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
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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.

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Episodes
  • 1791 AD – Selina Hastings Countess of Huntingdon Endures Slander Yet Advances the Evangelical Revival

    1791 AD – Selina Hastings Countess of Huntingdon Endures Slander Yet Advances the Evangelical Revival
    Aug 22 2025
    1791 – Selina Hastings, Countess of Huntingdon, Endures Slander Yet Advances the Evangelical Revival Published 8/22/2025 ------------------------------------------------------- Small Group Handout COACH: Church Origins and Church History Selina Hastings, Countess of Huntingdon (1791) Summary Selina Hastings used her wealth, influence, and courage to fuel the Evangelical Revival. She trained ministers through Trevecca College, sponsored chapels called the “Countess of Huntingdon’s Connexion,” and supported leaders like George Whitefield and John Wesley. As a woman leading boldly in the 18th century, she endured slander and ridicule — yet remained steadfast until her death in 1791. Her life reminds us that revival comes through faithfulness, generosity, and endurance, not comfort or reputation. Scripture for Reflection 1 Peter 4:14 — “If you are insulted for the name of Christ, you are blessed…” Hebrews 13:16 — “Do not neglect to do good and to share what you have, for such sacrifices are pleasing to God.” Galatians 6:9 — “Let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up.” Discussion Questions Selina faced constant ridicule — would you keep serving Christ if your reputation was attacked? How can ordinary believers today use their resources (money, homes, influence, skills) to advance the gospel? Selina trained ministers and emphasized holy living. How can our churches better prepare leaders to endure slander, temptation, and pressure? Revival in her day reached coal miners and servants as well as nobles. How can the church today better reflect that same gospel inclusiveness? She lived for God’s approval, not society’s. What pressures tempt us to live for people’s praise instead of God’s pleasure? Application Personal: Ask yourself — what sacrifice am I willing to make if mocked for my faith? Group: Commit to praying for someone in leadership who faces criticism or spiritual attack. Church: Discuss how your community can use generosity, prayer, and hospitality to strengthen revival today. Prayer Prompt “Lord, give us courage to endure slander, wisdom to use what we have for Your kingdom, and hearts that value faithfulness over reputation. May we, like Selina Hastings, live for Your pleasure alone.” -------------------------------------------------------------- 50-Word Description In 1791, Selina Hastings, Countess of Huntingdon, died after decades of championing the Evangelical Revival. She built chapels, founded Trevecca College, and defended preachers like Whitefield and Wesley. Though mocked and slandered, she endured with faith. Her legacy birthed churches, missions, and a bold witness that shaped Protestant evangelicalism. 150-Word Description In 1791, Selina Hastings, Countess of Huntingdon, died, leaving a legacy that fueled the Evangelical Revival. Using her wealth and influence, she founded Trevecca College, built chapels for her Connexion, and supported preachers like Whitefield and Wesley. Facing relentless slander as a woman in leadership, she persevered, modeling stewardship and courage. Her work birthed churches and missions, shaping Protestant evangelicalism. Her endurance under ridicule mirrors modern challenges to live boldly for Christ. Rooted in Hebrews 12:14, this episode asks if we’d press on despite scorn, inspiring steadfast faith. Keywords (≤500 characters) Selina Hastings, Countess of Huntingdon, Evangelical Revival, Trevecca College, Countess of Huntingdon’s Connexion, George Whitefield, John Wesley, Augustus Toplady, Henry Venn, William Romaine, Methodist movement, 18th century evangelicalism, church history, patron of revival, women in ministry history, Methodist chapels, Wesley journals, Whitefield letters, slander in church history. Hashtags #ChurchHistory #EvangelicalRevival #SelinaHastings #Wesley #Whitefield Transcript The year was 1791. England was alive with spiritual fire—yet just as often, with suspicion. John Wesley had only months to live. George Whitefield was long in the grave. But one figure still stood at the center of the Evangelical Revival: a widowed noblewoman whose name carried weight in courts and chapels alike—Selina Hastings. Her money built chapels. Her vision sent preachers across Britain. Her determination opened the doors of Trevecca College to train the next generation of ministers. Yet for all her generosity, she was mocked relentlessly. Pamphlets ridiculed her faith. Satirists painted her as a meddling fanatic. Rumors whispered that her zeal was nothing but vanity in disguise. A woman in 18th-century England who dared to lead was already a target. A woman who dared to lead in the name of Christ became a lightning rod. Still, Selina pressed forward. She believed the gospel was worth her reputation. Which leaves us with a haunting question: If you were slandered for your faith, would you retreat into silence… or keep pressing on, even when...
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    18 mins
  • 1054 AD The Great Schism Divides the Roman Catholic Church and the Eastern Orthodox Church

    1054 AD The Great Schism Divides the Roman Catholic Church and the Eastern Orthodox Church
    Aug 20 2025
    1054 AD The Great Schism Divides the Roman Catholic Church and the Eastern Orthodox Church Published 8/20/2025 50-Word Description In 1054, the Christian church split into Roman Catholic and Eastern Orthodox branches over authority, worship, and pride. Pope Leo IX’s legate excommunicated Patriarch Michael Cerularius in Constantinople, formalizing centuries of tension. This episode explores the Great Schism’s causes, consequences, and lessons for unity today. 150-Word Description In 1054, the Great Schism divided Christianity into Roman Catholic and Eastern Orthodox churches. Pope Leo IX’s legate, Humbert, excommunicated Patriarch Michael Cerularius in Constantinople’s Hagia Sophia, citing disputes over papal authority, communion bread, and creed wording. Rooted in centuries of cultural and political drift, the split deepened with the 1204 Crusade’s sacking of Constantinople. Despite 1965 reconciliation attempts, the divide persists. The Schism warns of pride and division, urging believers to guard unity, as Jesus prayed in John 17. This episode traces the fracture and challenges modern Christians to pursue oneness. Keywords (500 characters) Great Schism, 1054, Roman Catholic, Eastern Orthodox, Constantinople, Rome, Pope Leo IX, Michael Cerularius, Hagia Sophia, excommunication, Fourth Crusade, papal authority, Filioque, church unity, Byzantine Empire, medieval Christianity, ecclesiastical history, Christian division, reconciliation, John 17, church councils Hashtags (five words) #GreatSchism #ChurchUnity #1054 #Orthodox #Catholic Transcript The year was 1054, and the Christian world was about to split apart. For centuries, Christians in the East and West had worshiped the same Christ, confessed the same creed, and shared the same Scriptures. But under the surface, tension had been building like cracks in glass—small disagreements about language, worship, and leadership that stretched across continents. In the West, believers looked to Rome—the Roman Catholic Church—where the Pope claimed to sit in the seat of Peter. In the East, they looked to Constantinople—the capital of the Eastern Orthodox Church—with its grand tradition of worship and the Emperor’s protection. Most everyday Christians didn’t think about these things. They prayed, sang, took communion, baptized their children, and lived out their faith. But church leaders on both sides grew more suspicious of each other. Then, in 1054, everything snapped. A papal messenger—Cardinal Humbert of Silva Candida—walked into the Hagia [HAH-jee-uh] Sophia in Constantinople. In front of the congregation, he laid down a bull of excommunication—an official letter cutting the Eastern leaders off from the church. The East responded in kind. And the one Body of Christ was torn apart. What caused this Great Schism? Was it theology? Politics? Pride? And more haunting—what does it mean for us today, a thousand years later, when Christians still divide and walk away from each other? From the That’s Jesus Channel, welcome to COACH—where we explore Church Origins and Church History. I’m Bob Baulch. And on Wednesdays, we stay between 500 and 1500 AD. Today, we’re stepping into one of the most painful moments in Christian history: the year 1054—the Great Schism. Up until this point, Christianity in the East and West had its differences, but still considered itself one church. The Roman Catholic Church in the West and the Eastern Orthodox Church in the East shared the same Bible, the same creeds, and the same Lord. But their unity was fragile. They argued about leadership. Should all churches submit to the Pope in Rome? Or should each major city have its own independence, as in the East? They clashed over worship. Should bread for communion be leavened—soft and risen, as in the East—or unleavened, like the West used? They even fought over words. In the West, a phrase was added to the creed about the Holy Spirit proceeding from both the Father and the Son. The East saw that as tampering with the faith. For centuries, these disputes simmered. But in 1054, they boiled over. An exchange of excommunications—letters declaring the other side outside the church—formalized a split that remains to this day. The question is: was this inevitable? Or could it have been avoided? And perhaps most importantly: what does the Great Schism teach us about how fragile unity really is? To understand why the Great Schism happened in 1054, we need to go back much earlier. The Roman Empire had once united the whole Mediterranean world under one ruler. But in 285 AD, Emperor Diocletian split it into East and West. Later emperors kept that pattern. Rome remained the capital in the West, while Constantinople—the city built by Constantine—became the capital of the East. That political split eventually created cultural and spiritual distance. In the West, centered in Rome, Christians used Latin. The Pope in Rome grew in influence as emperors ...
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    18 mins
  • 380 AD - The Edict that Made Jesus Officially God and Made Christianity The State Religion

    380 AD - The Edict that Made Jesus Officially God and Made Christianity The State Religion
    Aug 18 2025
    380 AD The Edict that Made Jesus Officially God and Made Christianity The State Religion Published 08/18/2025 50-Word Description In 380 AD, Theodosius I, with Gratian and Valentinian II, issued the Edict of Thessalonica, making Nicene Christianity the empire’s official faith. Recorded in the Codex Theodosianus, it marginalized Arianism and paganism, enforced by bishops like Ambrose, redefining church-state relations and igniting centuries-long debates over religious unity and coercion. 150-Word Description In 380 AD, Emperor Theodosius I, alongside Gratian and Valentinian II, issued the Edict of Thessalonica, declaring Nicene Christianity the Roman Empire’s official religion. Recorded in the Codex Theodosianus, this decree affirmed Jesus as fully God, co-eternal with the Father and Spirit, aligning with the Nicene Creed. It marginalized Arianism and pagan practices, with bishops like Ambrose enforcing orthodoxy. The edict reshaped worship, leadership, and church-state dynamics, but sparked tensions, alienating dissenters and raising questions about faith under coercion. Its legacy challenges us to consider: would we worship boldly without legal protection? This episode explores the edict’s historical context, its immediate impact on congregations, and its enduring influence on Christian unity and freedom. It calls believers to live faithfully, even if faith becomes costly, reminding us that true devotion thrives not by law, but by heart. Keywords (500 characters) Theodosius I, Edict of Thessalonica, 380 AD, Nicene Creed, Codex Theodosianus, Gratian, Valentinian II, Ambrose of Milan, Arianism, paganism, Sozomen, ecclesiastical history, Roman Empire religion, church-state relations, religious coercion, Nicene Christianity, imperial decree, orthodox theology, Christian unity, state religion, Constantine legacy, late antiquity, Roman emperors Hashtags (five words) #Theodosius #NiceneCreed #ChurchHistory #RomanEmpire #Orthodoxy The winter wind cut through the streets of Thessalonica, carrying the scent of the sea and the hum of voices in the marketplace. Inside the imperial hall, a decision was being made that would change the spiritual life of millions. For decades, followers of Jesus across the Roman Empire had argued over a single, burning question: Who exactly is He? Was He truly equal with God the Father—or something less? The debate had split congregations, strained friendships, and even fueled violence in some cities. On this day in 380 AD, the emperor [thee-oh-DOH-shus] decided the argument had gone on long enough. He would put the weight of the entire empire behind one answer. A short proclamation was prepared, clear and uncompromising: there would be one official faith for all citizens, the faith that confessed Jesus as fully God, united with the Father and the Spirit. Messengers would carry this edict to every province. Those who embraced it would find the law on their side. Those who resisted would find themselves outside its protection. In a single winter’s moment, the empire’s ruler tried to end a generation of disputes. But could an earthly command settle matters of the heart—or would it spark a deeper struggle for the soul of the church? From the That’s Jesus Channel, welcome to COACH—where we trace Church Origins and Church History. I’m Bob Baulch. On Mondays, we stay between 0 and 500 AD. Today, we’re in 380 AD, when the Roman Empire announced—by law—which version of Christianity was the true one. It was called the Edict of Thessalonica. At its core, this decree said there was one right way to believe about Jesus: that He is fully God, united with the Father and the Holy Spirit. It was the belief we now know from the Nicene Creed [NY-seen], and it shut the door on competing ideas that had divided churches for decades. For believers who already held that view, this was a victory. For others, it felt like being pushed out of the family. Either way, the relationship between the church and the state would never be the same. The edict was short, but its effects were long. It shaped preaching, worship, and even who could lead a congregation. It drew a clear line in the sand—but also raised a question we still face today: When faith is backed by the power of law, does it grow stronger… or does it risk losing the very heart that makes it alive? The Roman Empire in 380 AD was a world of contrasts. In some cities, Christian churches were packed with worshipers singing psalms. In others, ancient temples still held the smell of burning incense to gods Rome had honored for centuries. Even among Christians, the message about Jesus wasn’t always the same. For more than fifty years, believers had argued about His nature. Some said He was eternal, equal with God the Father. Others, following Arianism [AIR-ee-uh-niz-um – belief that Jesus is not co-eternal with the Father], claimed He was created—higher than humans but not truly divine. It wasn’t just a private ...
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    16 mins
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