Christian History Made Easy (Print)

     Christian History Made Easy is a different textbook on church history. Different because it is not just a book filled with dates, names, and timelines in dull black and white print. Yes, it has dates, names and timelines. But it also is filled with stories of people, movements, and events that all of us can relate to. The book is printed in full color complete with numerous maps, pictures, images, photos, important quotes along with lists of key people, events and terms we should all know.
     As with all books written by men, the author writes from his perspective as a professor at a evangelical seminary. But this does not diminish the educational value of his work. The book is neither too brief to be thorough, nor too long to be overwhelming. 

"In sermons and devotional books, Christians encounter names like Augustine and Calvin, Spurgeon and Moody. Their stories are interesting. Truth be told, though, most church members have a tough time fitting these stories together. The typical individual’s knowledge of church history ends with the apostles and doesn’t find its footings again until sometime in the twentieth century.
     Still, the story of Christianity deeply affects every believer in Jesus Christ. The history of the Christian faith affects how we read the Bible. It affects how we view our government. It affects how we worship. Simply put, the church’s history is our family history.
     When you read words like “predestined” or “justified” in the apostle Paul’s letter to the Romans, it isn’t only Paul and your pastor who affect how you respond. Even if you don’t realize it, Christian thinkers such as Augustine and John Calvin and Jonathan Edwards also influence how you understand these words.
     So, if the history of Christianity affects so much of what we do, what’s the problem? Why isn’t everyone excited about this story? Simply this: A few pages into many history books, and the story of Christianity can suddenly seem like a vast and dreary landscape, littered with a few interesting anecdotes and a lot of dull dates.
     What we don’t seem to recognize is that church history is a story. It’s an exciting story about ordinary people that God has used in extraordinary ways. What’s more, it’s a story that every Christian ought to know. That’s why I wrote this book.
     Christian History Made Easy is a summary of the church’s story, written in words that anyone can understand. I haven’t cluttered the text with abstract facts and figures and footnotes. Christian History Made Easy is a collection of stories. Together, these stories are intended to sketch one small portion of what God has been up to for the past 2,000 years."
– By the author, Timothy Paul Jones, Ph.D.

CONTENTS:
Introduction: Why Does Church History Matter?
1. AD 64-177: The Gospels, the Apostles… Then What?
2. AD 90-250: Balancing the Past with the Present
3. AD 247-420: The Wins… and Losses
4. AD 376-664: Servant-Leaders, or Leaders of Servants?
5. AD 496-1291: From Multiplication to Division
6. AD 673-1295: God Never Stops Working
7. AD 1294-1517: Everything Falls Apart
8. AD 1500-1609: Wild Pigs in a Dirty Vineyard
9. AD 1510-1767: Change Doesn't Always Do You Good
10. AD 1620-1814: You Say you Want a Revolution
11. AD 1780-1914: Optimism Has Its Limits
12. AD 1906-2009: Modern, Postmodern, and Beyond
Appendix: Study Guide

ABOUT TIMOTHY PAUL JONES: The author is the Vice President of Doctoral Studies and serves as a professor of leadership, church history and apologetics at the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, KY. He has also served various Baptist churches as a minister for more than three decades. He is the author of more than 20 books. 

Click here to read the first chapter of Christian History Made Easy

Author/Speaker: Timothy Paul Jones
Binding/Media: Paperback
Copyright: 2009
ISBN: 978-1-59636-328-1
Language: English
Pages: 224
Size: 6 x 9
Publisher: Hendrickson-Rose