Church History Seminar What Is A Church History Seminar

Stanford E. Murrell, Th.D. 833 Hawk Valley Drive Leechburg, PA 15656 Phone 412 * 443-7851 [email protected]

What is the story of the Christian Church? The story of the Church of Jesus Christ is the chronicle of God’s wonderful grace and faithfulness in the lives of His people. In recent years, more and more people have become interested in knowing about their spiritual heritage. One way to do this is by conducting The Story of the Christian Church Seminar. Each session will be conducted according to the interests of the local assembly. What is church history? Church history is the study of important individuals, special events, and major institutions in the visible Church of Jesus Christ down through the ages. The New Testament expression of the Church began with unusual power on the day of Pentecost, when the Lord was pleased to add great numbers to the body of believers in His name. People then began to organize themselves, for the purpose of carrying on the various ministries ordained by Christ during His time on earth. These ministries include the edification of the saints, and fulfilling the great commission to make disciples of all nations (Ephesians 4:11-13; Matthew 28:19-20). As the Church grew in power and prestige, various institutions were created to facilitate its work. Unfortunately, the world, the flesh, and the devil infiltrated the principles and practices of the kingdom. False doctrines were taught and embraced; truth and error became mixed. The Church’s struggle for spiritual survival became desperate, as the historical narrative reveals. However, despite all the assaults on the Church pat and present, it remains a glorious institution. How God has protected His people is part of The Story of the Christian Church Seminars.

What is The Story of the Christian Church Seminars? These seminars are designed to share what the Lord has done with particular people, places, and events within the vast history of the Church. It is custom tailored to the interests and needs of your particular group, brought to your location, and delivered at a time and place of your choosing. Such a seminar can be aimed at different audiences:  members of the local church, for their edification  the local community as part of an outreach to unchurched neighbors  sponsorship in co-operation with several churches together, for mutual encouragement (Church history often is an area upon which different local churches can unite).  a topic (or topics) from over 50 subjects available can be selected to match the needs of your particular group. Important truths can be brought out from the historical lessons, and applied to today. Financial Arrangements. The Story of the Christian Church Seminar is conducted on the basis of a free will offering. Please pray often for our time together

PART ONE SUGGESTED GENERAL TOPICS TO BUILD A CHURCH SEMINAR AROUND Each lecture is designed to be about 45 minutes in length 

A History of the Second Coming

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American Revolution

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Anabaptist: The Radical Reformation

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Assisi: Francis of

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Augustine

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Baptist, The

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Bernard of Clairvaux

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Bible: How We Got Our Bible

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Booth, William and Catherine

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Bunyan, John

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Calvin, John

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Camp Meetings and Circuit Riders

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Carey, William

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Christianity and the Civil War

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Chrysostom, John

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Columbus and Christianity

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Comenius, Jan Amos

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Converting the Empire

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Cranmer, Thomas

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Crusades, The

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Celtic Christians: A History

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Edwards, Jonathan

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Everyday Faith in the Middle Ages

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Finney, Charles Grandison

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Heresy in the Early Church

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Jesus of Nazareth

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Knox, John: The Thundering Scot

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Lewis, C.S.

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Livingstone, David

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Luther, Martin

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Money in Christian History

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Moody, D. L.

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Orthodox Christianity: History of

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Orthodoxy, Eastern

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Paul, the Apostle and His Times

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Persecution in the Early Church

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Pietism

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Puritans: The American Puritans

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Russia: A Millennium of Christianity

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The Rise of Fundamentalism

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Slavery and Christianity

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Slavery and Christianity

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Spiritual Awakenings: North America

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Spurgeon, Charles Haddon

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Taylor, Hudson

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The Testimony of the Early Church

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Tyndale, William

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Waldensians

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Wesley, John

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Whitefield, George

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Wiberforce, William

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Women in the Early Church

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Women in the Medieval Church

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Women in the Modern Era  Susanna Wesley mother of John and Charles Wesley.  Mary Bosanquet Fletcher. Along with friends Sarah Crosby and Sarah Ryan ran an orphanage and led small group gatherings for spiritual growth that sometimes numbered in the 100’s.  Phoebe Palmer. Along with her sister, Sarah Worral Lankford, founded the Tuesday Meeting for the Promotion of Holiness, also founder of The Five Points Mission in NYC. Her ministry prompted a wave of holiness teaching in the US and sparked an extensive revival in Ontario, Canada.  Hannah Whitall Smith A Quaker, she wrote The Christians’s Secret to a Happy Life. She and her husband were instrumental in the Bristish Keswick movement, a non-Wesleyan holiness stream that would become highly influential in America.  Catherine Booth Alongside her husband, William, she organized the Salvation Army which ministers still to the poor and downtrodden.  Alma White Founder of the Pentecostal Union, later known as The Pillar of Fire.  Corrie Ten Boom, harboress of Jews in WWII, survivor of Nazi concentration camp, hugely impact speaker

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Wycliffe, John

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Zinzendorf and the Moravians

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Zwingli, Ulrich

PART TWO VIDEO FILMS Many of the lectures are designed to be accompanied by an appropriate film or an overhead presentation Film

Minutes



A.D.

360

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America’s Great Awakening

37

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An Empire Conquered

52

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Bonhoffer, Dietrich

60

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Bunyan, John

30

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Carey, William

56

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Comenius

73

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Cromwell

139

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First Fruits

60

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Huss, John

55

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Jesus of Nazareth

371

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Luther, Martin

120

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Midnight Cry, The

90

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Othodox Christianity

90

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Paul

I 26

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Peter and Paul

194

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Radicals, The

100

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Shadowlands

73

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Spurgeon Tonight

56

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Standing in the Storm

60

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Taylor, Hudson

85

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Trials of the Early Church

180

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Tyndale, William

90

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Wesley, John

30

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Wilberforce, William

35

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Wrestling With God

100

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Wycliffe, John

175

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Zwingli and Calvin

28

PART THREE DISCUSSION Handouts will be given when appropriate Ten to twenty minutes should be allowed for this segment

Confirmation for Conducting a Church History Seminar Please print all information Church: ______________________________________________________________________ Address: _____________________________________________________________________ Pastor: ______________________________________________________________________ Date of seminar(s):_____________________________________________________________ Title of lecture(s):______________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________________

Time of seminar(s):____________________________________________________________

Specific directions to the seminars Site: :_____________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________

Will you be able to supply the following?  Overhead Projector: Yes No 

VCR: Yes No



TV: Yes No

 Extension Cord: Yes No

Financial Arrangements: The Story of the Christian Church seminars are conducted on the basis of a free will offering. Please pray often for our time together

A BRIEF SUMMARY OF SEMINAR FILMS AMERICA’S GREAT AWAKENING This program recreates the fire of George Whitefield, the zeal of Samuel Davies, and their pursuit of the rights to worship according to one’s conscience and convictions. (37 minutes) AD The earliest experiences of the Christian church after the ascension of Christ are dramatized in this series dealing with events AD 30-69. (360 minutes) AN EMPIRED CONQUERED The early days of Christians in Rome were both thrilling and treacherous. This program follows five disciples of Christ who were severely persecuted and martyred for their beliefs. (52 minutes) BONHOFFER, DIETRICH Realizing the dangers of the Nazi threat, this young German pastor became a leader in the Confessing Church and a member of an underground movement to overthrow Hitler. The result was his martyrdom. (60 minutes) BUNYAN, JOHN This authentic sample of 17th century preaching by Puritans re-enacts the preaching of Bunyan. (30 minutes) CAREY, WILLIAM Often called "The Father of Modern Missions" the life of William Carey is retold. (56 minutes) COMENIUS The struggles and triumphs in the life of this mighty figure in the history of the Church is retold. (73 minutes) CROMWELL Richard Harris stars in this historical epic as Oliver Cromwell who rose to be the "Lord Protector" of England and influenced the course of Western Civilization. (139 minutes) FIRST FRUITS Under the leadership of Count Nicholas von Zinzendorf, the Moravians launched the modern Protestant mission movement.

HUSS, JOHN Committed to Christ, John Huss paid the ultimate price to advance the cause of the kingdom. (55 minutes) JESUS OF NAZARETH The life of Christ is faithfully portrayed. (371 minutes) LUTHER, MARTIN The life of Luther is reconstructed in this dramatic drama, Here I Stand. (120 minutes) MIDNIGHT CRY, THE In the fall of 1844, several thousand American were convinced by the preaching of William Miller that the world would be destroyed at the second coming of Christ which was to take place on October 22, 1844. That period in history is recreated. (102 minutes) ORTHODOX CHRISTIANITY There are between 180 and 215 million Orthodox Christians around the world. The life, teachings, and traditions of the Orthodox Christians are considered in this presentation. (90 minutes) PAUL, I From a prison cell, Paul gave to Timothy and the world the principles of discipleship. (26 minutes) PETER AND PAUL Though Peter was crucified and Paul was beheaded, they became pillars of the Christian Church and Western civilization. (194 minutes) RADICALS, THE The orgins and agony of the Anabaptist in 16th century Europe is presented. (100 minutes) SHADOWLANDS A biography of C.S. Lewis (73 minutes) SPURGEON TONIGHT This film documents the life and message of the "Prince of Preachers." (56 minutes)

STANDING IN THE STORM The story of J.A. Comenius, "The Father of Modern Education." (60 minutes)

TAYLOR, HUDSON The early years of Hudson Taylor’s life is reconstructed from his arrival in Shangai to the death of his first wife Maria. (85 minutes) TRAIL AND TESTIMONY OF THE EARLY CHURCH From the times of Christ to Constantine the very existence of the Church was threatened as this documentary demonstrates. (180 minutes) TYNDALE, WILLIAM A true story of heroism and betrayal. (90 minutes) WESLEY, JOHN The powerful preaching of John Wesley helped to bring revival to a troubled nation. (30 minutes) WILBERFORCE, WILLIAM Wilberforce was used of the Lord to help abolish slavery in 18th century Britain. (35 minutes) WRESTLING WITH GOD Alexander Campbell sought to rediscover God’s truth in the "Restoration Movement." (100 minutes) WYClIFFE, JOHN John Wycliffe was driven by a desire to give the common people the Scriptures in their own language. (75 minutes) ZWINGLI AND CALVIN The Swiss Reformation was led by these two great men of God. (28 minutes)

About the seminar leader Stanford E. Murrell has been a student of history for several years reflected in several earned degrees. He now lives with his wife in Apollo, Pennsylvania (near Pittsburgh), where he is pastor of Sovereign Grace Baptist Church. His published works include The New Covenant: A Survey of the New Testament and, A Glorious Institution: The Church in History (two volumes) published by Mount Zion Publications 2603 W. Wright St. Pensacola, Florida 32505. Phone: (850) 438-6666. A Study Guide and correspondence course is available for each work. These books are available free of charge upon request.