Sojourner #098: Two Thousand Years Of Church History At Our Fingertips
“Remember your leaders, those who spoke to you the word of God. Consider the outcome of their way of life, and imitate their faith.” (Hebrews 13:7, ESV) Why Church History Matters When We Read Scripture Long before William Carey sailed for India, before Adoniram Judson translated Scripture into Burmese, before Lottie Moon wrote letters home from China, generations of Christians studied the same Scriptures, proclaimed the same gospel, and entrusted the same faith to those who would come after them. In this way, the church’s mission did not begin with us, nor did the church’s understanding of Scripture. Yet many Christians read the Bible as though no one has ever read it before. We often approach the Scriptures with little awareness of the believers who have gone before us. We may consult modern study notes, listen to contemporary preaching, or read recent commentaries, but rarely do we sit down at the Bible study table with the broader church across the centuries. In doing so, we miss o...
