Christ and Saint Patrick

Whenever one thinks about St. Patrick's Day nowadays, visions of leprechauns, four-leaf clovers, and an abundance of the color green come to mind, among other things. Over the years, especially in the Western world, March 17 has become a festive day, to say the least, a day of celebration that is really quite unmatched on the calendar. Today, though, I want us to take a step back and briefly look at the inspirational figure this day is dedicated to: Saint Patrick.

History tells us that, when he was only sixteen years old in the fifth century, Patrick was captured by Irish raiders and forced into slavery in Ireland for several years. As he grew in his knowledge of Irish culture and tradition, he began to develop a heart for the Irish people even though he was in bondage to them, and even after he escaped Ireland and fled from slavery, his heart for the Irish was so big that he felt compelled to actually return to Ireland to evangelize them and tell them about Jesus. He used familiar Celtic symbols to help them understand the gospel and various Christian doctrines, and he is probably most noted for using a three-leaf clover to help them understand the doctrine of the Trinity. All in all, it is believed that approximately 135,000 Irish people were converted to Christianity thanks to the missionary work of Patrick. Furthermore, history indicates that roughly 300 churches were established in Ireland and 350 bishops were consecrated to the Lord's service due to Patrick's faithful service.

By all accounts of church history, Patrick was devoted disciple of Jesus Christ who allowed the Lord to use him in a mighty and powerful way for His glory. While you may disagree with Patrick on certain theological points, this man dedicated his life to proclaiming the gospel to the very people who captured and enslaved him and thus lived a life worth remembering. Truly, the nation of Ireland was radically changed by God through His servant, Patrick, and today, we thank God for this specific instance of the gospel advancing and the kingdom spreading.

In a beautifully written piece from St. Patrick (often called The Prayer of St. Patrick), the Irish missionary wrote this:

    "Christ shield me today against poison, against burning, against drowning, against wounding, so that reward may come to me in abundance. Christ with me, Christ before me, Christ behind me, Christ in me, Christ beneath me, Christ above me, Christ on my right, Christ on my left, Christ when I lie down, Christ when I sit down, Christ in the heart of every man who thinks of me, Christ in the mouth of every man who speaks of me, Christ in the eye that sees me, Christ in the ear that hears me."

May that be our heart's cry as well. Let us be consumed with knowing with Christ, following Christ, and proclaiming Christ until the day Christ returns a second time or until we see Christ face-to-face in glory. Today, on 2022's edition of St. Patrick's Day, let us not honor Patrick himself, but instead, let us honor the One Patrick devoted His entire life to serving. Let us honor Christ alone, and let us emulate Patrick's faithful example by surrendering our lives to doing whatever it is the Lord has called to do for His glory.

For His glory,

Cody Fleenor

Savoring Sovereignty

God is in control.

This is more than a mere Christian cliche; this is a biblical truth that provides believers with a sure and steady anchor of hope for the soul. In an increasingly chaotic world, with evil seemingly ruling each and every day, it is comforting beyond understanding to know that the triune God of the universe is sovereign over all. As the classic children's song affirms, He has the whole world in His hands, and because of that, we have no need to fear the chaos around us or be dismayed by it; we are instead invited to cling to the supremacy of God Almighty.

In our individual lives, for the most part, nothing is constant. For me personally, for example, my love for sports has steadily diminished over the years. Sure, I still keep up with football, basketball, and baseball, to an extent, but I watch significantly less sports nowadays than I ever have simply because my daily viewing preferences have changed. Furthermore, just a few years ago, I would have laughed in your face if you were to tell me that I would one day be a fan of coffee. After many attempts of trying the caffeinated nectar from heaven, I concluded a while back that it just wasn't for me, but I am grateful that I have now seen the light and my taste buds have adjusted accordingly.

Times and preferences changes, and that will be the case until the day this earth is made new again upon the second coming of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. As long as our world revolves around the sun, the only constant thing in life will be inconsistency (and the presence of taxes, of course). Thus, the shifting of our own tectonic plates reminds us that we are finite creatures with no control over the universe. I could not even control my taste buds, for crying out loud! Despite our best and futile efforts, we are powerless to truly control things the way we want to control them. Humanity craves control, longs to make themselves sovereign, but in the end, even the most authoritative figures from history do not really have that much control of anything.

While we desire sovereignty, God alone actually possess it. He was, is, and will forevermore be in control of the entire universe, from the mundane happenings to the life-altering occurrences and everything in between. The apostle Paul reminds us that God holds all things together through Christ (Colossians 1:17), and the Old Testament tells us that "[m]any are the plans in the mind of man, but it is the purpose of the Lord that will stand" (Proverbs 19:21). Trusting in the sovereignty of God means that we trust that "[t]he Lord has established his throne in the heavens, and his kingdom rules over all" (Psalm 103:19). According to the consistent testimony of Scripture, we worship and serve a God who is eternally enthroned as the sovereign King of kings, and there is nothing that can ever happen in this world that will cause God's sovereignty to be compromised or undercut.

This is a particularly needed reminder for us in light of recent world events taking place in Eastern Europe. In the perpetual vying for worldly sovereignty, take heart in knowing, believer, that the rulers of this world will fade just as the flowers wither every winter upon the season's first frost. True sovereignty will always elude them, and regardless of governmental decrees and the results of unjust wars, no one can ever accumulate this true sovereignty in this life, for at the end of the day, even earthly authorities are subject to a higher, heavenly authority. All the power of this world pales in comparison to the power of God. This is precisely why Christians are beckoned to trust in God and His sovereignty alone and above all and to forsake placing any semblance of hope in anything or anyone in this life. Kings and kingdoms will all pass away, and when their time of passing is here, God will still be on His throne and will still be in control of all things.

Today, in the midst of our world's latest round of devastation and turmoil, turn your eyes upon the One who has "made everything for its purpose" (Proverbs 16:4). While full comprehension of how this works is impossible for us to obtain, we are nevertheless grateful that "all things work together for good" (Romans 8:28). If you are not careful, news outlets and social media will persuade you to believe that God's sovereignty deserves to be, at least, questioned, and disposed of, at worst. If God is sovereign, how could He allow such evil to run rampant? However, as we are biblically called to trust in God's sovereignty, let us be thankful that our hope is not built on the rulers or authorities of this world but is built on nothing less than Jesus's blood and righteousness. We dare not trust the sweetest frame but wholly lean on Jesus' name. On Christ, the solid rock, we stand because all other non-sovereign ground is sinking sand.

Christian, savor this today, tomorrow, and until eternity...

God is in control.

For His glory,

Cody Fleenor

Is God's Love Reckless?

One of the most popular contemporary Christian worship songs of the last few years has been "Reckless Love." For many modern churches, this song has become a staple in their rotation of worship songs, and to be fair before we go any further, I understand why this is the case. Overall, its lyrics reflect biblical teachings about God's loving pursuit of lost humanity, and for the most part, dare I say, it borders on being theologically rich, which is, sadly, a rarity in today's Christian music landscape. While there is nothing overtly objectionable with this song, I do think Christians should stop to think about the implications of the song's title. When we call God's love "reckless," what exactly does that mean and why does it matter?

In honor of the upcoming Valentine's Day holiday, I think it is appropriate for us to contemplate the nature of God's love today. In Scripture, we see plainly that God is love and has loved humanity sacrificially and unconditionally (see 1 John 4). Perhaps the most memorized verse in the Bible highlights how God so loved the world that He gave Jesus to save it, and because of God's love for us, we are, in turn, expected to love others just as He has loved us (see John 3:16 and 1 John 3:16). Simply, a follower of Christ cannot be an unloving individual. Love is to be a defining quality of the Christian life, for the world will know Christians by their love (see John 13:35).

The love of God permeates every page of Scripture. It is an inherent attribute of the triune God, and He has demonstrated His love for us by sending Jesus to die for us while we were still sinners (Romans 5:8). Thus, based on the whole narrative of Scripture, I believe it is misleading, at best, and inaccurate, at worst, to deem God's love reckless. I know plenty has been written about the problematic title of this song, and while I am not judging those who like this song or lead congregations in worship with this song (I do not want to be that guy), I do think the discourse around this song raises a broader, more important point for us to consider.

Whether we realize it or not, church members learn a large chunk of their theology from the songs they sing. On Monday morning whenever they are getting ready for work, for example, they are more likely going to be singing the closing hymn from the previous day than they are to be endlessly quoting the pastor's three sermon points to devote them to memory (as a pastor, I admit this rather begrudgingly). Thus, those leading people in worship must be careful to ensure that sound biblical theology is present in all aspects of the church's gathering, especially in the songs we sing. If people are going to remember anything from our gatherings, help them remember what God has revealed to us in His inerrant and sufficient Word.

In my humble interpretation of Scripture, God's love is anything but reckless. In our dictionary, "reckless" is defined as "without caution," which implies that someone or something is doing something in a carefree and potentially dangerous way. Therefore, this undercuts any semblance of intentionality on God's part, for if His love is reckless, His love is, to an extent, aimless. By this word being used to describe God's love, we have, hopefully unintentionally, trumpeted the thought that God's love is not deliberate but has fallen upon us almost by accident. According to the Bible, God's love is relentless, not reckless, for through it all, God's love pursues us endlessly and purposefully.

I understand that some of you may be reading this and disagreeing with me on all fronts here. To you, I would say you might be right, but these are just my personal thoughts based on my study of the Bible and of its presentation of God's love. An additional number of you may be thinking, "Who cares? It's just a word!" To you, I would say, "Yes! It is just a word! But words matter, especially when dealing with the things of God." We cannot afford to be reckless (see what I did there?) in our handling of biblical doctrine and theology. God has spoken to us in His Word, and we would be foolish to think that we can improve upon His words and concepts with words and concepts of our own.

Now, if your church sings "Reckless Love" this Valentine's Day weekend or at any time throughout the year, do not go up to your worship leader and call them a heretic for their actions. However, I write this to church leaders and congregants alike to merely encourage you to do whatever it takes to make sure biblical theology permeates every lyric, every prayer, and every proclamation sung, offered, or uttered whenever the church is gathered to worship Almighty God (and in walks of life, for that matter). As is the case here, just one word can undermine the biblical validity of anything and can cause false concepts of God to creep into the minds of church members who take the theology presented at face value. At the end of the day, we must be vigilant, especially in today's day and age, to ensure that the authoritative Word of God actually serves as the authoritative Word of God in our churches.

For His glory,

Cody Fleenor

Imperfect People, Perfect God

As I have admitted in the past on this blog, I love studying church history. I so enjoy learning at the feet of our spiritual fathers and mothers who have come before us, and I consider myself a student of the sound biblical teaching that has come out of every era, in some capacity, since the ascension of our Lord Jesus Christ. Whenever I read something from someone who has contributed greatly to the Christian faith in the past, I feel honored to glean wisdom in any degree from individuals who were gifted with more intellect and wisdom than I will ever possess, but even with this feeling of honor, I recognize that nobody in history, yet alone in church history, was perfect. In fact, many of our Christian heroes from history had either significant personal flaws or taught something at some point that runs counter to Scripture. Imperfect people litter the entirety of church history.

But in His providence, these imperfect people have yet been used mightily by our perfect God to advance the gospel and bring glory to Himself. The Bible teaches that we have all sinned and fallen short of God's glory, which means that church history giants such as Augustine, Martin Luther, and Charles Spurgeon have also sinned and fallen short of God's glory. It is a divine mystery, only explained by appealing to the grace and mercy of our Creator, that God, while needing nothing, desires to use imperfect men and women to expand His Kingdom to the ends of the Earth, and I, for one, am extremely thankful that God is still calling out people to accomplish His purposes today.

I mention all of this to emphasize an important point we must always keep in mind when studying church history and/or evaluating modern Christian leaders nowadays. When learning at their feet, we must remember that they are imperfect, and that is good for us to admit that. We should not gloss over the flaws in living or teaching they possessed, but rather, we should recognize that, while we all have flaws, we can still be used by God in spite of them. It is healthy for fellow believers to freely realize that no one in church history or in the present landscape of Christianity is above reproach. Pastors, teachers, and other church leaders are flawed and imperfect, but our perfect God uses the flawed and imperfect to carry out His will in the world, which is a remarkable blessing for every man and woman who has surrendered to the calling place upon their life.

Thus, with all this being said, you should find yourself disagreeing with figures in history as well as current figures regularly because no one from any time period has all the answers. However, while you may disagree with something they have taught in the past, a theological or practical disagreement does not mean that individual should be ignored entirety. To use a popular term from today's day and age, we should avoid cancelling people from church history just because we do not agree with everything they taught about God's Word. I tell our church as often as I can that they should not even agree with me all the time even though I serve as their lead pastor, for I, too, am imperfect and will inevitably make mistakes from time to time in my interpretation or application of Scripture. We should always take what is declared from history or from the modern pulpit and run it through the prism of the Bible to see if what is being declared is biblical or not, because at the end of the day, God and His Word, not people and their word, should be the ultimate and supreme authority in the believer's life.

If you find yourself in complete sync with any individual on matters of the Bible or theology, your spiritual red flags should come up because you, then, should be asking yourself whether you are following Scripture or if you are following a person. It is necessary for us to learn from church history and from people presently making history for God's glory today, but it is also necessary for us discern what is biblical and what is not in the words and actions of those individuals. Recognizing that everyone used by God is imperfect is imperative for us to keep in mind as we endeavor to sift through history and through the teachings of today. No one is perfect, which means no one's living or teaching is perfect, but they are all in service to a perfect God who does not call the qualified but instead qualifies the called.

Today, I am grateful, personally, that God has called me into ministry despite my numerous flaws and imperfections, and I am equally grateful that God has called men and women for centuries into His service despite their numerous flaws and imperfections as well. God does not need anyone to accomplish His purposes, but He wants to use us to accomplish His purposes, and along the way as we are used by God, our imperfections will be highlighted in order to further highlight His perfection. Even though we are broken sinners, God still uses surrendered lives to change the world through the power of the gospel of Jesus Christ, and that is, inherently, the beauty of the gospel. 

So next time you find yourself disagreeing with an early church father or with a modern-day evangelical, before cancelling them and ignoring all of their subsequent contributions to the Church, take a moment to pause and thank the Lord that our perfect God has chosen imperfect people to make the name of Jesus known in the world. Then, take another moment to pause and thank the Lord that our perfect God has chosen you to make the name of Jesus known in the world, for all believers are called to go and make disciples in all nations. I implore you today, believer, to surrender your imperfect life to our perfect God and just watch what He will do with a life yielded totally to Him!

For His glory,

Cody Fleenor

Top 5 Theologically Rich Christmas Songs

 We all have our favorite Christmas songs. From classic ones like "The Christmas Song" to modern hits "All I Want for Christmas is You" to hymns like "Away in a Manger," one of the best parts about the Christmas season is, undoubtedly, the Christmas songs. They instantly get us into the holiday spirit, and they are a unique selection of songs that men and women across the country know no matter where you are from. The way we celebrate Christmas in America, in particular, would not be the same without these yuletide carols being sung by a choir.

While all Christmas songs have some sort of merit (even if that merit is just to entertain listeners), I want to focus today on the theology of some of these numbers. Christmas is, indeed, the time we celebrate the birth of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, so I thought it would be appropriate to think about which songs teach us the most about the true reason for the season. Now, of course, there are plenty of potential nominees for the most theologically rich Christmas songs out there, but for today's purposes, I only want to rank my top five. Before proceeding with the list, I want to specify that I only thought about hymns when considering nominees for this ranking. There are a lot of theologically rich modern songs as well, but to make life simple, I stuck to the classic Christian Christmas songs we all know and love. You may quibble with these picks or with these rankings, but I do not think you can quibble with the theology of the songs. 

So, without further ado, let's get started...

5. "O Come, O Come, Emmanuel"

Key Lyric: "O come, O come, Emmanuel, and ransom captive Israel that mourns in lonely exile here until the Son of God appears. Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel shall come to thee, O Israel."

This song does a magnificent job of putting us into the shoes of God's chosen people as they awaited the arrival of the promised Messiah. In the intertestamental period between the end of Malachi and the beginning of Matthew, four hundred years had passed where God was allegedly silent, and it is during this timeframe that I anticipate the nation of Israel was intently petitioning God to send Emmanuel. In these lyrics, you can feel a desperate longing for God to finally send the Messiah to rescue and redeem humanity and to not forget the countless promises He made to His people in the Old Testament. "O Come, O Come, Emmanuel" highlights for us the mission of the Messiah (to ransom Israel and eventually the whole world) and emphasizes that we should respond to His arrival by rejoicing. Now, just as God's people declared prior to Christ's first coming, we declare in anticipation of His second coming, "O come, O come, Emmanuel."

4. "Joy to the World"

Key Lyric: "No more let sins and sorrows grow nor thorns infest the ground; he comes to make his blessings flow far as the curse is found!"

"Joy to the World" is a unique Christmas song because it speaks just as much to the reign of Christ as it does to the birth of Christ. The opening verse clearly speaks to the joyful arrival of Jesus as all of Earth is invited to receive her King, but as the song continues, Isaac Watts shows us that Christ did not come into this world nonchalantly. Jesus came to rule and reign, and because of that, we, as His followers, should be joyful and repeat the sounding joy. He can rule and reign because, as the key lyric indicates, He has come to make his blessings flow far as the curse is found. These words remind me of Paul's words in Romans 5:20 as he writes, "Where sin increased, grace abounded all the more." Born-again believers are no longer slaves to sin but are slaves to righteousness in Christ, so rid yourself of your sins and sorrows and find your joy in the salvation of God brought down by His Son, Jesus!

3. "O Holy Night"

Key Lyric: "Chains shall He break, for the slave is our brother, and in His name, all oppression shall cease."

As a bit of a disclaimer, I must admit that this is my personal favorite Christmas song of any variety, but I do believe its theology just so happens to be rich as well. An alternative pick for the key lyric comes from the first verse as carolers sing, "Long lay the world is sin and error pining, 'till He appeared and the soul felt its worth." It is such a beautiful way to describe the "thrill of hope" that entered the world whenever the King of Kings was born to Mary and Joseph in Bethlehem. We were all sinking deep in sin far from the peaceful shore until Christ appeared and set us free, because at the name of Jesus, all oppression ceases to exist. "O Holy Night" is a powerful song filled to the brim with words of hope and encouragement, and then, at the end of the third verse, we are rightfully beckoned to praise His holy name because Christ is, in fact, the Lord of all, worthy of all the glory. This song takes humanity on a journey from hopeless to hopeful, and to me, that expertly encapsulates the biblical spirit of Christmas. 

2. "Hark! The Herald Angels Sing"

Key Lyric: "Hark! The herald angels sing, 'Glory to the newborn King: peace on Earth and mercy mild, God and sinners reconciled.'"

God and sinners reconciled. If that does not perfectly summarize the incredible message of Christmas, I am not sure what does! Jesus came into this world so that we, through Him, might have a personal relationship with Creator God. Being reconciled simply means to be restored, and since we have all been born estranged to God and considered His enemies due to our rebellion, our relationship needs to be restored. We need to be reconciled to Him, but the bad news is that we are powerless to restore ourselves. We are cursed with sin forevermore, and because of that, we are doomed to spend eternity separated from God if left to our own devices. Thankfully, though, Jesus has come to reconcile us to God through Himself. By dying a sacrificial death on our behalf, He paid the price for sin that we could not pay and made a way for us to be reconciled to God. By believing in Christ crucified and resurrected, we can be saved and our relationship with God can be restored. Glory to the newborn King, indeed!

1. "Come Thou Long Expected Jesus"

Key Lyric: "Come, thou long expected Jesus, born to set thy people free!"

A running theme throughout this post has been that Jesus came to set us free, and this wonderful Christmas song makes it clear that breaking our chains of sin was Christ's chief mission. The theological richness of this hymn is rooted in lyricist Charles Wesley incorporating biblical language throughout this song, identifying Jesus, for example, as Israel's consolation and the hope of all the Earth (both taken straight from Luke 2, among other passages). At the heart of this short yet profound carol is the longing for Jesus to come and set sinners free. He was "born thy people to deliver," and upon our profession of faith, He is invited to "rule in all our hearts alone." This song is, in essence, the gospel message in a Christmas song. We were sinners in need of saving, Jesus came to set us free, and now He is the Lord of our lives as believers in Him. This Christmas and in every season for the rest of time, we must never get over the fact that Jesus, the only begotten Son of God, came to save us from our sins. Hallelujah, what a Savior!

From my family to yours, I hope you have a merry Christmas and a happy New Year!

For His glory,

Cody Fleenor

Thanksgiving Thoughts

This upcoming Thursday, countless Americans across the country will be gathering with friends and family to partake in the traditions of the Thanksgiving holiday. Typically, homes are filled with the aroma of turkey and all the fixings, and living rooms are packed with people watching the Detroit Lions and Dallas Cowboys play football. Personally, it is my favorite holiday of the year because, in addition to the aforementioned family, food, and football aspects, we are invited to do something each fourth Thursday in November that we should do every day but oftentimes fail to do: give thanks for God's many blessings.

Throughout the Word of God, we are implored to be known for our thankfulness. The psalmist commands us to "[g]ive thanks to the Lord, for he is good, for his steadfast love endures forever" (Psalm 136:1). Isaiah writes, "Give thanks to the Lord, call upon his name, make known his deeds among the peoples, proclaim that his name is exalted" (Isaiah 12:4). In the New Testament, the apostle Paul instructs the church to "do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him" (Colossians 3:17). He even goes on to highlight in a subsequent letter that Christians are to "give thanks in all circumstances, for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you" (1 Thessalonians 5:18).

The fact of the matter is that followers of Christ should be the most thankful people on the planet whenever you stop to consider everything God has done for us through Jesus. In Christ, hopeless sinners have been granted access to the forgiveness of sins and the promise of eternal life. God's only Son died for the sins of the whole world and has made salvation available to everyone from everywhere, and by believing in Christ crucified and resurrected, we become new creations (see 2 Corinthians 5:17). This is the good news of the gospel, and this good news changes everything. Thus, for the Christian, giving thanks is not just reserved for a single holiday but is to be a way of life.

How can we express our thanks to God? There are three main ways we can and should express our thanks on a daily basis. First of all, we can thank God through prayer. Paul commands, "[D]o not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God" (Philippians 4:6, emphasis added). In our prayer life, we need to prioritize the continual offering of our thanks to the God who has changed everything for us in and through Christ. Before we proceed to making those requests known, we need to begin our prayers by praising and thanking God for who He is and what He has done. Through this moment of thankful reflection, we humble our hearts before Almighty God and therefore rightly approach the throne of grace.

Secondly, we can thank God through our worship, both on a personal level as well as on a corporate level. Oftentimes, we tend to associate worship with singing and music, and while worshipping God through song is encouraged in Scripture, we need to realize that worship is not limited to whenever instruments are being played. For instance, going back to the previous point, we can worship God through our prayers by magnifying His holy name. Furthermore, we can worship God by studying and submitting to His Word. Whenever we worship God, we are essentially responding, with thanksgiving, to the life-changing power of the gospel, which is why God's Word invites us to "[e]nter his gates with thanksgiving, and his courts with praise! Give thanks to him; bless his name!" (Psalm 100:4).

Finally, on a related note to the prior two points, we can thank God through our personal devotion to Him. Romans 12:1 states, "I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship" (emphasis added). Our lives are to be surrendered totally to Him, and when we surrender to the Lord, we are, in turn, worshipping Him through our personal devotion to Him. How does this relate to thanksgiving? Because a surrendered life should also be a thankful life. As you walk with the Lord and as you grow closer to Him, you bask more and more in His majesty and realize on a deeper level just how lost you would be without Him. By living completely sold-out to God, you recognize more consistently how thankful you are for the opportunity to even know God in the first place.

I write all this to encourage my fellow brothers and sisters in Christ this Thanksgiving week, but I am also writing this for my own personal edification too. I need to be reminded, from time to time, that my entire existence is owed exclusively to God, and even though I know that, I still fail to thank God for everything He has done for me on a regular basis. I beseech you, beloved, to not only thank God for being God annually one afternoon over a meal; instead, cultivate a holistic life that is defined by a thankful heart, for "[g]reat is the Lord, and greatly to be praised, and his greatness is unsearchable" (Psalm 145:3). May the cry of our hearts continually be this: "Thanks be to God for his inexpressible gift!" (2 Corinthians 9:15).

For His glory,

Cody Fleenor

Why Christians Should Study Church History

During my time studying at Southwestern Seminary, I had the privilege of learning church history from the incomparable Stephen Presley. In two courses for two straight semesters, I was immersed in the fascinating history of Christ's body, from Pentecost to the present, and looking back, I can confidently state that these two courses were my favorite in all of my time at seminary. Presley was so skilled at taking the history of the church and applying various principles to our modern ministry context, and when he was able to do that each and every day, this history came alive for me like never before. Christians everywhere need to recognize the importance of studying church history, not only for the sake of their own spiritual edification but for the sake of the overall health of the modern-day Church.

In one of Presley's introductory classes, he outlined for us where our understanding of theology is derived from nowadays. First and foremost, Scripture obviously plays a key foundational role in this process, for every other contributor ultimately bows to God's Word and is merely an interpretation of biblical teaching. Additionally, though, he argued that logical reasoning helps us develop our theological framework, while life experience itself shapes our worldview as well as the teachings of Scripture collide with the culture we live in on a daily basis. Scripture, reason, and experience all come together to assist us in comprehending the wide breadth of theology, but a fundamental fourth contributor is found in tradition, or church history.

For better or for worse, our history as believers heavily influences our theological education. The past still lives in our corporate communities, and without understanding that past, we are inherently unable to understand ourselves and our belief system as a result. We did not arrive here today with our holistic understanding of theology on our own, for even the Bible teaches that "there is nothing new under the sun" (Ecclesiastes 1:9). While, in theory, Scripture should be the chief guiding force behind how a Christian and a church operates, it would be foolish to suggest that church history has not shaped us into the kinds of Christians and churches we are and have today in some way, shape, or form. Church historian Justo Gonzalez once wrote, "The notion that we read the New Testament exactly as the early Christians did, without any weight of tradition coloring our interpretation, is an illusion."

Now, this is not to say that church history has perfectly shaped us into the kinds of Christians and churches we are and have today. In many ways, the history of the church has led us down dangerous roads that compromise Scripture in favor of human opinion, and that is why it is imperative for Christians to study church history: to understand how Christians in the past have interpreted Scripture in an effort to fine-tune our own understanding of Scripture. Since there is nothing new under the sun, it stands to reason that every theological issue we are currently dealing with has been dealt with, in some capacity, in the past. It would be unwise and, frankly, arrogant of us to think that we can figure things out for ourselves without any assistance from the past. The study of church history is a treasure trove of information that is readily accessible to every knowledge-hungry believer, and it is in this study of church history that we can become more well-rounded followers of Christ.

This post was inspired by a thrilling conversation our church engaged a couple of Wednesday nights ago as we studied roughly a third of Martin Luther's 95 Theses. Church history will rightly tell you that Luther ignited the spark of the Reformation fire whenever he nailed these theses to the castle church door, and church history will further tell you that Luther was specifically speaking out against the Catholic sale of indulgences, a way for the Pope to supposedly ensure your deceased loved ones could escape purgatory if you were to give generously to the Church. What was striking in our church's discussion is when a member of our church, who left the Catholic Church a number of years ago, stated in a somber tone that unbiblical teaching like this still persists in the Catholic Church today. Luther was dealing with it in the 1500s, and yet, even in 2021, this erroneous doctrine endures. It would be prudent for Protestants today, for example, to consult Luther's work (in addition to Scripture, obviously) if they ever find themselves engaged in a conversation with a modern Catholic about indulgences. Why try to figure things out independently whenever the history of the church is ready and able to help at a moment's notice?

If you are a church leader, I implore you to find ways to teach your congregation about church history. If you are a layperson, encourage your pastor to initiate a study on a Wednesday night, perhaps, taking the church through an overview of church history. We must learn at the feet of the church fathers and mothers so that our faith, in turn, would be refined. Furthermore, as we study this way, we must acknowledge that church history is littered with imperfect people who were far from infallible. Instead of ignoring our history, though, we must understand it so we can learn from it because, for as the old adage state, those who do not know history are doomed to repeat it. No one from church history is perfect, just like no one in the church today is perfect, but there is divine beauty in God nevertheless using imperfect people to propagate the gospel to the ends of the Earth. 

That is ultimately what church history teaches us above all: people are flawed, but our God is flawless, and that has been the case since before time even began. As we trace church history from Pentecost to the present, our endgame is not to marvel at the lives of individuals like Augustine, Calvin, or Spurgeon, but rather, our endgame is to marvel at the greatness of God. Throughout church history, in the good times and in the bad, God has been sovereign and faithful, and outside of studying Scripture itself, there is no better study a Christian can engage in that will prove His sovereignty and faithfulness more than by studying church history. Church, let us grown in our desire to understand our history so that we can better grow in our understanding of God Himself!

For His glory,

Cody Fleenor

• If you are interested in independently studying church history, I would recommend volumes one and two of Justo L. Gonzalez's The Story of Christianity as well as Gerald Bray's The Church. I would also recommend listening to the This Week in Church History podcast, produced by Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary.