Christian History Made Easy PowerPoint Presentation

by Timothy Paul Jones

Packed with pictures, charts, and simple summaries, this PowerPoint presentation covers the most important events in Christian history! Easily teach early church history, the Church Councils, the Great Schism, the Crusades, Francis of Assisi, John Wycliffe, Martin Luther, the Protestant Reformation, and more. With the click of a mouse, clearly see what you need to know about key events and people at a glance as you dive into real-life stories from Christian history. Twelve teaching sessions with more than 350 ready-made slides containing full-color photos, illustrations, and maps. Includes handouts and worksheets as printable PDFs. Easy to use in the classroom, Sunday school class, Bible study, or church small group.

3 Key Features of Christian History Made Easy PowerPoint

1. Easy-to-Understand Overview of 2,000 Years of Christian History!

Enjoy getting a clear overview of all key events throughout Christian history, including how we got the Bible; creeds; the Crusades; revivals; and more! In twelve dynamic teaching sessions, discover nearly 2,000 years of fascinating events and historical figures such 2. See Fascinating Facts and Figures from Christian History at a Glance

Teaching has never been easier or more exciting! With just the click of a mouse, enjoy discovering fascinating facts that you’ll never get from a dry history book or lecture, such The Christian History Made Easy PowerPoint reveals dozens of authors, revivalists, and leaders who were used by God to translate the Scriptures and spread the gospel, 3. Includes Reproducible Leader Guide, Notes, and Worksheets on Christian History

Includes Christian History Made Easy teacher notes and reproducible worksheets, on the CD-ROM as PDF files, Perfect for individual study, discipleship, small group or Sunday school classes, Christian school, homeschoolers, new believer’s classes, church library, and more!

Genres: History, Christian, Church History, Theology, Nonfiction, Christianity, Religion

350 pages, CD-ROM

First published August 1, 1999

About the author

Timothy Paul Jones is an American evangelical scholar known for his work in apologetics and family ministry. He serves as the C. Edwin Gheens Professor of Christian Family Ministry at the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary. Jones has authored influential texts defending the historical reliability of the New Testament and has promoted a model of “family-equipping ministry,” which balances family discipleship with age-specific church programs. His apologetics have evolved from evidential to presuppositional approaches, emphasizing the role of the church’s moral witness and care for the marginalized. He has been recognized for books such as Misquoting Truth, How We Got the Bible, and In Church as It Is in Heaven, the latter promoting multiethnic church communities. Jones is a member of the Evangelical Theological Society and has been praised as a leading voice in engaging both secular critics and intra-faith debates. He and his wife Rayann have four adopted children.

Reviews

[Matthew Mitchell · Rating 5 out of 5]

An excellent basic introduction to the last 2000 years of Christian history. We used "Christian History Made Easy" in our small group from church and had edifying discussions each week. We especially loved how the author emphasized humility as we studied some of the foibles of our spiritual forebears--realizing that we can't see our own blindspots. Our group also appreciated how the author made his wise choices of what to include--such the important contributions of women (often under-represented in re-telling of Christian history). There are so many things that could be discussed (and so little space to provide information!), but we felt that Jones picked the right things to expand upon.

We held our last meeting tonight and all agreed that we understand better who we are from where we have come because we read this book together. Recommended.

[James B · Rating 4 out of 5]

It is about time for me to start reading about Christian church history, and this little book as title suggested, indeed made very easy for anyone to get a brief but essential view of events and people who shaped this history of Christianity. The book understandably tries to be as objective as possible therefore contains very little analysis (after all it has to be brief), however author did subtly hint the theme of authority of scripture as a key issue throughout the history. Every chapter contains key terms, events and names are very helpful for all beginners. Overall, would recommend to people with very little knowledge of church history and it triggers enough of interest in me to dig into it more.

[Andrea · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book provided a helpful overview of 2000 years of Christian history. I wanted to read something brief ahead of another, larger book on Christian history that I'm waiting for from the library and this book did a good job of giving the broad strokes.

It's divided into 12 chapters and, at the beginning of each one, it gives a handful of events, people and terms that are important for that era. It then goes into the general themes and most influential events/people/ideas of that time. The flow feels a little abrupt at times as the author moves from topic to topic and I sometimes would flip back a page to make sure I was following things correctly. Sometimes there wasn't much of a clear connection between topics (other than that they happened in the same period of time).

I thought the author does a pretty good job being fair to the different religious movements. I wouldn't say it's completely objective, but where he does tend to make judgement statements/inferences he's on the side of orthodoxy which I appreciated. I was also pleasantly surprised that he offers some background information about dispensationalism which doesn't seem to be very popular right now. Overall, it seemed like he attempted to be pretty diplomatic about each movement while still informing the reader of the damage done by some (maybe, many) of them to the Gospel, or missions or the church, etc.

While I've studied some of these topics more in depth, I've never take a course on church history so a lot of what I've learned is floating around without a good context. This really helped to put things in order for me and help me to see the actions and reactions through the centuries as people have tried to grapple with their Christian faith and scripture.

There are a lot of names to try to keep straight and it became kind of a blur, but the book contains a study guide and learning activities for each chapter in the back so you could easily spend some time on each chapter. Embedded in the chapters are also questions for reflection (many of which refer you to Bible passages to confirm/reject what the churches were teaching at that time) as well as quotes from people who were there and links to places online where you can read original texts.

It's written with a pretty casual tone (and even has some jokes) that I think would be easy and perhaps even enjoyable for older kids. It also has lots of pictures and visual details that make it feel fun and interesting.

I definitely think this is a helpful resource for a fast-paced overview of some of the biggest developments of the Christian faith over the last 2000 years. It would make a great introduction for further study.

[Paula · Rating 5 out of 5]

Christian History Made Easy is an extremely well put together book. I am a curious person who is always looking for answers to many things. How we have so many denominations has always had me wondering how they evolved. And, the Bible itself, how did we come to have so many versions?

I found answers to these thoughts/questions and plenty more in this book. The book briefly summarizes the church history throughout the ages touching down at greater length when discussing key figures or moments in history. What I like is enough information is given to address each time period but then the information can be expanded into a further in-depth study with the web references, so you can continue on with your studies if you want.

At the beginning of each chapter is a timeline which basically shows you what is covered in the chapter. In each chapter besides web references, there are key concepts highlighted in a box, pictures, diagrams, and maps pertaining to the subject at hand. You will also find “In Case you’re confused” highlights that help clarify some of the things that are discussed. The “Think About It” and “Did You Know” highlights get you thinking about what you have read.

Truly, this makes learning about church history fun and entertaining. The author interjects little quips here and there that lighten the mood while reading. I appreciate that this book is laid out more or less as a tell it like it is format and doesn’t try to give an opinion on what is right or wrong. That is left up to you as a reader to accept or reject.

I received an ARC from Rose Publishing at my request for review purposes. I so enjoyed it that I will be ordering a print copy!

[Ann · Rating 4 out of 5]

We used this book in a church class, and I found it as many others did - clear, concise, and easy to read. It provided me with more depth and background to parts of church history that I had already known, and, especially related to modern church history, defined terms in a clear way that helped me see which church groups believe what.

One thing that I especially liked about the book was the study guide and lesson plan that were laid out in the back, making this an even more accessible resource for groups or classes. Another thing I really appreciated was the author’s occasional editorial encouragements. After describing a stretch of particularly disheartening stories of brutality and unchristian behaviors, the author would add in a comment of how there was always one or two (or more) believers truly committed to following God, no matter the popular behavior or risks to themselves. This helped to put matters in perspective, to see how, similar to the prophets in ancient Israel, God never lost control of any situation or was without people, no matter how small their numbers, who were truly his.

The one drawback I would state is that I did happen to find one factual error related to a piece of historical information. The error had no effect on the event described in the book, but it did make me wonder if there weren’t more in there that I didn’t notice.

That being said, I am seriously considering using this as a high school history text for my homeschooled kids when they reach that level.

[L.L. Gappa · Rating 5 out of 5]

I cannot rave about this book enough. Do you ever feel like your knowledge of the Christian faith through history jumps from The Bible to you? Or maybe The Bible to you with a couple of authors sprinkled in?

I always felt mine jumped from The Bible to the reformation to me with a couple of authors sprinkled in.

This fills in the gaps so beautifully. It’s beautiful, easy to understand and entertaining. It deals with the triumphs and failures of the church through out a complete timeline all the way from the Bible to us.

Despite the frustrations and follies of sinful mankind in the church and their constant divisions- this book is so inspiring. It’s inspiring to look all the way back through history, every step of the way, and see the saints before you. To see all the people who have kept the faith and lived and loved for Christ, devoting their lives to him.
I have been putting off finishing it because I don’t want it to end.
One of the best books I’ve ever read.

[RetroHound · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a great short history of the Christian church through the ages. It is set up for a 12-week class, but I did a 6-week class. This book looks great with pictures and color pages and is not a boring long text book, so I would fully recommend it. In the back it includes outlines for the 12 classes and one-page learning activities you can photocopy and hand out. Before each chapter is a one-page "What you should know about [time period] with _# Events, _ # Names, and _ # Terms. The numbers vary by chapter. There is a Leader's Guide you can buy, but I didn't use it much. For one, the dates were different than the chapters and outlines in the back of this book(!?). And much of it seemed repeated from the outlines. The Leader's Guide says it goes with the DVD-based study, but still, why does it not follow the book? So, in short, the book is great, don't buy the leader's guide unless you get the whole package.

[Bethany McMillon · Rating 5 out of 5]

I started 2019 with a sense of questioning towards Christianity in a religious sense. I wasn’t questioning my faith in Jesus, or that Scripture was God’s word. But, more along the line of the question: “how did we get from there (apostolic writing in the gospels) to here (2019)?” Jones breaks down the last 2000 years into one easy to read, conversationally written book. Each chapter spans 100-200 years and explains the “highlights” of what is happening to the church at that time. He does not sugar-coat the failures of the Christian church at various times in history, nor does he push a specific denomination. This book is an excellent read to fill in the blanks of Christian history. I would highly recommend it if you like history or are having some of the same questions.

[Chien-Wei Kung · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've read a few Christian history books over the years. This one is by no means comprehensive, but gives some major highlights within each century. I appreciate the graphics, the highlights and hyperlinks, which make the text much more engaging and interesting to the reader. I think this is a book one can read over and over, pick up new things every time. You can go as deep as you want into the weeds of Christian history, which should be important for every Christian. Overall, it was an enjoyable read, although it took me me a while to complete. (I seem to always peter out when reading Christian history books around the 7-8th century)

[A.J. Mendoza · Rating 4 out of 5]

Timothy Paul Jones does a good job walking through Christian History in a small amount of pages. Though his own traditional bias pops it's head now and then, ultimately I will judge it to be a fair account of Christian History starting from the early church and landing in Evangelical/Pentecostal missions.

Reading Level: Early collegiate. Would recommend to a layperson interested in the topic who has been in the church for a while.

[Erin · Rating 4 out of 5]

It’s a good overview, but the author lets his own biases prevent him from providing enough details for the reader to form their own opinion- or even apply some of the information to the belief they already hold. Once the denominations starting splitting off, Jones skipped so much history and only picked them back up when he needed them, typically without any explanation of what happened since then.
This is more of a reference and an introduction than a complete summary of the basics.

[Maggie Bowman · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 Overall, it was a nice overview. Definitely could use an updated edition. I appreciated that Jones made a definite effort to include women heroines throughout all of church history (because they obviously existed) and while I did learn many new names, the names I did already know of (Hildegard of Bingen, for example) seemed really downplayed, which I thought was odd. Still worth a read if you're not sure where to begin, but I most certainly wouldn't use this as my only church history text.

[Molly · Rating 5 out of 5]

I don't really like history very much, but I felt like I should learn about Christian history. This book happened to be sitting on my shelf, so I picked it up.

It lived up to its name, making Christian history easy for me to understand! I don't feel like an expert, but that wasn't my goal - I really just wanted a basic understanding, and this book gave me that!

[Jacob Newton · Rating 5 out of 5]

Timothy Paul Jones gives an excellent, brief overview of Christian history without putting too much personal doctrinal beliefs in the text. He also has a few comedic spots, which always helps when reading history.

[Kim · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of the best history books I've ever read. It made the timeline so clear, but I am curious how God must have viewed all those actions in history.....I'm amazed that Christianity made it this far.....but still so unsure why so many denominations.....will reread soon!!

[Amelia and John · Rating 5 out of 5]

Overall, a nice broad view of Church history. There is, of course, a Protestant bent but it is not dogmatically present throughout the book. Not only are specific events and controversies visited well, but the interconnectedness of these events is recognized as well.

[Jared Russell · Rating 3 out of 5]

A fairly helpful introduction to church history. Interprets Christian history from a particular perspective, and doesn’t really attempt to address other perspectives, but that is to be expected given that it is an introductory text.

[Doc · Rating 5 out of 5]

very good overview.

[Karen · Rating 4 out of 5]

I thought the author did a nice job overall of tackling this complex topic. There were some parts Zi wish had been explained more, but it was an interesting read.

[Daniel Coughlin · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was an easy read -- I just didn't find it captivating or compelling.

[Royce Baker · Rating 4 out of 5]

Just as the description states, this was a “quick and colorful guide to understanding the key events and people that every Christian should know.”

[Loren · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great overviiew for high school students or adults.

[Trea Madole · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great intro to Church History 👍

[Jerry Owens · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book about Church History. The author presents the subject in a readable fashion. He inserts humorous quips throughout the book which helps to keep it interesting. Highly recommend this book.

[Jacob Moore · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very easy read. Def would suggest it to anyone interested in a fly over of church history.

[Donna · Rating 5 out of 5]

I learned from this history and it also put events and people and thoughts in context for me. It is a daunting task to put this much chronology one book.

[Janis · Rating 2 out of 5]

While there are some very interesting parts of this book, I can’t say that it or the topic are easy.

[The Jesus Fandom · Rating 4 out of 5]

It was engaging, and a good introduction to church history. Didn't like the approach to the Crusades, but you can't always agree on everything.

[John Gardner · Rating 4 out of 5]

I bought this book as a potential text for teaching a class at our church on church history. As the cover states, it is quite “basic”, but it is ideal for use as a beginner-level overview of the history of Christianity: exactly what I’d hoped it would be.

The twelve chapters — each of which covers the main events, names, and terms of a time period — read incredibly quickly, as each page contains colorful pictures, block quotes, and other graphics which present information in a variety of ways. The scope of the book is grand, covering the time of the apostles up through postmodernism and the Emergent Church, and everything in between. Obviously, nothing is covered in depth, but Jones provides readers with a “big picture” view of history, enough detail to have at least a basic familiarity with the most important aspects of church history, and resources for further study.

I was personally most appreciative of the author’s emphasis on the work of God in building the Church throughout history. He is honest about the many failings of the Church and its leaders, but highlights the ideas and contributions made during each era which ultimately led to the spread of the Gospel. This is most evident in Chapter 6 (“God Never Stops Working”), which covers the difficult period from 673-1295. Jones applies the words of Jesus in John 5:17 (“My father is always at his work“) to show how God worked through the monastics, the Scholastics, and the mystics to preserve the Bible and a remnant of believers even through the Dark Ages. Taking that view of history helps us to remain optimistic at times when it is difficult to see how God is working.

His final chapters are also helpful in introducing the various streams of Christian thinking in the world today. The book documents the rise of Dispensationalism, Christian liberalism, Pentecostalism, Fundamentalism, and the “Emergent” church. Jones sticks to the “facts” for the most part, describing what happened rather than making value statements about doctrinal differences within evangelicalism, but he does take time to point out the errors of liberalism and it’s later postmodern iteration (Readers should expect no less from a professor at The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary!). I should also note that from the Reformation onward, the focal point is on the history of the Protestant church, with very little discussion given to events taking place within Roman Catholicism — the Second Vatican Council being a notable exception.

This edition contains a 12-week detailed study guide so that using the book as a teaching tool or discussion starter is also “made easy”. While group leaders may not choose to follow the guide exactly — each session calls for 60-90 minutes of guided discussion, worship through song, and a “learning activity” which often requires some preparation and supplies from the leader — everything needed to use in nearly any group format is included. Leaders can simply adapt the provided materials to suit their needs.

If you’re looking for a good introduction to church history that doesn’t require a long commitment to deep study, this one will serve you well.

[Kelly · Rating 4 out of 5]

"Simply put, the church's history is our family history." (Introduction)

Simply put, this book is excellent.

It is exactly what I wanted it to be as a "quick and colorful guide" to Church History. It is well written (light, even humorous at times); well organized (each chapter begins with a list of key events, people, and terms, and chapters are broken down into easy-to-read subsections); intellectually stimulating (there are neat "sidebar sections" such as "Did you know?" trivia, "Words from the ones who were there" quotes, "In case you're confused..." clarifications, and "Think about it..." points to consider); and visually interesting (with many photos, illustrations, etc., albeit I was surprised that there was only one map in the entire book).

At just 190 pages, it is meant to be engaging not exhaustive—and it does so successfully, especially with its focus on "stories" more than dates, without sacrificing clarity (e.g., it clearly differentiates between Catholic and Protestant) and without excluding or minimizing the Church's low points and failures. Depending on one's prior knowledge or intended depth of study, this book may not be sufficient (and I would also note the author's opinion/interpretation comes through at times, though nothing I ever disagreed with). But, it is exceptional as an introductory overview (or refresher) on Church History, and it would also serve very well as an outline for a class or further research.

Note there is some mature content, e.g., persecution. (It is not written for children, so parents or teachers should be mindful of young audiences.)