5 Loaves & 2 Fishes

He made known to us the once hidden but now revealed secret of his will, for so it was his good pleasure to do. The secret was a purpose which he formed in his own mind before time began, so that the periods of time should be controlled and administered until they reach there full development, a development in which all things, in heaven and upon earth, are gathered into one in Jesus Christ.   (Ephesians 1: 9,10 Barclay)

New Testament expositor, William Barclay, said, "It is the Christian conviction that history is the working out of the will of God." H. Fisher in 'A History of Europe' writes, "Men wiser and more learned than I have discovered history a plot, a rhythm, a predetermined pattern ..."

This is no truer than in the history of the Church. The development of church history is observed in definite stages from it's apostolic beginnings to the present modern age. These divisions were prophesied by St. John in the book of Revelation whose seven golden lamp stands represented seven actual churches which in turn typified seven church ages which were to come. Of course, the seven churches are also representative of the various kinds of churches which existed together then and have done in every generation. However, in these last days we may look back in retrospect and the seven churches of history, each with their unique characteristics and prophetic fulfillments, are clearly seen. (Please click the picture)

Therefore as we survey two thousand years we realize that nothing has been without significance. Church history is the record of the fulfillment of God's predetermined plan!

Now as the return of Christ draws near we know that the climax of church history will be glory and not shame. Through all the triumph and through all the failure the Church has had a destiny, and that destiny was history even before time began.

First Love
the Apostolic Period

The passion, the zeal, the amazing growth of the Church during the Apostolic period. (AD 30 - AD 100)

Who can do justice to the founding of Christ's Church? Who can summarize its events with an air of detachment? It seems so foolish trying to sound objective when we are dealing with the death of God's Son, with His resurrection, and with the outpouring of the Holy Spirit. Yet these are the historical foundations upon which the Church was built. They were not the imagination of twelve broken down men who concocted a story to help justify another failed messiah! The fact that Christianity exploded on to the scene with such power demands an explanation better than that!

The early church did not conquer with the sword (which was the usual way of getting a message across). They were outclassed by the Greeks, and rejected by the Jews. Their message was to the Jews blasphemous, and to the Greeks ridiculous, yet by the end of the apostolic age the Church had forged its mark in a hostile and cynical world by no other means except by the passion and conviction of those Christians who knew the power of their risen Lord!

The Christian phenomenon was extraordinary in the way it multiplied. It cut across race, gender, social status, and cultural barriers. This had no precedent in the ancient world. From AD 30 to AD 100 numerous churches were established from Jerusalem, to Rome, to Asia minor and back. Communities of Christians were appearing everywhere.

There are four main explanations for this remarkable growth:

• The timing of the Father

The historical situation had never ever been so ripe for harvest. Surely a supreme mind had been preparing the field because everything had come together, politically and socially, for proclaiming to many nations the good news, as could never have been possible before. The political unity of the Roman Empire had created an environment which fostered commerce and unhindered travel, so the gospel spread quickly along the trade routes on excellent roads which had been built. The conquests of Alexander between 334 and 326 BC spread the Greek language far and wide, providing the best medium ever known for expressing theological and philosophical ideas. The translation of the Old Testament into Greek in Alexandria about 200 BC predisposed many pagans in favor of Monotheism and, with the intermingling of so many races and religions, people were questioning belief in the old pagan cults. Also the moral condition of the world was deplorable. Life was so cheap and immorality so rife that many were looking for something better.

These factors were by no means coincidental. God's timing was on record years before the Church was born, the classic example being Daniel's "seventy weeks" where, in timetable precision, the death of Christ was predicted. If for no other reason the Kingdom of God was unstoppable, it was because God had planned it.

• The power of the Holy Spirit

Another reason for the church's impact was that the Holy Spirit gave supernatural witness to the apostles teaching. Beginning on the day of Pentecost, when astonished crowds heard the gospel preached in their own languages, the Holy Spirit was "poured out" in revival power. Peter's first sermon met with a response of around three thousand souls and the conversions then continued daily. Likewise, the apostles ministries were marked by miraculous signs and healing. The most noteworthy was the healing of the cripple in the gates of the temple. His leaping and praising created a furore as he was well known, and the great crowd that ran into Solomon's porch got their explanation - and more - from Peter. On that occasion another five thousand people believed.

• The evidence of the gospel of Christ

How did the early church achieve such remarkable growth? The apostolic age spanned the lifetime of those who were eye witnesses of the resurrection. These were the men and women who saw the empty tomb, who spoke to the risen Lord, who touched His pierced side. These were those converts who had observed the ministry of Jesus, even being complaisant in His death - who did not deny when Peter challenged -

Men of Israel, listen to these words: Jesus the Nazarene, a man attested to you by God with miracles and wonders and signs, which God performed through Him in your midst, just as you yourselves know - this man delivered up by the predetermined plan and foreknowledge of God, you nailed to the cross by the hands of godless men and put Him to death - and God raised Him up again, putting an end to the agony of death since it was impossible for Him to be held in its power.  (Acts 2:22-24 NASB)

Therefore it is hardly surprising that the resurrection was the theme that won thousands to the early church. The 1st Century evangelists had (for them) overwhelming proof: The Old Testament prophesies, the immediate past remembrance of Christ, His words, the empty tomb, and over five hundred living witnesses of His resurrection whose personal credibilities were at stake. No wonder so many believed!

This is why it is so pathetic to hear the arguments of modern New Testament critics. To them the gospel accounts are hard to literally take. However, the early church expected their hearers to take them literally and multitudes did. There is only one conclusion that can be drawn from this, and that is, that the apostles message measured up with the literal facts. They were credible, and the proof of this was the phenomenal growth of the early church.

• The zeal of the Church

The last New Testament writer describes it thus...

I know your deeds, your hard work and your perseverance. I know that you cannot tolerate wicked men, that you have tested those who claim to be apostles but are not, and have found them false. You have persevered and have endured hardships for My Name and have not grown weary.   (Revelation 2:2,3 N.I.V)

Such was the commendation of the apostolic Church. Their reputation was of zeal and sacrifice. Their labors were tireless, their conviction unshakeable. They reached the world without; they refuted error within; they retained the purity of the faith. This passion, St. John described as "first love." It is the youthful, unsophisticated love of the bride.

HOW THE EARLY CHURCH GOVERNED ITSELF

There is one more thing that must be mentioned concerning the early church. That was the simplicity and effectiveness of early church government. Churches were autonomous; there was no organised associations of churches as such; The unity that existed between them was a unity in spirit based on a common bond of love for Christ and mutual concern for one another. Friendly visits by ministering brethren were simply that; there was no suggestion of central authority, or that one church should have control over another.

At a local level, churches were run by elders. The one man "ministry" of today had no counterpart in the apostolic church but biblical and early records show elders operating in team leadership, exercising authority over local church affairs, attending to teaching, and administering the sacraments. In every case they were found in plural.

What then was the role of apostles and prophets? These leaders were undoubtedly held in highest honour and their influence went far beyond a local level. But it is apparent that these functions were for establishing churches and guiding them until such a time as they were able to operate independently.

The church at Jerusalem, was led firstly by the apostles, then apostles and elders jointly, but later by elders. So apostles functioned as it were, in the capacity of a formational, transitional eldership after which they either moved to new mission fields, or their apostolic function merged into the local presbytery (eldership) Thus apostles and prophets were raised up (presumably still raised up) to do a specific task. They were not a permanent, separate leadership class.

It was this simplicity, together with the power and zeal of the primitive church which created such a phenomenon in its day. However, by AD 100, as those who personally knew Christ were all but gone, the aged apostle detected a sadder note.

Yet I hold this against you: you have forsaken your first love.   (Revelation 2:4 N.I.V)

Could it be that a new generation could not experience such love for a Lord they had never seen? The apostolic age ended about AD 100 with the death of the last apostle, St. John.

Enemies from Without
the Imperial Persecutions

The steadfastness of the Church in the face of Jewish rejection and imperial Roman persecution. (AD 100 - AD 313)

A curious fact of history is that the Church has thrived best during times of worst adversity. The imprisonment of Peter and John by the Sanhedrin only added to the fervor of the tiny apostolic band, and when the Jews thought it necessary to imprison all twelve, the result was quite the opposite to what was intended. The persecution by the Jews became increasingly vicious with the stoning of Stephen and the execution of John's brother in AD 44. Life became intolerable for the Christians in Jerusalem but this only served to drive those unquenchable witnesses into the outlying regions.

The Jews did not cease to harass believers even beyond Judea as often as the opportunity afforded them. By AD 70, when Titus destroyed Jerusalem, the Jewish position had fully hardened. Those who would be converted, had been it seemed, and the rest had made their decision. Now the time was come for the fulfillment of their own calamitous prophecy:

His blood be on us, and on our children.   (Matthew 27:25 - KJV)

In AD 64 came a new and more dangerous situation. Rome was gutted by fire. For six days and seven nights three quarters of that great city was laid waste. It is believed that the emperor Nero was himself responsible so he sought to shift the blame to the new and despised sect, the "Christians." The Neronic persecution is famous for this reason and also because Paul and Peter were martyred in it.

However, it was by no means a large scale affair and did not extend out of Rome, nor did it last a long time. What was significant was that it created a precedent for official persecution. Until this time Christianity was protected under Roman law, being as they thought, a branch of Judaism which was a legal religion. Now it was becoming apparent, especially with the growing influx of Gentiles, that this was not so; it was an entity in its own right, hence "religio ellicita" - illegal. This was the Roman's suspicion and Nero's attack gave that feeling a kind of unspoken official seal.

Aside from the fire too, were the real reasons why clouds of persecution were hanging over the Church:

• Christianity threatened vested interests

In addition to the Jewish Sanhedrin, whose authority the apostles undermined, Christianity made a full frontal assault on those who made their livings from pagan religion. Priests, sorcerers, temple prostitutes, idol makers and others, failed to appreciate their dwindling profits as increasing numbers turned to "the Way." Also the entrenched public mentality concerning slavery was challenged - a dangerous thought, as Spartacus (BC 71) had earlier found out.

• Christianity was exclusive

It is not that Christians are arrogant. It's just that Jesus said, "I am the way and the truth and the life." There simply is not room for other religions. The Romans, on the other hand openly accepted other peoples gods as well as their own. Therefore the aggressive evangelistic efforts of 'the people of the way' irked the polytheistic Romans as it does the so called 'open-minded' today.

• Christianity was smeared

Accusations were made that Christians were guilty of, gross antisocial conduct. These charges included cannibalism, incest, and various evil secret rites. The rumours stuck and the new religion became the object of considerable public loathing.

• Christianity was perceived as a threat to Rome

Last and most importantly was the feeling that Christianity was a threat to Rome itself - treason to be specific - and no government ever dealt lightly with that. It was held that the state (Rome) was divine and from this came the idea that the emperor was a god, being regarded as the embodiment of the "Spirit of Rome." Each year everybody in the empire had to appear before the magistrates to burn a pinch of incense to the godhead of Caesar and say "Caesar is Lord." After he had done that he was free to worship any god he liked, provided he had first acknowledged the Emperor's divinity. In the public mind this was a test of political loyalty more than an act of religion but the Christians could not do it. For them only "Jesus was Lord." They would obey every civil authority but they would not give the title "Lord" to another.

The matter of emperor worship came to a head during the reign of Domitian (AD 81-95), who took his divinity more seriously than those before him. Up till then the Jews enjoyed special exemption from such ceremony and the Christians more or less sheltered under that privilege. Domitian revoked this freedom and demanded total worship. He was to be addressed as "Our Lord and God." He erected a temple to the god emperors and established a priesthood for their worship.

The inevitable persecution saw John banished to Patmos. Many were put to death, including Flavius Clemens, the emperor's first cousin. It has been discovered that Flavius' wife, Domitilla owned the land where the catacombs are found. (a refuge for numerous early Christians)

Whilst not understating the cruelty of the Neronic and Domitian persecutions, these were really the outbursts of individual tyrants more than the result of official policy. It was the second and third centuries which officially established such policy with the view to exterminating the new religion. Pliny the younger, Governor of Bithynia, was disturbed by the large defection from paganism to Christianity and so he enquired of Trajan (AD 98-117)what he should do. The emperor’s reply became the standard procedure for many years. If a Christian was reported to the authorities he was to be punished unless he repented and worshiped the gods. If he persisted in his belief he would be executed. During Trajan's reign and during those of subsequent emperors, this policy claimed the lives of numerous Christians, including such great leaders as Ignatius, Bishop of Antioch, who was thrown to wild beasts in the Colosseum (AD 115) and the aged Polycarp, Bishop of Smyrna, who was burned alive. (AD 155)

In AD 161 the persecutions were stepped up by the emperor Marcus Aurelius who introduced a spy network against the Christians. Likewise Septimus Severus (AD 193-211) and Maximus (AD 235-238) vigorously persecuted the Church even abandoning the formality of trials. Nevertheless the Church surprisingly grew. How aptly Tertullian stated, "the blood of the martyrs is the seed of the Church!"

In AD 249 Decius mounted the throne and embarked on a campaign of systematic extermination throughout the empire. This persecution, and that of Valerian (AD253-260), was by far the most widespread to date. However, the worst was yet to come. After a period of relative peace the emperor Diocletian took the throne (AD 284). He was a very successful leader, as is typical of an "antichrist," and did much to reverse the chaotic political situation which prevailed. However, he viewed with displeasure the surging influence of the Church.

Diocletian set in motion a program of unspeakable ferocity against the Church. Its purpose - to wipe every vestige of Christianity from the face of the earth. All Christian buildings were demolished, their lands sold and the proceeds given to the state. All Christian writings were publicly burned. Christians were tortured and denied all legal redress for anything they might suffer.

Despite all of this, the Church was unsubduable. Many of the emperor's slaves and servants were Christians. Even his wife and daughter were believers, as well as many high officials. In places entire towns were Christian. In fact the province of Armenia even dared to declare itself officially Christian in 303 AD, ten years before toleration. Furthermore, the courage of the martyrs was beginning to sway public opinion to the extent that magistrates were becoming reluctant to continue condemning them.For over two hundred years the most bitter era of Christian history had raged. Christ versus Caesar; but by the beginning of the 4th century it was obvious who had won.

In 313 AD the imperial persecutions came to an end with the historic Edict of Milan. Constantine had become emperor (AD 312-337) and he saw that the Church could provide a unifying force in the empire. It is believed by many that his motivation was purely political. In any case the Church was given full toleration by Constantine's decree. Restitution was made to the churches for property which had been confiscated and unconditional religious liberty was granted to all. A new era had begun.

Enemies from Within
the Dark Ages

The church of the dark ages in her struggle to define doctrine, and defend the faith against subtle internal deception. (AD 313 - AD 607)

It has often been said that we should try to get back to "how it was in the early church." If this is meant to compare today's Christians with the zeal of the early saints, then there may be something in it. But if it is supposed that the early church was somehow superior in revelation and doctrine, then we should be grateful to remain where we are. The historical facts do not support the idea that the apostolic Church was a model of perfection. Rather, the history of God's dealing shows a progressive revelation of the Church in its infancy to that of maturity.

Indeed the first three centuries were gravely lacking in the area of clear statements of faith. All sorts of arguments abounded which today are thoroughly settled and serious heresies arose threatening the heart of the gospel. Worse still, it was difficult combating these errors without final scriptural authority, which in fact was the case because even the New Testament had not been fully agreed to. Must a believer first become a Jew? Can a Gentile be converted at all? Elementary questions today but the early church did not know.

God did not give the disciples a ready made church with pulpit, organ, and a welcome mat. There was no statement of faith, no creed, no constitution, not even a New Testament. What did God give them? He gave them apostles, he sent the Holy Ghost, and he gave a promise that through them He would build His Church from the ground floor up! Thus the early church was like a new house with its foundations down but the framing unerected. Therefore it is little wonder that grievous wolves appeared from within, and the Church found itself in a life and death struggle to establish the bulwarks which we now enjoy ...

... that we henceforth be no more ... tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive.   (St. Paul - Ephesians 4:14 K.J.V.)

THE STRUGGLE TO ESTABLISH SCRIPTURE

The earliest Christians had two things upon which to base their faith - Old Testament scripture and the spoken words of Christ. Our Lord unfolded the hidden mysteries of God contained in the first Testament. Now it was the commission of His disciples to teach the nations "to observe all things whatsoever He commanded.

Therefore it was necessary to preserve the record of what Christ did and said, to avoid corruption. This they did in the four Gospels which were written in the 1st Century by eye witnesses and close associates of the apostles. Also letters (epistles), written by the apostles to various churches, were copied and spread abroad, being recognised as having spiritual authority in the things pertaining to Christian belief and conduct. By the end of the 1st Century the apostolic writings were circulating freely and were accepted on an equal basis with other scripture.

However, it soon became obvious that a New Testament canon had to be fixed. The oral traditions were beginning to get unreliable as Christianity entered its second generation. Also spurious "gospels" and "epistles" were appearing, such as "the Gospel of Mary Magdalene," "the Gospel of Thomas," "the Wisdom of Jesus," "the Revelation of Adam," and so on. Most of these emanated from the vivid imaginations of the Gnostics, a super-spiritual grouping which did much damage to the Church from the 2nd to 4th Centuries. Also, the Montanist enthusiasm for the gifts of the Holy Spirit gave an inference of continuing revelation because prophecy, they thought, was on a par with the Word of God. On the other hand, the Ebionites cut out the writings of Paul and the Gospels, except Matthew. Marcion, a notable heretic of Gnostic extraction, began promoting his own canon composed of a mutilated book of Luke, ten of Paul's epistles, and minus the Old Testament. Clearly the Church had to establish a body of scripture which indisputably bore the seal of the Holy Spirit in accuracy, truth, inspiration and origin.

By the end of the 4th Century a decision was overdue. The epistle to the Hebrews and several others had been the subjects of controversy, but four centuries had seen the gradual recognition of all twenty seven sacred books. What was now required was the churches declaration of what was already affirmed by the Holy Spirit. Thus it was that in AD 397 the council of Carthage confirmed the New Testament canon, as we presently know it, and ratified it finally at the empire wide Council of Chalcedon 451 AD. From that time there was no further conflict on what constituted the true canon of scripture.

THE STRUGGLE TO DEFINE DOCTRINE

A gradual unfolding of spiritual truth is seen as the Holy Spirit has led the Church through its pilgrimage, but times of enlightenment are rarely met without opposition. Such was the case at the Council of Jerusalem (AD 49) with the mind-blowing realisation that the "Jewish" God was also the Saviour of the Gentiles and, what was more, their salvation was not conditional upon first becoming a Jew.

Christian doctrine was substantially developed by the apostle Paul to whom the Church is indebted for its first book of systematic theology (Romans) and thirteen other epistles written to sort out various problems and disputes, and to expound Old Testament scripture in light of Jesus Christ.

However it seems that the revelation imparted to the apostles was not fully comprehended by the Church at that time, which is indicated by the rise of many false teachers and beliefs. Worse, these heresies were not separate, identifiable religions like modern cults, but were from within. Legalistic teachings (Judaizers, Ebionites), mystical beliefs (Gnostics, Docitists, Manichaeans), doctrinal heresies (Monarchianism, Arianism, Pelagianism) fanatical sects (Montanists, ascetics) and so on - these were to be found within the Church, and the reason was that the fundamentals of Christianity had not really been nailed down in a clear definitive sort of way.

Perhaps it was fortunate that up till the 4th Century the persecutions kept the Christian preoccupied with saving the lost and staying alive. In any case as soon as toleration was granted (AD 313) the lid came off and all the unresolved questions boiled over like theological soup.

Thus it was that the dark age period was marked by great church councils and theological debate. Matters of vital doctrinal importance (especially concerning Christ) were thrashed out. Heresies were refuted; great creeds were written which have remained to this day as pillars in the Church. In this regard the "dark ages" were times of considerable light! The testimony of God concerning the church of that time was this -

You remain true to My name. You did not renounce your faith.   (Revelation 2:13 N.I.V.)

FAILURE TO RESIST THE SEDUCTION OF BALAAM

The tragedy of the dark ages Church was not that she collapsed in the face of persecution, or that she traded truth for error, but that she being Christ's bride fell into a compromising and spiritually adulterous relationship with the state. If Satan could not destroy the Church by force or by false teaching, then he would destroy it from within by spiritual fornication.

This John describes as the "doctrine of Balaam," a devious strategy whereby Balaam contrived with the King of Moab to seduce Israel into fornication with the daughters of Moab so that, whereas Balak could not curse God's people direct, now God would destroy them Himself. For this service Balaam received a handsome reward.

In like manner the imperial Roman Empire, when it could not destroy the Church directly, suddenly changed face, showering her with gifts and flattery so that her pure relationship with Christ was corrupted by a compromising relationship with the world.

In AD 312 Constantine the Great claimed to have seen in the sky a flaming cross with the inscription "By this sign conquer"! His subsequent profession of Christianity resulted in the most dramatic changes to the Church since apostolic times. The persecutions ceased, freedom of worship was decreed, emperor worship ended with its official sacrifices, crucifixion was abolished, gladiatorial games were suppressed and many other social reforms were made. Also properties were restored, even pagan temples were consecrated for Christian worship and magnificent new churches were built, such as St. Peter's by Constantine in 317 AD.

Indeed, this was an amazing turn of events but the true spiritual results were not as good as they appeared outwardly. Firstly it seems that Constantine's conversion was not genuine since it is known that he retained his favoured "sun god" at the same time as being a "Christian."

Secondly, the churches became filled with nominal Christian "converts," only too eager to belong to the same religion as the emperor. With them came their candles, and incense and idols, all rehashed into "Christian" images.

Thirdly, the Church was drawn into a convenient but unholy political relationship with the state. In AD 313 Christianity was granted toleration by the edict of Milan; by AD 328 not only was it "legalised" but it was declared to be the official religion of the empire. In AD 380 the edict of Theodosius further proclaimed Christianity to be the only religion and all other religions were persecuted. The emperors of this era considered themselves to be the head of the Church, summoning church councils as they saw fit and presiding over them. Constantine even titled himself "the defender of the church."

All this unexpected favor resulted in no small prestige for the leaders of the Church. The priesthood were given special privileges, and gorgeous vestments like those of the pagan priests began to be worn at this time. Like Balaam many of the clergy condoned this "fornication" of world and church for the power and reward of the empire.

However, it is not to say that many leaders did not use their positions to earnestly preach the gospel. The period produced such great names as Chrysostom and Augustine. Nevertheless, by the end of the 6th century the Church and the clergy were fast becoming comfortable and corrupt.

FAILURE TO ESCAPE THE TRAP OF THE NICOLAITANS

Even more subtle in the dark ages however, was the evolution of centralised hierarchical power. In the east the church’s authority fell into the hands of the state and in the west it became the Roman Catholic papal system. In either case it was by nature "antichrist" because it forced the Church into a pyramid of power at whose head was a man seated in the place of Christ.

This mentality God calls "the doctrine of the Nicolaitans." (Niko - to conquer; Laos - the people) signifying the subjugation of the laity by a clergy elite, so that freedom of worship is suppressed - an individuals right to enter directly into the presence of God - and the independence of churches is crushed under a hierarchy of priests and bishops and Pope.

In saying this it is not meant to uphold the arguments of those who reject authority in the church. But church government in early days did not vest authority in a hierarchy, nor with individual leaders of a local fellowship. Each church was governed by a group of elders who shared responsibility for the administration and the ministry of that fellowship.

The church at Jerusalem was in the first instance governed by the apostles with the assistance of elders and deacons. However, as the gospel began to spread and it became necessary to provide organisation, Paul and other leaders such as Timothy and Titus began to appoint elders among the fledgling churches. These elders (presbyters/bishops) were leaders jointly within their local assembly and the government of each church became the responsibility of the "presbytery," that is, the board of elders. This was normal practice in the apostolic church.

Before long however one or another of the eldership emerged as more prominent and so it was that by the time of Ignatius (AD 65 - 115) the local churches were run by a group of elders who themselves were presided over by a senior elder, called a "bishop." In actual fact the names "bishop," "elder," "presbyter," "overseer" all originally meant the same thing but in time "bishop" became the title reserved for the leading elder within an assembly or, as in some areas, the presiding elder over a number of churches within that particular diocese or district. Up to this point the authority and status of elders were equal.

However the germs of Nicolaitanism appeared when some bishops began to regard themselves as above their brethren, bolstering such claims by proposing the doctrine of "Apostolic Succession." They were, they suggested, the "successors of the apostles", and apostolic authority was passed directly from each bishop to his successor which authority was in the first place passed on from one of the original apostles. Succession lists of bishops were drawn up for the major churches which attempted to link them back to various apostles. By the middle of the 3rd Century, Cyprian (AD 200-258) Bishop of Carthage, took up the theory and strongly propounded it. He taught that the universal Catholic Church (outside of which there was no salvation) was ruled over by bishops who were the direct successors of the apostles. He formed a provincial "episcopate," or college bishops, over which he presided, and those who did not submit to the episcopate were excommunicated. Also Cyprian introduced aspects of priest-craft to the Christian clergy.

From this evolution of Nicolaitanism grew the conceited view that some bishops were more important than others depending on the fame of the name with which they were connected. The Roman bishop had particular prestige because their lineage (doubtful in fact) stemmed from Peter, who was the most illustrious of the apostles. By the time Constantine became emperor, sacerdotalism, apostolic succession, bishops above bishops and particular recognition of the Roman bishop - received a new impetus and became widely accepted. The priesthood, which before Cyprian had no place in Christian worship, became regarded as a different order from the laity and a necessary intermediary for any ordinary Christian to approach God. These trends toward centralism were accelerated after AD 313. Church councils became more regular and their decisions more binding. From 313 AD to 607 AD the "old Catholic Church," in which each bishop had been an equal, became the "Roman Catholic Church" in which the bishop of Rome became supreme.

Several factors seem to have contributed to the Roman bishops ascendancy:

First was Rome's claim to have been founded by the chief of the apostles, St. Peter, and therefore heir to a greater authority.

Second when the capital of the empire was shifted to Constantinople in AD 330, it left a political vacuum in Rome and since the bishop was the most powerful individual remaining there, the people of the west came to look to him for political as well as spiritual leadership.

Third was Rome's reputation for being rock solid in doctrinal matters. Rome was respected for her orthodoxy whereas the churches in the east had a habit of being torn apart with heresy and controversies.

Fourth the church at Rome was fortunate (or unfortunate) to have been led by certain very strong and ambitious men. Leo I (AD 390-461) earned the distinction of saving Rome from Attila the Hun by his diplomacy. He greatly extended Rome's influence. Also he was first to use the title "Pope" exclusively for himself. Gregory the Great (AD 540-604) was the first Pope in the full sense of the word and was probably the most powerful leader the Roman church has ever had. He, more than any other, established the papal system which exercised such power throughout the middle ages.

Pope Boniface III is not noted for any particular achievement except that he realised the full result of the ambition of those before him. In AD 606 he induced Phocas, the Eastern Emperor, to confine the name "Pope" to the Roman Bishop. The Roman Pope's supremacy over all the churches was fully established in the following year. Yes, the Church had escaped imperial Rome, but what she failed to see was Rome's "spirit" rising from within.

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Time to Repent
the Middle Ages

The long suffering, and the dealings of God upon a backslidden church in the middle ages. (AD 607 - AD 1517)

Not Complete in God's Sight
the Reformation Period

The courage and the compromise of the protestant reformation. (AD 1517 - AD 1727)

An Open Door
the Evangelical Awakening

The evangelical awakening of the Church with floodgates of revival and world mission. (AD 1727 - AD 1844)

The evangelical awakening is usually associated with the preaching of Edwards, Wesley and Whitfield in the 1730's and 1740's. When examined more closely however, this mighty move was fired by the Holy Spirit when out-poured in several different places simultaneously some ten years earlier. First came the experience of the Moravian brethren. In 1727, as at Pentecost, the Holy Spirit was poured out at Herrnhut and from this tiny band flowed streams of revival which touched thousands of people both in Europe as well as in the new world.

While this was happening in Europe God was also preparing the ground work in America. Frelinghuysen and Tennent had done much to arouse the conscience of the New England settlers. Then in 1727 a young minister, by the name of Jonathan Edwards, had a spiritual encounter which revolutionised his concept and experience of God.

Similarly in England the yearning hearts of several young men, including John and Charles Wesley and George Whitfield, led them to start the "Holy Club" in 1729, their desire being to more closely follow the Lord even though at this stage few of them had fully experienced conversion. From these small beginnings burst open the flood gates of modern revival and world mission.

THE GREAT AWAKENING

In Britain this era was called the evangelical (or Methodist) revival. In America it was known as the "Great Awakening." The American awakening began in 1734 in Massachusetts under Jonathan Edwards where he had been pastoring the Congregational Church at Northampton. He preached a series of sermons on justification by faith when an amazing revival broke out.

The awakening spread to Connecticut and then surged throughout the other colonies with the preaching tours of Edward's counterpart, George Whitfield from Britain. He resorted to outdoor meetings since no buildings were large enough for the crowds which came. Whitfield roused the ministers too. "The reason why congregations have been so dead," he explained bluntly, "is because dead men preach to them." The pastors and ministers rose to the challenge. Within a few years hundreds of churches of various denominations had been re-fired.

It is estimated that over 10% of New England’s population was converted. Thousands also were swept into the Kingdom from New York to Virginia. Unusual physical manifestations characterised the revival, especially in the early stages. Moreover, the awakening preserved the heritage of the founding fathers. It stimulated new missionary efforts and in the social area had a major positive impact on American politics and education.

THE METHODIST REVIVAL

As in America the British evangelical revival had its forerunners in such as Welshman Griffith Jones. But it "hit the headlines" when George Whitfield got converted and preached his first message a year later in 1736. There were fifteen conversions immediately but his fervent style created much opposition. Someone complained to the bishop that he had driven fifteen people mad. His ministry was severely criticised by the newspapers and many pulpits were closed to him. So Whitfield took to the open air and in so doing reached vast crowds of common people, particularly miners who were otherwise alienated from the organised church. Whitfield’s open air preaching was so successful that he utilised this method wherever he went. He was the first modern international evangelist, travelling frequently to America as well as preaching extensively in England, Scotland, Ireland and Wales.

However, Whitfield did not actually start a movement or organise any local churches. The apostolic mantle fell on the shoulders of John Wesley. In spite of their enthusiasm for the "Holy Club" John and his brother Charles had still not received a "born again" experience by 1737 when they sailed to Georgia as missionaries. The mission was a failure and the Wesleys became discouraged and returned home a year later. The trip was not wasted in God's economy though, because during their journeying they met members of the Moravian Brethren whose relationship with Christ left an indelible impression upon them.

Shortly after this dark time in his life John received his own personal experience on May 24th 1738. The Wesleys then embarked on their great work of evangelism. Charles was the hymn writer and John the preacher and administrator. Like Whitfield they encountered hostility from the Church and violence from mobs which tried to break up their meetings. John is recorded as having travelled up to two hundred and fifty thousand miles by horseback throughout England preaching the gospel in open air and behind any pulpit that would let him. He systematically organised his converts into societies and class meetings for the purpose of teaching and pastoral care. He also appointed circuit preachers. John was also a theologian in his own right. His brand of Arminian theology provided the basis for Methodism and the movements which grew out of it - the Methodist Church, Salvation Army, Holiness churches and the modern Pentecostal movement.

It is worth remembering that Wesley did his best to channel his efforts through the established Anglican Church. In fact the Methodist Church, as a denomination, did not actually come into being until after Wesley's death.

The Methodist revival had a profound effect on English society. God’s Spirit penetrated the masses whose hearts had not been reached by traditional religion. The spirit of the age - deadness, corruption, violence and rationalistic philosophy crumpled at the feet of God’s servants and the revival was at the forefront of social reform - relief for the poor, medical dispensaries, orphanages, prison reform and abolition of slavery. Some have observed that if was not for the Methodist revival England would have been the stage for a second "French" revolution.

FLOODGATES WIDE OPEN

The American and English awakenings were by no means the only revivals to occur in this period. Running concurrently was a powerful move in Wales and in 1742 came the revival of Cambuslang which shook the Church of Scotland, leaving an effect on that country for years to come. Also, within the Anglican Church, an evangelical party rose up, bringing a new lease of life and producing outstanding leaders including Charles Simeon, John Newton and William Wilberforce. Through this God reached many within the upper classes of English society.

Perhaps the most outstanding feature of this church era was the phenomenon of world missions. In the forefront were the Moravian brethren who, for their small size, sent out a remarkable number of missionaries. By 1740 they had reached West Indies, South America, North America, Greenland, the Gold Coast and South Africa. They brought the gospel to peoples as diverse as Red Indians, Eskimos and Jews. They were prepared to go to any lengths, even selling themselves into slavery. The Moravians won many converts and were a powerful inspiration behind the evangelical awakening. English missionaries multiplied following the lead of the William Carey who in 1793 pioneered a great work in India. By his death there were about half a million souls saved.

A second wave of revival broke over the first from the 1780's onwards. Centred on the American frontier the "second awakening," as it became known, was featured by camp meetings with ecstatic outbreaks of emotion and deep sense of personal need. It was not unusual to witness scenes of people weeping, dancing, or falling to the ground with conviction of sin. Methodist and Baptist congregations grew rapidly in the west. Then as the second awakening began to lose impetus, Charles Finney came on the scene in 1824 whose convicting ministry shaped the style of mass evangelism to the present day. Europe did not miss its share of blessing in these times either. Between 1815 and 1848 a series of Protestant awakenings arose in Switzerland, France, Denmark, Norway and Sweden.

PILLARS IN GOD'S TEMPLE

This golden era of church history saw the establishment of many noble works which have greatly strengthened the Church, providing a basis for world evangelism into the last days.

• The Mission Societies

These began with the founding of the Baptist Missionary Society in 1792 by William Carey. Next came the London Missionary Society (1795) which pioneered the idea of interdenominational co-operation. Associated with its name is famous African explorer David Livingstone. The evangelical Anglicans established the Church Mission Society in 1799. For the next two decades came a host of denominational and interdenominational mission societies one after the other from Britain, Europe and America. The groundwork done by these organisations undoubtedly prepared the way for the harvest which is being reaped in Third World countries today.

• The Bible Societies

At the same time as overseas missions arose the Bible Societies upon whom God laid the burden of producing scriptures for the many peoples being reached by the gospel. In 1804 the British and Foreign Bible Society was formed with an interdenominational charter. Its sole purpose was to encourage the wider use of holy scripture without note, or comment, or any other sectarian bias. Other Bible societies quickly followed throughout the British Commonwealth, Europe, Russia and the USA. Today the Bible societies report that the Bible, or portions of it, are available in 1,928 different languages.

• Hymns

The Church was enriched by a renewed outburst of hymn writing in the 18th - 19th Century. Isaac Watts, Philip Doddridge, John Newton and Charles Wesley wrote some of the most beautiful sacred music since David's Psalms. Charles alone produced over six thousand hymns and is reputed to be the greatest hymn writer of all ages. Many of these hymns are still greatly loved by congregations everywhere and even with rapid change in music taste they have been adapted and re-sung for the enduring messages contained in them. From out of the evangelical awakening also came the modern Sunday School movement, the Y.M.C.A., literature and tract societies as well as many other evangelistic, social and educational movements which have built our society and the Church.

However, by the mid 19th Century a new "spirit" had begun to pervade the unseen realm. Politically there was a revolutionary mood brewing. Philosophically, sinister doctrines were formulating: spiritually there was a sense of foreboding. From about 1830 a strong prophetic consciousness developed. Many Christians, and respected ministers too, believed that the end of the world was about to come. Of course, their fears proved to be wrong, but by the 1840's the Church had certainly entered into a new and perilous scene. Around 1844 an invasion of false Christs was unleashed which saw the proliferation of numerous cults and subtle antichrist philosophies. In retrospect, it seems as if some kind of count down had begun. But the church of the "awakening" was spared it. As they were promised -

Since you have kept My command to endure patiently, I will also keep you from the hour of trial that is going to come upon the whole world to test those who live on the earth.   (Revelation 3:10 N.I.V.)

Gold Refined in Fire
the Last Days

The last days trial, tribulation, and ultimate triumph of the Church. (AD 1844 - AD ?)

Transition from the "philadelphic" period, into what we now call the "last days," was more subtle than the obvious dates of 313 and 1517, which even secular writers recognise as turning points in the history of the Church. And it is not as if the evangelical revivals ceased after 1844 to signal a clear cut division between one era and the next. Indeed there was the mighty "prayer meeting revival" of 1859. Then there were the crowds converted through the preaching of such evangelists as Dwight Moody and William Booth. However, these were essentially English speaking revivals. They did not reflect the general global scene which had manifest itself, particular in Europe, from the 1840's onward.

Furthermore, the real significance of these times is only now becoming understood in the light of what has transpired since. Because when we trace back our present "last day" signs to their roots, there is an uncanny convergence of historical and prophetic data, all stemming from the same approximate date.

INVASION OF FALSE CHRISTS

Suddenly, unexpectedly; even as if Satan himself had been loosed, the Church was assailed in a new and diabolical attack. It was not like the wars and persecutions of earlier times, but was every bit as violent, sustained, and as devastating as anything seen in the history of the Church. It was a battle for the mind! From about the middle of last century was unleashed a barrage of evil philosophies devised to undermine faith, deny essential doctrine, and to destroy every decent and Godly convention.

With a background of Industrial Revolution, aggregation of populations into city slums, and with general trends toward secularisation; political philosophies of the extreme left and right were born. These included Anarchism, Nihilism, and Communism. Atheistic communism in particular, waged war against Christianity from its earliest writings (Marx/Engles 1844-1848) until its heyday in the 1960's when nearly one third of the globe and over eight hundred million souls were engulfed by its power.

More damaging than the direct attack of atheistic systems, however, was the overnight appearance of the cults. As if by some Satanic concord, no less than four modern heresies began, or took root, in the selfsame year - 1844. Within a few more years just about every curious and crazy teaching had manifested itself. Many of them were modern reincarnations of heresies from the dark ages.

Thus Mormonism, the Bahais, Seventh Day Adventism, Christian Science, Spiritualism, Theosophy, Christiadelphians, New Thought, Anglo Israelism and New Age all share the same historical root. Since 1844, the conquest of false cults has cut deep inroads into traditional Christianity.

However, the most insidious strategy of all, in the battle for the mind, has been the infiltration of doubt. From the mid-19th Century onwards, the whole foundation of Christianity has been called into question. Philosophy, history, and science were all called upon to show that Christianity was for the weak, the naive, and that the Bible was little more than a collection of myths.

Following Baur and Straus, a stream of arrogant speculations flowed forth, endeavouring to explain away miracles and to disprove the supernatural elements and divine inspiration of the Bible. The Graf-Wellhausen school, which became widely accepted, tried to late-date and where necessary change the authorship of the prophetic scriptures. In this way it construed them to be speaking of past events rather than predictions of the future. Simultaneous to this came the theory of evolution. Now man was no longer the creature of God, but just the end result of an evolutionary chain. Mind had been banished from the universe: there was no longer any need for God. These theories severely impacted on the Church by the end of the 19th Century and undermined the faith of many.

COMPROMISE AND COMPLACENCY

The result of all this onslaught saw a capitulation, in the case of traditional churches, toward "liberal" and "modernist" thinking. Modernism is by definition an effort to conform religious belief to fit modern philosophic and scientific doctrine. So by the beginning of the 20th Century a wide spread number of clergy had accepted the "new theology" - a sort of compromise with the intellectual and scientific ideas of the day. Christianity was essentially (they said) to do with the "Fatherhood of God" and the "brotherhood of man." So the emphasis on personal salvation was replaced with a "gospel" of social concern.

Literal interpretation of the Bible was considered naive and the biblical accounts of miracles were preached as helpful, but non-literal allegories. Even the historic denominational creeds were re-framed so that members could interpret their confessions of faith in several ways. It became fashionable to send aspiring theological students to finish their studies in "liberal" German universities from whence emanated radical ideas of biblical criticism, comparative religion, and theistic evolution. And although large sections of the people continued to be influenced by the great traditions inherited from former days, there was a growing materialism and lukewarmness within the congregation. The "Lord's day" was becoming increasingly a day for amusement and less a day of rest and worship. Missionary and evangelistic zeal began to wane.

Yet for all that, churches at the turn of the century through to the time of the First World War, remained strong and well attended. Ministers were eloquent and well educated (though they did not seem to possess the same note of authority) and church going remained an accepted and respectable thing to do. An optimism pervaded the Church, expressed in liberal circles as an idea that mankind was progressively improving, and in conservative circles in the form of "post millenialism." There was a slight arrogance and self assured feeling which seemed to be validated by the Darwinian concept of evolution, and by the new prosperity which promised so much to the world. Compromise and complacency had set in, and the Church, it seemed, was none the worse for it. She was in for a rude awakening.

BECAUSE YOU ARE LUKEWARM

The First World War came as an awful shock to those who fancied the Church riding at ease in the enlightenment and achievements of a new civilised world. Indeed it was Germany itself, the very centre of European culture and education, and the heartland of liberal theology, which perpetrated this crime against mankind. Consequently from this time liberal ministers had much less to say about such things as the "innate goodness of man," etc. etc. and many modified their views. A somewhat humbled version of liberalism emerged, especially with the writings of Swiss theologian Karl Barth. He condemned the swelling claims of earlier theologians and appealed again to the Bible and the reformers. He used terms which had been laid aside, such as "the fall," and "original sin," "atonement," and "justification." However, Barth's "neo-orthodoxy" (as it came to be called) was not as orthodox as it sounded, and influential as it was on the 20th Century church, failed to bring it back to its evangelical roots. The compromise remained.

So it was from about 1914, a massive abandonment of faith set in, a falling away which was prophesied in the Bible would begin in the last days and continue till its culmination in the final rebellion. Paradoxically, it was Europe, birthplace of the reformation and of modern missions - heirs of the evangelical awakening, where the apostasy first began. Through the 1920's, 30's and 40's statistics revealed continuing decreases in church attendance. Many churches attempted to bolster their dwindling influence by organising secular attractions such as dances and shows, but these strategies failed to stem the flow.

In communist countries, the Church came under constant propaganda attack. The "League of Militant Godless" was formed in 1925 producing anti-religious films, plays, radio talks, and literature. They sponsored "scientific" lectures and exhibits and established museums of atheism. These measures, aided by repressive laws, and the extermination programs of Stalin and others, virtually wiped out the Russian Orthodox, Lutheran, Baptist, and Evangelical Christian churches in Eastern Europe. Similar treatment was meted out to Catholics, Jews, and other minorities.

Meanwhile in western Europe the Church, although free, was faring little better. By the 1950's church leaders were becoming alarmed, and statements were frequently heard declaring that Christian civilisation was disintegrating, and society was showing signs of moral degeneracy. The exception to this dismal scene was North America where large sections of the population continued to profess faith in God.

By the 1960's the world wide church was a pathetic picture indeed. The postwar (baby boomer) generation had left in droves, declaring it to be irrelevant. People were saying "God is dead"! There was talk of a "post Christian" era. Even in the religious USA., churches were showing the same signs of materialism and complacency which had crept into the rest of the western church earlier.

So by the 1970's the predicted moral degeneracy had become reality, manifest in collapsing standards of decency, sexual conduct and family values. This should not have been a surprise since public standards have always been a reflection of society's religious belief. Hence abandonment of faith follows compromise, which in turn is followed by moral collapse. It is inevitable. But that is not all. The generation which follows moral collapse will witness social collapse as well: Divorce, disintegration of families, disturbed offspring, drug addiction, mental sickness, spiralling crime, sexual disorientation, disobedience, disrespect for authority, and violent, twisted attitudes towards society. This is the generation that society is entering now: It is the harvest of the lukewarm church.

GOLD REFINED IN FIRE

Indeed, moral and social collapse, which accompanied the "falling away," is only part of the global scene which conditions were prophesied would begin in the last days preceding and climaxing with the return of Christ. Jesus explicitly detailed these conditions to His disciples, and the exact sequence is outlined in symbolic form in Revelation 6.

Thus the spiritual invasion of deception, which broke out in 1844, was also followed by literal war - the red horse of war and sword - bringing into being the 20th Century phenomenon of "world war" with all its weapons of mass destruction. This has been followed in turn by unprecedented famines and plagues, not the least of which is the AIDS plague which first came to attention around 1984 and now threatens one tenth of the world population. Today the world faces the specter of wide spread death rising from these horrors and with further ominous economic, environmental, and spiritual portends on the horizon.

It is against this global background that the "last day" church purchases "gold refined in fire." Rising from out of the failure of her lukewarmness, she buys "white garments" with which to stand in the presence of Christ at His returning. Some prophetic commentators have condemned the "Laodicean church" to unrecoverable falling away and rejection by God, but fortunately, that is only half the story. Other scriptures depict a mighty Spirit out-poured latter rain revival. Which scenario is true? They both are!

As paradoxical as it may seem, the 20th Century has witnessed both apostasy and revival, manifest simultaneously, and together in unprecedented and increasing degree. The revival we have dreamed of, simply has not happened in the way it was hoped for. It has come! And it will come in greater power yet: - but in the midst of contradiction and affliction, like "gold refined in fire."

So it was, that in 1904 a new kind of outpouring broke forth. It has only been in recent years that scholars have been able to assess just how awesome this "last days" move of the Holy Spirit has been. It has been extraordinary because -

• It was international.

From the beginning of the century the revival erupted simultaneously all over the globe. Although the 1904 Welsh revival is most quoted, similar amazing revivals began in South Africa, India, Southeast Asia, Korea, Australia, Scandinavia and USA between 1904 and 1914.

• No single personality dominated.

It was purely the work of the Holy Spirit and could not be attributed to the work of any particular evangelist or denomination. It affected all major churches, and gave birth to many newer ones as well. Numerous ministries were raised up, many of which have whole books written about them, yet none of which could lay claim to the glory of such an unsurpassing move of God.

• It was accompanied by miracles and gifts of the Holy Spirit.

From the 1906 Azuza St. revival originated the modern Pentecostal movement with its renewed emphasis on the miraculous and speaking in tongues. Although the new century awakening included evangelical and fundamentalist elements, and was by no means exclusively Pentecostal, it would still be fair to say that from this time came a new awareness of the Holy Spirit and of the supernatural element in the ministry of the Church.

• It was concurrent and in contradiction to the "Great Falling Away."

Unlike evangelical awakenings of the 18th-19th Centuries, which reversed the moral slide, and lifted the political and educational institutions of those days; the last days move has polarised society between those who respond to its message and those who reject it. This is not to say that there has not been, and will not continue to be, huge numbers who turn to Christ: but there will also be huge numbers who refuse to hear the truth. This will continue with increasing intensity until it reaches flash point where all the world is ready to align totally either with the forces of Christ or with the final rebellion.

Three streams flowed into the 20th Century outpouring.

The Fundamentalist movement came into being with the publication in 1909 of the "fundamentals." It confronted the "liberal theology" of the day. In it they emphasised the literality of scripture, the substitutionary death of Christ on the cross, the reality of eternal punishment, and the need for personal conversion. Fundamentalist preachers stood up against the teaching of evolution and championed creationist research at a time when such belief was scorned. Early proponents included such figures as Warfield and Orr.

However, as the century progressed Fundamentalism developed a somewhat bigoted style of defence. They tended to be intolerant where doctrines held to be true were questioned, and many Fundamentalist churches overreacted toward the liberal's "social gospel" by disdaining such involvement altogether. Its liberal and humanist opponents exploited these weaknesses by branding all conservative and Bible believing Christians as rigid, obscurantist, anti-intellectual, narrow minded; and this, unfortunately, is what the term "Fundamentalist" has come to denote. For this reason many evangelical theologians, who might otherwise have been regarded as heirs of the original Fundamentalists, disown the label today.

The more moderate majority of conservative, Bible believing Christians may be generally grouped under the title of "Evangelicals". Unlike the Fundamentalists, evangelical writers (such as George Ladd) used the tools of biblical criticism, permitting critical methods, not for the purpose of undermining the Bible, but so that the truth would be seen to stand in spite of the scrutiny of modern examination.

Evangelical thinkers of the stature of C.S. Lewis and F.F. Bruce, exerted a profound influence on 20th Century faith, and organisations such as Youth for Christ and Campus Crusade for Christ did much to reach the modern generation. In 1947 God raised up Billy Graham to become, arguably, the most effective and internationally accepted evangelist to this day. Thousands of people have responded all over the world to the call for a ‘decision’ following his clear and simple presentation of the gospel.

The third stream and undoubtedly the most dramatic aspect of the 20th Century revival has been the Pentecostal phenomenon. Prior to the turn of the century, divine healing was rare, and "speaking in tongues" was virtually unheard of. Doctrine concerning the Holy Spirit was hazy and un-thought out, and miracles were supposed to have ceased away in the Apostolic period. Reports, however, began to filter through of unusual manifestations and miraculous works of healing at the hands of some who we now identify as pioneers of the healing revival; A.J. Tomlinson, Maria Woodworth-Etter, Alexander Dowie, F.F. Bosworth, John G. Lake, Amie Semple-McPherson.

However, the start of the modern Pentecostal explosion was probably 1906, when a most unlikely one-eyed Negro preacher came to a small church mission in Los Angeles. There W.J. (Daddy) Seymour received his "baptism in the Holy Spirit" and spoke in other tongues. Known now as the Azuzu St. Revival it was an astonishing work of God and became the focal point of thousands from all over the world who were seeking a deeper experience of the Holy Spirit in their lives.

The Pentecostal movement met with anger and derision right from the very beginning. Modern books on heresy usually apportioned a section in the appendix on the "Faith Healing" movement and on the evils of "speaking in tongues." Those who experienced the "baptism in the Holy Spirit" were expelled from their churches and denounced for starting their own. The press harried the work of the healing evangelists, conjuring up pictures of "Holy Rollers," charlatans and frauds. And pyschologists, faced with an obvious contradiction to the rationalistic 20th Century mind, explained it away as "emotionalism," "self induced hypnosis" and "mind over matter."

Notwithstanding, by the 1960's this work of the Holy Spirit had spread to every corner of the globe and commentators were calling Pentecostalism the third force of Christendom. Vigorous Pentecostal denominations had emerged along with numerous independent Pentecostal fellowships.

From 1960 an even more extraordinary turn of events developed. At the very time that the "falling away" had done its worst, the charismatic renewal broke out within the traditional churches. Thousands of non - Pentecostal Christians began receiving the "baptism in the Holy Spirit" and began speaking in other tongues. All the protestant denominations were affected and then in 1967, to the shock and disbelief of many, the phenomena broke out in the Catholic Church.

During the 1960's and 70's the denominations struggled to cope with their prejudices and many congregations split. Others simply lost members to Pentecostal fellowships. However by the 1980's large numbers of ministers and lay leaders had accepted the experience and, what at first had seemed to be disruptive, proved to be a most unifying and healing influence. It compelled an entire re-examination of the doctrine of the Holy Spirit and, with the barriers down, came a new softened attitude between Christians amongst the various groupings. Clearly the Church was coming out from a tunnel and the pain of change; the humiliation of failure; the peculiar pressures of apostasy mixed with revival had produced a leaner church where denominational differences were less important, leaders less arrogant, and individual Christians more willing to be united and dependant on one another.

BEHOLD I STAND AT THE DOOR

Now as the final chapter closes on the 20th century, the Church has emerged a different one to that which entered 100 years earlier. The "Laodicean church" has come through humbled but not forsaken. Mission reports indicate a massive third world harvest such as never seen since the book of Acts. And in 1989 the collapse of Communism released an underground church as alive as that of the Imperial persecutions. Now the Church is poised on the threshold of a mighty climax. Indeed in some ways it is harder to do justice to the end of church history than it is to summarise its beginning.

Now the events which await us are as profound as those of the first coming of Christ: -

• the final phase of the outpouring of the Spirit.
• the revival of the Jews.
• the appearing of Antichrist
• the final rebellion
• the ultimate triumph and rapture of the Church.

Undoubtedly the Laodicean church has been through trial, and she will go through trial yet. She has purchased "gold refined in fire" but she will pay for revival mixed with fire yet. Now as the new millennium approaches Christ makes his last and most urgent appeal ...

"Here I am! I stand at the door and knock."
(Revelation 3: 20 N.I.V)

Thus church history ends with the blessed hope and glorious return of our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ.