Description:
A Survey of Church History
Church history is the study of the greatest undertaking the world has ever known: Jesus Christ building His kingdom. Even though the church faces persecution, suffering, and a decline in numbers at times, the kingdom of Christ marches on. The gates of hell will not prevail against the onslaught of Jesus and His disciples. Christ will triumph against the forces of spiritual darkness. This is the story of the church.
As century follows century, much of the work accomplished by the followers of the Carpenter from Galilee may not appear on the front page of newspapers. But when the dust settles and the history books are written, we find a church growing and expanding across the globe. We find Christian hospitals and orphanages everywhere. We find Christian culture impacting every aspect of human life on planet Earth! This is how the mustard seed and the leaven works. It is slow. It is subtle. But it does really grow.
The tale of Christ’s kingdom is both fascinating and full of surprises. It includes pastors and teachers as well as people from every background and all walks of life. From kings and royal courtiers to tradesmen and peasants, Christ builds His church through living stones. Through their stories, we can observe how God’s faithfulness has beautifully and masterfully preserved His people through more than twenty centuries. Then and now, Christ’s kingdom is growing, and His building work continues to this day.
这本书带领读者认识两千多年来耶稣基督建立祂教会的历史。虽然历代教会经历逼迫、苦难和各种挑战，福音仍不断传播，基督的教会也持续在世界各地成长。
书中透过不同年代、不同背景基督徒的故事——从牧师、教师到君王、工匠和平民——展现神如何使用祂的百姓建立教会，并透过宣教、教育、医院、孤儿院及基督教文化影响世界。
透过这些历史故事，读者可以认识神在历代教会中的信实与保守，并看见基督建立祂教会的工作直到今天仍在继续。