By Victor Ocheing
The Gospel Coalition has in the past treated us to articles about pastor-theologian and pastor-scholar. In the articles, the author discusses the benefits a congregation accrues by having a pastor with know-how in the respective fields.
In one of their latest articles, they’ve highlighted the case of Nick Needham, pastor of Inverness Reformed Baptist Church and lecturer at Highland Theological College in Scotland. Needham has invested a lot of his time over the past two decades developing a one-of-a-kind multi-volume survey that presents a solid church history covering the past two millenniums from the time of Jesus.
The series, entitled, 2,000 Years of Christ’s Power: The Age of Religious Conflict (16th to 18th Centuries), was recently released from Christian Focus and can be accessed in hardcover.
During a recent interview, Needham shared some of the reasons why it’s important for a pastor to understand church history. Of what importance is it to the pastor’s congregation?
“Someone said that a nation without a history is like a man without a memory, and I think this is true for us as Christians,” Needham explained. “If we don’t know the history of our nation—the holy nation and royal priesthood, the church (1 Pet. 2:9)—we’ll be like people with spiritual amnesia.”
He mentioned that many Christians don’t know about church history because their pastors don’t teach them. Wouldn’t it be interesting for a Christian to know what Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ has been doing in the church over the past 2,000 years? How has Christ shepherded the church? How has he exhibited his power in different situations? What are some of the things Christ has done to control apostasy in His house? These are some of the questions that if answered are capable of providing great spiritual edification to believers.
With the experience he’s had sharing the history of the church, Needham says it’s important for pastors to come out of “religious boxes and expose ourselves to the various forms the faith has taken and still takes.” At times he encourages people from different Christian denominations, including Lutheran, Eastern Orthodox, to read his books. In fact, he confesses that many who’ve taken the step to read them have shared with him quite invaluable suggestions and have also gained a lot spiritually.
By reading through the history of the church in its richness, Needham says you get humbled, better and more seasoned.
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