Course Content
Module 1: The Early Church and the Great Apostasy
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The Establishment of the Church
The Church: Growth and Apostasy
Internal and External Causes of Apostasy
The Fruits of Apostasy
Module 2: The Road to Restoration
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The Reformation
The Causes and Roots of the Restoration
Early Leaders of the Restoration in America
The Campbells and Walter Scott
The Convergence of the Stone and Campbell Movements
Module 3: Challenges and Controversies in the Movement
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Cooperation Meetings and the Missionary Society
Pacificism, the Civil War and the Instrumental Music Controversy
Major Controversial Issues of the 20th Century
Module 4: The Path Forward
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The Need for Continued Restoration
Some Seducing Systems to Beware About Christian Churches Today
Final Assessment
Historical Studies: Early Church to Restoration Movements

The Establishment of the Church

I. The Importance of Knowing When the Church Began

A. It is a matter of identity so that one may be able to distinguish it from Old Testament agencies and from religious institutions of modern human origin. B. In order to identify its laws so that one may see when the law governing the church of God went into effect.

II. The Church Was Foreshadowed in the Old Testament

A. The New Testament speaks of those things in the Old Law which were “copies” and “shadows” of “the good things to come.” (Heb. 9:11, 23; 10:1)

B. The church was not in existence in Old Testament days. Acts 7:38 refers to the host of Jews who were in the wilderness not to the church built by Jesus Christ. (Matt. 16:18)

C. Old Testament worthies desired to see its time. (1 Pet. 1:10-12)

III. The Establishment of the Church Is a Subject of Prophecy

A. Isaiah 2:1-4 and Micah 4:1-2 both prophesy of its beginning. It was to be established:

  1. In Jerusalem.
  2. In the “last days.” The age ushered in by the New Testament is the “last days.” (Heb. 1:1- 2; Acts 2:16-17).

B. The prophetic dream of Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon (604-562 B.C.), indicated the time of its establishment. (Dan. 2:31-35)

  1. The four kingdoms of the vision. a. Babylonian, the head of gold. The Babylonian Empire fell in 536 B.C. b. Medo-Persian, the breasts and arms of silver. Established by Cyrus, king of Persia (538-530 B.C.), it fell in 330 B.C. c. Greek or Macedonian, the torso and thighs of brass. Formed by Alexander the Great in 336 B.C. after his father, Philip of Macedon, had laid the foundations for it, it was divided among Alexander’s generals after his death in 323 B.C. d. Roman, the legs of iron and feet of iron and clay. It was established as a world power by Octavius Caesar in 30 B.C.
  2. “In the days of these kings” (v. 44), therefore, refers to the time of universal empires and “struck the image upon its feet” signifies the establishment of God’s eternal kingdom which would take place after the beginning of the Roman empire and during its existence.
  3. The New Testament begins its accounts while the Caesars still ruled the world. a. “In those days John the Baptist came preaching.” (Matt. 3:1-2) b. “Now in the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar, Pontius Pilate being governor of Judea, Herod being tetrarch of Galilee, his brother Philip tetrarch of Iturea and the region of Trachonitis, and Lysanias tetrarch of Abilene, while Annas and Caiaphas were high priests, the word of God came to John the son of Zacharias in the wilderness. And he went into all the region around the Jordan, preaching a baptism of repentance for the remission of sins.” (Luke 3:1-3)
  4. The church was not established by John. a. He preached that the kingdom was “at hand” or approaching. (Matt. 3:1-2) b. He was not in the kingdom. (Matt. 11:11)

IV. The Church Was Not Established During the Personal Ministry of Jesus

A. The church was yet in the future while Jesus was upon the earth. B. While Jesus was on the earth:

  1. The kingdom was “at hand.” (Mark 1:15; Matt. 10:7)
  2. The kingdom had “come near.” (Luke 10:9)
  3. He taught His disciples to pray for the coming of the kingdom. (Matt. 6:9-10)
  4. He promised to build His church. (Matt. 16:18)
  5. His disciples were not in the kingdom. (Matt. 18:1-3)
  6. He promised the kingdom would come in that generation. (Mark 9:1)

V. The Beginning on the Pentecost following the Ascension of Jesus

A. The kingdom was to begin and the law to go forth from Jerusalem. (Isa. 2:2-3; Luke 24:47)

  1. The law went forth from Jerusalem on the Pentecost following the death, burial, resurrection and ascension of Jesus Christ. (Acts 2:37-38)
  2. That day of Pentecost was the beginning of Christ’s kingdom and church. (Acts 2:1-4; 11:15)

B. The “power” is evidence the kingdom came on Pentecost.

  1. The kingdom was to come with power. (Mark 9:1)
  2. The power was to come with the Holy Spirit. (Acts 1:8)
  3. The Holy Spirit came on Pentecost. (Acts 2:1-4)
  4. Therefore, the kingdom came on Pentecost.

C. The law going forth from Jerusalem is evidence the kingdom came on Pentecost.

  1. The law was to go forth from Jerusalem. (Isa. 2:2-3)
  2. The apostles were commissioned to preach (Matt. 28:18-20; Mark 16:15-16), but had been instructed to wait in Jerusalem for the Holy Spirit to come and guide them before beginning. (Luke 24:49)
  3. The Spirit came on Pentecost and the preaching of the Gospel, the law of the kingdom, began on Pentecost. (Acts 2:31-34, 36-38)

D. After that Pentecost, both the church and kingdom were always spoken of as in existence. (Acts 2:47; 5:11; 8:1; 11:22; 13:1; 14:27; Col. 1:13; Rev. 1:9)

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