AD)

The Apostolic Church Drifts…

Leadership/Church Organization Doctrine of Baptism Asceticism, Monasticism etc. Creeds, Liturgy, Church Calendar,

Sacramentalism Sacerdotalism/Priesthood The Lord’s Supper

becomes a sacrifice/supernatural

Hermeneutics – system of studying something and arriving at truth

The Scientific Theologians Purpose: To develop scientific methods of

biblical interpretation

Theologians:Alexandrian – Pantaenus, Clement, Origen, Athanasius, Cyril

Western- Jerome, Ambrose,Augustine

Eastern – Theodore, John Chrysostome

(c. 225-460 AD)

More Persecution -Rome Earliest official persecution – 64-100

AD blame for fire of Rome July 19, 64 AD 95AD originally directed at Jews who

didn’t pay taxes Imperial Policy – 111-161 AD

response to many leaving paganism mobs called for Christian blood and this

was discouraged by Rome at first

More Persecution -Rome

Marcus Aurelius – 161-180 AD Sent spies out to find Christians

(didn’t wait for mobs or reports) Riots and mobs not checked 1000’s thrown to lions and beheaded

including Justin Martyr Still not considered an all out war on

Christianity empire wide

More Persecution -Rome Persecution across the empire 249-305 AD

1000th year anniversary of Rome celebrated Looked back on earlier glory and wondered what

messed it up…Christianity? Decius 249-251 AD – state religion needed Valerian 253-260 AD – was favorable towards

Christians at first – many Christian leaders killed later on

260-303 AD – quiet period 303-305 AD – Diocletian(east) /Maximian (west) -

Destruction of Christian places of worship and holy books decreed.

More Persecution -Rome Toleration under Constantine from 313

AD+

Holy Roman Church becomes legal 313 AD

Fall of Roman Empire –September 4, 476 AD

The Canon First (messed up Gnostic) cannon –

Marcion 140 AD Destruction of scared writings by the

Romans in 303 AD showed need to know what is worth dying for.

What is Canon? Writings inspired by God.

(Which ones?) Apostle writings. Those close to the apostles. Moral and doctorial elements

match apostle writings? Satisfied Hebrew Bible prophecy. The four gospels and Acts.

Canon and Paul Paul's letters were circulated with the

first NT canon 250 AD – Had the four gospels, 13

epistles of Paul + 4 books not in the NT today.

Hebrews was disputed – author unknown

Given to Constantine in 330 AD

Councils of Carthate 393 AD (St. Augustine was bishop)

apparently set the current NT canon

397 AD – no additions or subtractions will be made.

Approaching the Middle Ages 325-681 AD Theological controversy and the Fall

of Rome The Roman Catholic Church forms –

reference to it in 107 AD Catholic = “the one church formed

by Jesus and the apostles” Legalized under Constantine 313 AD

Pope Gregory the Great 540-604 A.D. Transformed the bishopric of Rome into a

papal system Introduced major changes in the liturgy and

standardized it (though didn’t actually create Gregorian chants)

Helped bring together the branches of Roman Catholic theology that were developing

Penned famous commentary on Job which defined how commentaries were to be done.

Clarified ideas: Original Sin Forgiveness through baptism Purgatory Converted the Eucharist from a

sacrament into a sacrifice for redemption

Islam Created Islam came into existence 622 AD Mohammad traveled to the Christian world

to find a religion to unite the Arab world Was rejected Took elements from Judaism, Christianity

and Arabian heathenism Preached 13 years in Mecca against

polytheism, then flight to Medina in 622AD.

Islam Created Conquered Mecca in 629 AD Died 632 AD ruler of the Arabian

peninsula Qur’an formed about 650 AD Major schism : Sunni (largest ~90%) and

Shi’ite (7 to 15% of Muslims) late 600’s

Now 1/5th of the world (.9 to 1.4 billion) (Christianity 1.9 billion presently)

Present percentage of population that is Muslim by country.

Present percentage of population that is Christian by country.

Middle Ages and the Catholic Church Charlemagne was crowned ‘emperor

of the Romans’ by Pope Leo III 800 AD Took this to mean he was the leader

of all Christendom as well The Holy Roman Empire 800 AD Was Christianity for almost 200 years. (Napoleon abolished the empire in

1806 1000 years later!)

Schism 1054 AD The 1st great rift. The western (Latin) branch The eastern (Greek) branch

Today The worldwide Catholic Church is made up of 1 Western Latin and 22 Eastern Catholic autonomous particular churches, all of which look to the Bishop of Rome (the Pope), alone or along with the College of Bishops, as their highest authority on earth for matters of faith, morals and church governance.

Crusades Crusades: 1095AD - to the Holy Land to

contain/push back Islam – failed ultimately Inquisition: 1184 to 1230’s – sought to

assure religious and doctrinal unity within Christianity through conversion, and sometimes prosecution, of alleged heretics. Spanish 1478-1834, Portuguese 1536-1560+ Roman 1542-mid 1800’s

(including Galileo Galilei 1633)

Decline of the Medieval Church 1305-1517 AD

Rise of nationalism Backlash against the Inquisition Reaction against money-raising efforts of the

Church (indulgences, oppressive taxes) Moral Laxity (especially 1400’s) Secularization of the church (the Renaissance) The Crusades Babylonian Captivity of the papacy (the pope was

a virtual prisoner of the king of France 1305-1377)

Papal Schism – Incompetent Pope Urban VI (1378-1417)

The Protestant Reformation The 2nd great rift. Germany in 1517 with Martin Luther Concluded with the Peace of Westphalia in

1648. (ended the 30 and 80 years war, France, Germany, Sweden, Dutch, and the Holy roman Empire – Christians could worship freely wherever they were).

Martin Luther nailed his Ninety-Five Theses On the Power of Indulgences to the door of the Wittenberg Castle Church, which served as a pin board for university-related announcements. These were points for debate that criticized the Church and the Pope.

The Protestant branches… The most important Protestant groups to

emerge directly from the reformation were the Lutherans, the Reformed/Calvinists/Presbyterians, the Anabaptists, and the Anglicans.

Subsequent Protestant denominations generally trace their roots back to the initial Reformation traditions. It also accelerated the Catholic or Counter Reformation within the Roman Catholic Church.

Christian Branches

The thread of True Christianity in the Middle Ages?

Paulicians 650-900’s Asia Minor – Some Gnostic elements, but accepted the OT, Gospels, Paul’s letters – and condoned the prophetic and tongues

Arnold of Brescia 1100 Italy – gave his possessions away, land to the government, opposed the pope – taught of the trinity (also Héloïse)

The thread of Christianity in the Middle Ages?

Peter of Bruys 1110 Northern Italy – taught in opposition to the Roman Catholic Church

Taught children younger than the age of understanding cannot be saved by baptism, ornate churches do not make the Church, the cross should not be a Christian symbol, there is no transubstantiation, you can’t sacrifice and pray or give alms for the dead – good deeds cannot profit the dead.

Waldensians 1175-1500’s Peter Waldo, Switzerland – taught the value of poverty, public preaching and the personal study of scriptures (Mennonites and Baptists trace their roots through the Waldensians)

The Reformation

John Wycliffe England, 1324-1384 John Huss Bohemia, 1374-1415 Martin Luther Germany, 1483-1546 Ulrich Zwingli Switzerland, 1484-1531 William Tyndale England, 1494-1536 John Calvin France, 1509-1564 John Knox Scotland, 1505-1572

John Wycliffe 1324-1384

Translated Vulgate into English

Opposed

indulgences, idols, priesthood

The Pope is the antichrist

(later years)

Followers known as Lollards

Declared heretic 1401:

The Anti-Wycliffite Statute

John Huss 1374-1415 Bohemia

Influenced by Wycliffe

Bible the only authority

Only

God can forgive sin

Burned at the stake

Hussites

virtually wiped out by the Inquisition

Brethren and Moravian Churches

(Anabaptist and/or Pietist movements)

John Huss Burned at the stake, 1415

A quick Review God and His Spirit started the Church –

Acts 1 Jewish then Roman persecution spread it The Holy Roman Church traces it’s roots

to the apostles and was ‘the main show in town’ until the reformation from 1517 to 1648.

Martin Luther 1483-1546

Augustinian Monk

95 Theses in Wittenburg

Studied Romans

Salvation by Faith Only

Scripture Only to know about God

Predestination – believed in, but shouldn’t be discussed

Book of James a “book of straw.” (will ‘burn up’ and not remain canon over time)

Kept much of Catholic worship practices

Ulrich Zwingli (1484-1531)

Swiss Reformer

More radical than Luther

Rejected almost all Catholic forms of worship.

Differed on the Lord’s Supper – set a table down the isle and men and women sat – bread and wine served on boards and wooden cups

His influence led to the Anabaptists

Principle influence on John Calvin

William Tyndale 1494-1536

Protestant reformer

Translated the Bible into Early Modern English

First to use the new medium of print

Arrested and jailed in 1535 in the castle of Vilvoorde outside of Brussels, Belgium

Was tried for heresy and treason, was strangled and burnt at the stake in the castle courtyard.

Much of his translation made it into the King James Version in 1611

The Anabaptist Movement (1530’s and later)

The Radical Reformation

Menno Simmons 1496-1561

Martyrdom of Anabaptists

The Anabaptist Movement

Baptism by immersion of adults after confession of faith for salvation.

Bible the only authority. Separation of church and state. Emphasized both life and doctrine Pacifists (usually) Many became martyrs Began evangelistic, but became exclusive and

withdrawn. (Mennonites, Amish, Hutterites) Tended to be very schismatic

John Calvin 1509-1564

Influenced most strongly by Zwingli Strongly influenced by theology of Augustine Most influential theologian of the Reformation Emphasized Historical/Covenantal Theology Wrote Institutes of Christian Religion Established an autocratic theocracy in Geneva Best known for his strong emphasis on

Predestination TULIP

TULIP Total depravity of mankind

every person is this by default

Unconditional election God decides who will be saved ultimately

Limited atonement The atonement of Christ applies only to those saved

Irresistible grace The Holy Spirit CAN overcome all resistance and save

final Preservation of the saintsIf you are saved, you are saved. If you return to willful sinning/evil etc. you never were saved or you will return to Him before the end.

The Church of England Traces it’s roots to 597 AD Is the officially established Christian church in England,

and acts as the "mother" and senior branch of the worldwide Anglican Communion

Reformed insofar as many of the principles of the early Protestants as well as the subsequent Protestant Reformation have influenced it, and does not accept Papal authority.

Catholic in that it views itself as the unbroken continuation of the early apostolic and later medieval universal church, rather than as a new formation. In its customs and liturgy it has retained more of that tradition than most other reformed churches.

Other Important Figures in the Reformation

John Knox 1505-1572. Brought Calvinism to Scotland. Became the Presbyterian Church

Puritans. 1559+ England. Congregational autonomy. Became the Congregational Church

Other Important Figures in the Reformation

Baptists. 1612 (Anabaptist origins)Added believer’s baptism to Calvinism.

Quakers. 1648 Literally quaked. A charismatic, emotional movement.

Other Important Figures in the Reformation

Anglicans 1560’s – The Church of England – a doctrinal system of worshipping God falling somewhere between Roman Catholicism and Protestantism – adopt the Apostles Creed and Nicene Creed for example. King James Bible. Book of Common Prayers.

Methodists: John Wesley started it near 1730 reacting to apathy in the Church of England. Formed in Oxford, England Anglican Church roots

Christian Branches

God’s Big Corrections A number of revivals has reoriented

the Church to God and his plan – this might be a good topic for a future kinship…

Fast Forward to the late 1800’s in the western U.S.

International Church of the Foursquare Gospel

An evangelical Pentecostal denomination(evangelical = personal conversion and authority

of the Bible + preaching and proselytizing)(Pentecostal = direct personal experience of God

through the baptism of the Holy Spirit – similar but different from the Charismatic movement.)

(denomination = a religious group sharing a common name, tradition, identity, doctrine, theology, philosophy, religious pluralism or even ethics)

International Church of the Foursquare Gospel

Foursquare Gospel from revival in Oakland Co. 1922

Aimee Semple McPherson (1890-1944) was a controversial female evangelist founded Foursquare church in 1927 in LA.

Parents were Methodist, but she was an atheist when young

L.I.F.E. Bible College Has grown to 1,844 churches in the US More than 30,000 churches worldwide

International Church of the Foursquare Gospel values

The Bible as the inspired word of God The Trinity The atoning death of Christ for sinners Salvation through the grace of God by Faith

Alone in the Lord Jesus Christ The necessity of sincere repentance and

acceptance of Christ The new birth (Sanctification) The daily growth through power, prayer, love

and service

International Church of the Foursquare Gospel values

Baptism by immersion The memorial of The Lord's Supper as church

ordinances The baptism of the Holy Spirit with evidence of

Speaking In Tongues The Gifts and Fruits of the Spirit Divine healing The imminent return of Jesus Christ Final judgment Evangelism Tithing and Offerings

Foursquare and other denominations

Foursquare Church formed the "Pentecostal Fellowship of North America" in 1948 in Des Moines, Iowa together with the Assemblies of God, the Church of God, the Open Bible Standard Churches, the Pentecostal Holiness Church, and others.

In 1994, the Fellowship reorganized as the Pentecostal/Charismatic Churches of North America after reconciliation with African Americans, particularly the constituency of the Church of God in Christ.

Calvary Chapel – nondenominational churches

Started in 1965 in Southern California Calvary Chapel Costa Mesa

Broke away from the Foursquare Gospel denomination, Santa Anna California over “Does the Holy Spirit speak through prophecy today?”.

Became associated with the Jesus Movement (Christian element of the hippie element late 1960’s and early 1970’s – west coast U.S. then worldwide until it faded out in the early 1980’s)

1000+ churches worldwide

Calvary Churches Nondenominational / Protestant A mostly Episcopal church governance

(tracing roots to Anglicanism) Tongues and prophecy not normal part of

Sunday service – but are doctrinally valid Often teach Genesis to Revelation – verse

by verse, chapter by chapter, book by book.

Topical studies may be misleading.

The Vineyard Considered an Evangelical church

‘in-between’ Charismatic and Pentecostal denominations.

In 1974 a fellowship began in West Los Angeles with Kenn and Joannie Gulliksen, which was led to take the name of the "Vineyard" (Isaiah 27:2-3; John 15:5.)

John Wimber When John was conscripted by God he was,

in the words of Christianity Today, a "beer-guzzling, drug-abusing pop musician, who was converted at the age of 29 while chain-smoking his way through a Quaker-led Bible study" (Christianity Today, editorial, Feb. 9 1998).

He began church planting and became the pastor at Calvary Chapel church – Yorba Linda, California in 1997.

Influences on John Wimber “George Eldon Ladd’s

(1911-1982 Baptist minister and Fuller Theological Seminar professor) theological writings on the kingdom of God convinced John intellectually that the all the biblical gifts of the Holy Spirit should be active in the church.”

Influences on John Wimber “Encounters with Fuller missiologists

Donald McGavaran and C. Peter Wagner (Global Harvest Ministries, co-founder of the World Prayer Center – former New Life Church member Colorado Springs) and seasoned missionaries and international students gave him credible evidence for combining evangelism with healing and prophecy.”

Vineyard Roots In 1982 John Wimber’s church became a

Vineyard and other pastors and leaders from the handful of Vineyard churches began looking to John for direction.

The Vineyard movement was born and spread quickly around the world.

Vineyard Core Principles

1. God the King and the Holy Trinity2. God the King: The Creator and Ruler of All Things 3. Counterfeit Kingdom: Satan and Demonic Hosts 4. The Kingdom in the Creation of Man, the Fall and

The Doctrine of Original Sin 5. God's Providence, Kingdom Law and Covenants 6. Christ the Mediator and Eternal King

Vineyard Core Principles

7. The Ministry of the Holy Spirit 8. The Sufficiency of Scripture 9. The Power of the Gospel Over the Kingdom of

Darkness 10. The Church: Instrument of the Kingdom 11. Baptism and the Lord's Supper 12. The Kingdom of God and the Final Judgment

Vineyard Today John Wimber passed away

November 16, 1997.

The Association of Vineyard churches include 1,500+ churches worldwide.

The Woodbridge Vineyard The church’s founding pastor,

Jim Robb, along with his wifeBeverly, moved to the Northern Virginia area in the winter of 1987, following completion of his studies at Fuller Theological Seminary.

Woodbridge Vineyard

Jim and Beverly began the process of gathering people to form the core of a new Vineyard church plant.

They met in homes until they had their first public meeting at Fred Lynn Middle School (next to our future church location).

The church grew rapidly and was able to move into its current facility (at 13550 Jefferson Davis Highway) in May of 1990.

Woodbridge Vineyard in Change

March 2002, Jim Rob died of a heart attack in California (he was attending a distance learning class at the Jack Hayford School but he had to go to the actual school once a quarter for 1-2 weeks in California)

After a search, Rick Frantz was called as the new senior pastor July 2002.

Woodbridge Vineyard in Change

May 2006, Rick Frantz resigned. Dan Davis (the associate pastor at the

time) became the current pastor. The church is poised to move to it’s

own facility sometime Fall 2007.

VCF Woodbridge Core Values Worship Word Prayer Fellowship Training Ministry

W.A.L.K. We use the acronym “W.A.L.K.” as a framework

for discipleship.

W – Worship (Putting God first in all that we do and recognizing his sovereignty)

A – Align (Making the necessary adjustments to line ourselves up with God’s will and to live as Jesus lived)

L – Look & Listen (Looking to see where God is at work and listening to know how to respond)

K – Kommit (Committing to step out in faith to respond as the Lord directs – taking risks to make a difference)

Our Kinship? Formed April 18th,2007 as a planned

split of the Smith Kinship.

It was created to serve a number of Vineyard families in Springfield, VA.

Both kinships are getting large again.

Putting it all together God and His Spirit started the Church – Acts 1 Jewish then Roman persecution spread it The Holy Roman Church traces it’s roots to the

apostles and was ‘the main show in town’ until the reformation from 1517 to 1648.

Our church doctrine traces to the reformation, then Anglican, Methodist, Four Square Churches, Calvary Chapel, and John Wimber and the Vineyard Movement.

References Based on a presentation by John Oakes,

PhD Apologetics Research Society Link Nelson’s Quick Reference:

Introduction to Church History Wikipedia www.vcfwoodbridge.org www.vineyardusa.org

Additional Information

didn’t have a place for this in this thread.

Lessons Learned From the Early Church

Avoid convenient but unscriptural organizational structure.

Resist the trend toward ritualism in our worship.

Do not overreact to false doctrines. Avoid relying on creeds to defend truth. Do not overemphasize the importance of

physical sacrifice, prayer or any other good spiritual activity

Stress good methods of Bible exegesis