Church History Part II

Teachers

Art Clark Teacher

Charles White Teacher

Tommy Stringer Teacher

WW

Wendell Welch

Jake Collins Teacher

Zach Russell Teacher

Lesson Summary

The class began by reviewing the autonomy of first‑century congregations, each governed by local elders and deacons, and explained how those early churches appointed leaders from mature churches once they grew. Art detailed the gradual emergence of the episcopacy, describing how the term meant a bishop‑led government and how a monarchical episcopacy—one ruler per city—evolved, eventually leading to the Roman bishop’s dominance and the formation of the papacy by the fifth century. He then examined the origins of the Roman church, contrasting the Roman Catholic tradition that Peter and Paul founded the church in Rome with two alternative theories. Art favored the Acts 2:10 scenario, suggesting that Roman travelers who heard Peter’s Pentecost sermon became the first missionaries back home. He also clarified the original, non‑pejorative use of the word “catholic” as “universal.” By tracing these developments, the lesson underscored how historical shifts away from New Testament‑patterned governance can inform modern believers about preserving biblical church structure. Throughout, Art referenced Matthew 16:13 and Acts 2:10 to anchor the discussion in Scripture, urging the congregation to learn from history so that the church would not repeat past errors and would remain faithful to Christ’s design.

Key Scriptures