Arthur G. Patzia explores the story, weighs the issues and traces the contours of the early church's expansion and growth, life and practices, leadership and worship.

Church History, Volume One offers a unique contextual view of how the Christian church spread and grew from its development in the days of Jesus to the years leading up to the Reformation. Looking closely at the integral link between the history of the world and that of the church, Church History paints a portrait of God's people within its setting of times, cultures, and events that both influenced and were influenced by the church. FEATURES: Maps, charts, and illustrations spanning the time from the first through the thirteenth centuries. Overviews of the Roman, Greek, and Jewish worlds and how they developed or declined. Insights into the church's relationship to the Roman Empire, with glimpses into pagan attitudes toward Christians. Explanations of the role of art, architecture, literature, and philosophy—both sacred and secular—in the Church. Details on the major theological controversies of the periods. Each chapter also contains callout passages from Scripture to assist in understanding the narrative of the Church, even to the present day, as part of the greater narrative of the Bible. AUTHOR'S PERSPECTIVE: Scholar and writer Everett Ferguson wrote this history of the church from the perspective that such a history is the story of the greatest movement and community the world has known. It's a human story of a divinely called people who wanted to live by a divine revelation. It's a story of how they succeeded and how they failed or fell short of their calling. From the Apostle Paul to the apologists and martyrs of the second century to Martin Luther, the historical figures detailed are people who have struggled with the meaning of the greatest event in history—the coming of the Son of God—and with their role in that event and in the lives of God's people.

Allan Doig explores the Christian Church through the lens of twelve particular churches, looking at their history, archaeology, and how the buildings changed over time in response to developing usage and beliefs.

From Roman persecution to the early creeds, from the monastic movement to the Reformation, from the rise of liberalism to missionary expansion, Jeffrey Bingham chronicles the ups and downs of a people and a faith.

This text begins with God's definitive intervention into human history in the Person of his Son and continues to the present day. It shows how God has acted through the Church to further his salvific mission. It examines the lives of the saints and how they - by cooperating with God's grace - helped to shape the life of the Church as well as Christian society and culture.

There is a new move of God sweeping across this great country. America is seeing a new face arise within the church. It's the emergence of the multicultural church - a church that looks like heaven, from every tribe, tongue, race and nation. It's the church of unified nations in Christ. It has been prophesied about, dreamed of, preached on, and is now manifesting. The multicultural church is our reply to racism and the blueprint for reaching the nations. The multicultural church is the cry of the Holy Spirit for America today. Our time is at hand to fulfill the great commission. Book jacket.