COACH: Church Origins and Church History courtesy of the That’s Jesus Channel cover art

COACH: Church Origins and Church History courtesy of the That’s Jesus Channel

COACH: Church Origins and Church History courtesy of the That’s Jesus Channel

By: That’s Jesus Channel / Bob Baulch
Listen for free

About this listen

COACH: Church Origins and Church History is a Christian podcast from Bob Baulch that explores how the church grew, suffered, worshiped, and changed the world — one generation at a time. Hosted by a passionate Bible teacher with a heart for truth and revival and research, COACH brings history to life with verifiable sources, captivating stories, and deep theological reflection. From Roman persecution to forgotten revivals, every episode is a fresh look at how God’s people lived and died for the gospel — and what it means for us today. No fluff. No fiction. Just powerful, proven history that strengthens your faith.

Copyright 2025 All rights reserved. Christianity Spirituality World
Episodes
  • 670 AD – England Becomes A Mission Force After Being A Mission Field

    670 AD – England Becomes A Mission Force After Being A Mission Field
    Oct 8 2025
    Full Title: 670 AD – England Becomes A Mission Force After Being A Mission Field Metadata Package: It’s 670 AD, and the islands once reached by missionaries from Rome and Ireland now send their own. From the quiet monasteries of England to the windswept coasts across the sea, believers carry Scripture and song — armed not with armies but with faith. This episode traces how the English church moved from receiving the gospel to sharing it, planting seeds that would one day grow into the great mission movements of Willibrord and Boniface. Extended notes explore how ordinary men and women — once discipled by foreign missionaries — became messengers of Christ themselves and how that same choice faces every church today. Make sure you Like, Share, Subscribe, Follow, Comment, and Review this episode and the entire COACH series. Keywords: England missions history, Frisian mission, Willibrord, Boniface, early missionaries, church history, evangelism, gospel to the nations, Anglo-Saxon church, Bede, Frisia, Christian courage, obedience, love compels, ordinary believers, mission legacy Hashtags: #ChurchHistory #Missions #ThatsJesusChannel #COACH #FaithInAction Description: In 670 AD, the English church — once a mission field itself — began to send its own missionaries. From coastal monasteries came believers who crossed the cold North Sea to the Frisians of modern-day Netherlands. They carried faith, Scripture, and humble courage instead of wealth or political power. This episode tells the story of how a people once evangelized became evangelists — a turning point that would inspire centuries of mission work through figures like Willibrord and Boniface. It’s a story of ordinary disciples who refused to stay comfortable and chose to go because love compelled them. Discover how their faith still calls the modern church to move from maintenance to mission and from comfort to commission. Join Bob Baulch as he unfolds the moment when England became the mission field that became the mission force. Call-to-Action: Make sure you Like, Share, Subscribe, Follow, Comment, and Review this episode and the entire COACH series. CHUNK 1 – COLD HOOK It’s 670 AD on the North Sea coast of England. Gray water slaps the hull of a small wooden boat as a handful of monks push off from the sand. The wind bites, the waves rise, and behind them the cliffs fade into mist. Ahead lies Frisia [FREE-zee-uh] — a foreign land with strange speech, colder hearts, and no promise of welcome. They carry no swords, only scrolls. No banners, only a few simple psalms. Their call isn’t from a king or a pope, but from love itself — love that once crossed oceans to reach them. On shore, the tide creeps over their footprints until every trace of hesitation disappears. What began as a mission field has become a mission force. Somewhere across that restless sea, a village waits — unaware that before the sun sets, the first English voices will tell them the name of Jesus. But what made these quiet believers so bold … and why did they believe ordinary people could change nations? [AD BREAK] CHUNK 2 – INTRO From the That’s Jesus Channel, welcome to COACH — where Church origins and church history actually coach us how to walk boldly with Jesus today. I’m Bob Baulch. On Wednesday, we stay between 500 and 1500 AD. In this episode we are in the year 670 AD and watching how the English church — once evangelized by others — began sending missionaries of its own, proving that the faith received with humility can also be shared with courage. CHUNK 3 – FOUNDATION By 670 AD, the islands that once trembled under the weight of pagan superstition were beginning to hum with worship songs. The smoky scent of oil lamps floated through small stone chapels. Pages of Scripture — copied carefully by hand — glowed amber in the flicker of candlelight. These were not grand cathedrals. They were simple, weather-worn rooms where fishermen, farmers, and monks gathered before dawn to sing of a King they had never seen but had come to love deeply. The message that changed them was simple: Jesus lived, died, and rose again — not as a story to admire, but as a reality to trust. That news had crossed oceans to find them. Now it shaped everything they were. Two very different waves of faith had met here. One brought structure and teaching — an orderly rhythm of Scripture reading and communion. The other brought passion and simplicity — a heart-shaped faith that thrived in small communities and open fields. Together they formed something new: a quiet but powerful unity. Under Archbishop Theodore [THEE-uh-dor], that unity began to mature. He taught believers to learn, lead, and listen. Churches began to share resources and raise up new teachers instead of relying on outsiders. They were becoming self-sustaining — not just converts, but disciple-makers. It wasn’t glamorous. Faith grew in the hum of daily life — in the careful copying ...
    Show More Show Less
    15 mins
  • 190 AD Easter Divides the Dates but Unites the Faith Why The Prayer of Jesus for Oneness Still M

    190 AD Easter Divides the Dates but Unites the Faith Why The Prayer of Jesus for Oneness Still M
    Oct 6 2025
    190 AD – Easter Divides the Dates but Unites the Faith - Why The Prayer of Jesus for Oneness Still Matters Metadata Package: In 190 AD, Christians faced a simple but sacred question — when to celebrate Easter. Some chose the Sunday that honored the day Jesus rose; others chose the date that matched Passover itself. Both wanted to honor the same Lord and the same resurrection. Leaders sought peace without compromise, unity without uniformity. This story shows how faithful believers disagreed deeply yet remained devoted to Christ — and why their struggle still echoes in every church today. Extended notes explore how John 17 connects Jesus’ final prayer for oneness to the Easter calendar clash and why the world still judges our faith by our unity. Make sure you Like, Share, Subscribe, Follow, Comment, and Review this episode and the entire COACH series. Keywords: Easter history, 190 AD, church unity, John 17, Quartodeciman, early Christian worship, church calendar, resurrection Sunday, Passover, Nicene tradition, Christian discipleship, church division, Easter controversy, ancient faith, oneness of believers, That’s Jesus Channel, COACH podcast, Christian history, unity in Christ, Easter timeline, Bible tradition, church fathers, faith and love, Christian disagreement, history of Easter Hashtags: #ChurchHistory #Easter #Unity #COACHPodcast #ThatsJesusChannel Episode Summary: In 190 AD, Christians across the Roman Empire loved the same Lord but celebrated His resurrection on different days. Some honored Easter on Sunday to remember the day Jesus rose from the dead. Others kept it in line with Passover to remember the season He died and rose again. Both sides held Scripture dear and acted from devotion, not defiance. Church leaders pleaded for peace and tried to hold a fragile fellowship together. This episode invites you to see how that ancient conflict reveals something modern — that our disagreements often hide our deepest shared love for Jesus. It points to John 17, where Christ prayed that His followers would be one so the world would believe. When the Church is divided, the world doubts; when we are united, the world sees Him clearly. Join COACH to rediscover how the first believers wrestled with faith, tradition, and love — and why their story still coaches us today. Call to Action: Make sure you Like, Share, Subscribe, Follow, Comment, and Review this episode and the entire COACH series. CHUNK 1 – COLD HOOK It’s spring in 190 AD. In Ephesus [EF-uh-suhs], streets still lined with pagan temples fill with voices preparing for the greatest Christian day of the year — Easter. But not everyone agrees on when that day should come. Inside a dim house church, oil lamps flicker against plaster walls. One group counts days after Passover, saying, “This is the time our Lord was crucified — so this is when we remember.” Across the room, others answer softly, “The Lord rose on Sunday. That’s the day we celebrate life.” No voices are raised, but the weight is palpable. They love the same Jesus — and yet their calendars don’t match. Leaders write letters across the empire. Bishops plead for unity. Churches from Rome to Asia Minor pray they’re doing the right thing — but no one can find a verse that settles it. The Scriptures tell them why to remember, not when. As the moon rises over Ephesus, the city’s Christians light their lamps for two different Easters. Some kneel tonight; others will wait three days more. Both say, “He is risen.” Both believe they honor Him. Yet somewhere in heaven, a prayer still hangs in the air — “that they may be one.” Can a church so young survive a division over the very day it celebrates its hope? [AD BREAK] CHUNK 2 – INTRO From the That’s Jesus Channel, welcome to COACH — where Church origins and church history actually coach us how to walk boldly with Jesus today. I’m Bob Baulch. On Monday, we stay between 0 and 500 AD. In this episode we are in the year 190 AD and exploring how early believers faced a simple question with eternal weight — when to celebrate Easter — and why their different answers still speak to Jesus’ call for oneness in John 17. CHUNK 3 – FOUNDATION It’s been nearly a century since Jesus walked the earth. The church has grown from small gatherings in homes to communities spread across the Roman Empire — in Rome, Ephesus [EF-uh-suhs], Smyrna [SMEER-nuh], and cities whose names few outside the faith even know. Yet they share one hope: the resurrection. But a question is spreading faster than any letter can travel — When should the Church celebrate Easter? Believers in the western regions, especially in Rome, say it must always be on Sunday, the day Jesus rose. Every Sunday is a small resurrection day, and Easter should crown them all. A single global Sunday keeps the message clear: the grave is empty, the Lord is risen, the Church stands together. Across the east — in Asia Minor and around ...
    Show More Show Less
    17 mins
  • 1845 AD – Southern Baptists Divide - Morality Yields to Money and Mission Pressure

    1845 AD – Southern Baptists Divide - Morality Yields to Money and Mission Pressure
    Oct 5 2025
    1845 AD – Southern Baptists Divide - Morality Yields to Money and Mission Pressure Metadata Paragraph: In 1845, Baptists in America faced a moral crossroads. When mission boards refused to appoint slaveholders as missionaries, southern leaders walked away and founded the Southern Baptist Convention in Augusta, Georgia. Their decision redefined missions for generations and revealed how culture can silence conscience. Extended notes examine the James E. Reeve controversy, the Triennial Convention’s collapse, and the moral and theological arguments used to justify slavery inside the church. Make sure you Like, Share, Subscribe, Follow, Comment, and Review this episode and the entire COACH series. Keywords (≤ 500 chars): 1845, Southern Baptist Convention, Triennial Convention, James E. Reeve, Baptist split, slavery and missions, American Christian history, Baptist heritage, Augusta Georgia, church division, Christian ethics, mission boards, moral compromise, church history, COACH podcast Hashtags (≤ 100 chars): #ChurchHistory #BaptistHistory #SouthernBaptist #FaithAndCulture Description (≤ 1500 chars): Step into 1845 as American Baptists divide over a question that tested both faith and integrity: Can a slaveholder be a missionary? When mission boards refused to send slave-owning applicants, southern leaders walked out and founded the Southern Baptist Convention in Augusta, Georgia. What began as a debate over missions became a mirror for the Church’s moral blindness. This episode follows the collapse of the Triennial Convention, the controversy surrounding James E. Reeve, and the theological defenses of slavery that exposed a faith culture too easily shaped by economics. Discover how a movement meant to spread the gospel fractured over the failure to live it out — and why the Church’s credibility still depends on integrity today. Like, share, and subscribe to COACH for more stories of faith’s foundations. Call to Action: Make sure you Like, Share, Subscribe, Follow, Comment, and Review this episode and the entire COACH series. Chunk 1 – Cold Hook It’s May 1845, in Augusta, Georgia [JOR-juh]. The heat clings to the brick walls of First Baptist Church, where more than two hundred delegates crowd the sanctuary. Paper fans wave. Jackets hang on chair-backs. On the pulpit lies a single document—freshly inked and trembling with significance. They have gathered to decide whether conscience or custom will guide their missions. For thirty years, American Baptists have shared one cause: to take the gospel to the nations. But today, that partnership is collapsing. Outside, a telegraph clerk waits to send word north. Inside, men argue whether a slaveholder can represent Christ to the world. Pens scratch. Voices rise. Each signature on that parchment marks not only a new denomination—but a moral divide. As the final motion passes, a quiet settles over the room—an uneasy relief that feels more like defeat than victory. The split has happened. The Southern Baptist Convention has been born. But what really broke that day? A fellowship? Or the courage to confront sin when it hid behind Scripture? [AD BREAK] Chunk 2 – Intro From the That’s Jesus Channel, welcome to COACH — where Church origins and church history actually coach us how to walk boldly with Jesus today. I’m Bob Baulch. On Friday, we stay between 1500 and 2000 AD. In this episode we are in the year 1845 and tracing how a mission board dispute over slavery divided American Baptists and reshaped the Church’s moral witness for generations. Chunk 3 – Foundation Three decades before the split, the Baptist family in America stood united under one banner — the Triennial Convention. It was 1814. Baptists from north and south gathered in Philadelphia to cooperate in one sacred cause: to take the gospel to the nations. They pooled resources, trained missionaries, and prayed that together they could reach a world still untouched by Christ. For years, it worked. The Convention sent missionaries to India, Burma, and frontier America. Every letter from the field reminded Baptists that their partnership was bigger than politics. But as the United States wrestled with slavery, the mission boards could not stay neutral. The very donors funding those voyages disagreed on whether freedom was a divine right or a northern invention. By the 1830s, the tension grew impossible to ignore. Northern pastors began preaching that slavery violated the heart of the gospel itself. Southern congregations pushed back, arguing that Scripture described slavery without condemning it. Both claimed to honor the Bible. Both believed they were right. The debates found their flashpoint in a single question: Can a man who owns another human being serve as a missionary of Christ? That question arrived in the form of James E. Reeve [REEV], a Georgia Baptist who owned slaves but felt called to serve on the mission field. When the Home Mission Society ...
    Show More Show Less
    21 mins
No reviews yet
In the spirit of reconciliation, Audible acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of country throughout Australia and their connections to land, sea and community. We pay our respect to their elders past and present and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples today.