5 Minutes in Church History by Stephen J. Nichols ~ Review

My Review:

Stephen J. Nichols is the host of the popular podcast of the same title. In this book we look at defining snapshots from church history, from early disciples to saints, architecture, kings, and moments in history. Easy to read, with each chapter written to take a mere 5 minutes to read, each concise chapter shows the event or person's modern day relevance.

This was an enjoyable read, an though many of the stories were familiar to me, I can't say that I thought much about the historic building and their relevance in church history before reading this book. It took me a while to read this book, only because I read about once chapter everyday. It was a very enjoyable read, and I really liked how it talks about guarding the "good deposit" by learning from our past.

The final chapter, which is an interview with R.C. Sproul is a great conclusion, and sums up the book well, in speaking on the importance of church history and the Gospel.

"in every generation, the gospel has to be understood anew; it has to be preached with vigor and urgency, because as quickly as we receive it and understand it, like the ancient Galatians, we are fast to move away from it and try to interject some additive that we give to secure our own justification. It is always faith plus something rather than faith alone."

Overall, a very good book that can be read in chapters at a time, or just in 5 minutes a day. I liked how it focuses on how God has preserved the Good News through many generations and empires, using unassuming people and places to show His divine plan for our salvation.


I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.