Church History for Modern Ministry: Why Our Past Matters for Everything We Do
We Have Much to Learn from History
Many Christians believe that church history belongs in the past. Pastor Dayton Hartman disagrees. He argues that church history is not old news, but a tradition that brings depth and vitality to today’s ministry.
In Church History for Modern Ministry, Hartman explores the importance of church history and its relevance for addressing contemporary church issues. He discusses the impact of the early church fathers and the value of incorporating the creeds into weekly worship.
Today’s believers have much to gain from learning the history of the church. Their faithfulness, discipleship, and perseverance have built a strong foundation from which we can take the message of the gospel into the future.
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Praise for Church History for Modern Ministry
Church History for Modern Ministry reminds us that to fully embrace our future we must first understand our past. One of the most useful features of this book are the theological and historical call-outs scattered through the text. These reference tools make this book one to which you will continually return. Hartman's primer allows the reader to quickly and astutely grasp an overview of Church history upon which to build a foundation of ministry.
—Thom S. Rainer, president and CEO of LifeWay Christian Resources, author of I Am a Church Member
Hartman gives us an enjoyable, readable, and trustworthy book that helps us see the theological and ministerial value of studying our history. If you’re a pastor, you need to know church history—not just for doctrinal clarity and sermon illustrations, but also for your own spiritual nourishment. I will be pointing pastors and aspiring pastors to this book for years to come.
—Tony Merida, PhD; Johnny Hunt Chair of Biblical Preaching, Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary
For many evangelicals, church history jumps from the book of Acts, has a brief stopover in the Protestant Reformation, and picks up in the present day. In Church History for Modern Ministry, Hartman corrects our dangerous a-historical view by mining the rich history of our faith. I’ll be recommending this to pastors and parishioners alike. It’s a great way for them to meet the family they never knew they had!
—Drew Dyck, managing editor, Leadership Journal; author, Yawning at Tigers: You Can’t Tame God, So Stop Trying
Top Highlights
“How can you put the creeds into practice as guardrails? First, you should familiarize yourself with the ecumenical creeds. Second, you should find creative ways to mention the creeds and their value in your sermons or Bible studies. Third, you should periodically recite creeds during worship.” (Page 17)
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“others conflated his divine and human natures (Eutychianism).” (Page 4) |
“Through Christ, the church is unified, but it is not uniform.” (Page 7)
“Biblical orthodoxy matters because God calls us to know and worship him as he has revealed himself through Scripture” (Page 16)
“Second, introducing creeds into worship has matured our church body’s theological literacy—a basic desire of all pastors” (Page 18)
Contents
- Back to the Future
- Creed and Creeds
- Imitating Christ
- Preaching and the Cultural Drift
- Christians and Culture
- Yesterday, Today was the Future
Product Details
- Title: Church History for Modern Ministry: Why Our Past Matters for Everything We Do
- Author: Dayton Hartman
- Publisher: Lexham Press
- Publication Date: 2016
- Pages: 96
- Format: Logos Digital, Paperback
- Trim Size: 5.5x8.5
- ISBN: 9781577996606
Sample Pages from Church History for Modern Ministry
Reviews
3 ratings
David Karow
5/7/2019
Corky Chavers
1/2/2018
Glenn Crouch
3/17/2016
This excellent little book is a fantastic starting point for getting into Church History - as it looks at why we should be interested in Church History. The Author humbly shares his experiences coming from a background that didn't really consider what "has gone before", we get a Baptist Pastor sharing the blessings that the Holy Spirit can provide today through the work He was involved in throughout the centuries of Church History. This is also a great book for an introduction to the Creeds - in particular Apostles Creed and Nicene Creed. I was also pleased to see a good set of references, so that this book can be a spring board into further study. For me, whilst being brought up a Christian, really discovered Church History at about 18 years old - and this book did indeed renew the joy of that discovery :) My only minor criticism is that I think he emphasises the American side of things a little too much - it would not take much for this to be a book that easily worked throughout the English-speaking world. I thoroughly enjoyed it. It is an easy read. If you don't know what the Apostles Creed is, or you don't know who Luther or Calvin were, then grab this book and start on an adventure. For me the adventure is still going strong :)
