5 Minutes in Church History with Stephen Nichols

On this episode of 5 Minutes in Church History, Dr. Stephen Nichols introduces us to William Cowper, a man whose sensitive spirit and familiarity with suffering led him to create some of the most beautiful hymns. Read the transcript.

On this episode of 5 Minutes in Church History, Dr. Stephen Nichols introduces us to one of the first church historians: the Venerable Bede. Read the transcript.

Church history is being written today as the gospel advances in hard-to-reach places. On this episode of 5 Minutes in Church History, Dr. Tim Keesee joins Dr. Stephen Nichols in the studio to discuss the 25th anniversary of Frontline Missions International. Read the transcript.

God is simple but not simplistic. On this episode of 5 Minutes in Church History, Dr. James Dolezal joins Dr. Stephen Nichols in the studio to discuss the simplicity of God. Read the transcript.

God is infinite, transcendent, and unfathomable. On this episode of 5 Minutes in Church History, Dr. James Dolezal joins Dr. Stephen Nichols in the studio to discuss the greatness of God.

On this episode of 5 Minutes in Church History, Dr. Stephen Nichols considers why early Christians graffitied a statue of Augustus Caesar.

On this episode of 5 Minutes in Church History, Dr. Stephen Nichols takes us from Calcutta to Burma as he chronicles the five journeys of Adoniram Judson, America's pioneer Baptist missionary.

During the years surrounding the Civil War, Daniel Payne devoted his life to educating African-American ministers. On this episode of 5 Minutes in Church History, Dr. Stephen Nichols takes us back to 1830 when Payne founded his first school.

Worship should be God-centered and Word-centered. On this episode of 5 Minutes in Church History, Dr. Stephen Nichols continues his discussion with Jonathan Gibson and Mark Earngey, coauthors of Reformation Worship.

What is the role of liturgy in worship? On this episode of 5 Minutes in Church History, Dr. Stephen Nichols is joined in the studio by Jonathan Gibson and Mark Earngey, coauthors of Reformation Worship.

On this episode of 5 Minutes in Church History, Dr. Stephen Nichols considers the life and ministry of William Farel, the man who brought the Reformation to Geneva.

On this episode of 5 Minutes in Church History, Dr. Stephen Nichols takes us back to 1700 when an obscure book ignited a controversy in the Scottish church.

What is the only question a church should ask its pastor? Dr. Stephen Nichols considers Dietrich Bonhoeffer's answer on today's episode of 5 Minutes in Church History.

On this episode of 5 Minutes in Church History, Dr. Stephen Nichols considers the life and work of Dietrich Bonhoeffer, a German theologian who was martyred as a direct order by Hitler himself.

On this episode of 5 Minutes in Church History, Dr. Stephen Nichols tells us about a commentary not for the faint of heart—weighing 60 pounds and almost 12 inches thick.

On this episode of 5 Minutes in Church History, Dr. Stephen Nichols introduces us to Tacitus, a first-century Roman historian and one of the first references to Christ outside of the New Testament.

On this episode of 5 Minutes in Church History, Dr. Stephen Nichols considers the life of Francis Grimké, a former slave who became a faithful minister.

What is the moral argument for the existence of God? On this episode of 5 Minutes in Church History, Dr. Stephen Nichols discusses Immanuel Kant's apologetic.

On this episode of 5 Minutes in Church History, Dr. Stephen Nichols takes us back to 1812 and introduces us to the men who founded Princeton Theological Seminary.

Who was Macrina the Younger? On this episode of 5 Minutes in Church History, Dr. Stephen Nichols returns to the early church to introduce this significant woman of the faith.

On this episode of 5 Minutes in Church History, Dr. Stephen Nichols introduces us to the Medieval theologian Peter Lombard and his magnum opus, the Four Books of Sentences.

The Abbey of St. Victor was frequented by a number of very famous medieval people. On this episode of 5 Minutes in Church History, Dr. Stephen Nichols introduces us to three fascinating people who spent time there.

On this episode of 5 Minutes in Church History, Dr. Stephen Nichols introduces the early Romantic poet William Blake and two of his significant poems.

In this episode of 5 Minutes in Church History, Dr. Stephen Nichols discusses five ways the church has responded to modernism.

How should Christians think about war? On this episode of 5 Minutes in Church History, Dr. Stephen Nichols discusses how Augustine helps us to approach this question from a Christian perspective.

On this episode of 5 Minutes in Church History, Dr. Stephen Nichols introduces Esther Edwards Burr: daughter of Jonathan Edwards, wife to a Princeton President, and mother of a US vice president.

Only one of William Tyndale's letters has survived throughout the years. On this episode of 5 Minutes in Church History, Dr. Stephen Nichols discusses what Tyndale wrote when he was a prisoner at Vilvoorde Castle in Belgium.

On this episode of 5 Minutes in Church History, Dr. Stephen Nichols reflects on the life and ministry of Dr. R.C. Sproul.

On this episode of 5 Minutes in Church History, Dr. Stephen Nichols discusses the Lutheran composer behind the initials JSB, JJ, and SDG.

There are 37 million local congregations in the world. Every one has a history. On this episode of 5 Minutes in Church History, Dr. Stephen Nichols looks at some of the interesting histories of local churches.

If there had been a social media buzz in the 14th century, what would have been "trending"? In this episode of 5 Minutes in Church History, Dr. Stephen Nichols looks at the big events of this important century.

The Bible is all through Shakespeare. On this episode of 5 Minutes in Church History, Dr. Stephen Nichols looks at Shakespeare's use of the Bible, the versions he used, and the books he quoted most often.

In this episode of 5 Minutes in Church History, Dr. Stephen Nichols is joined by Dr. Burk Parsons. He asks Dr. Parsons to share what five books he would want if on a deserted island.

In this episode of 5 Minutes in Church History, Dr. Stephen Nichols discusses the mysterious origin and the doctrinal content of the Baptist Confession of 1693.

In this episode of 5 Minutes in Church History, Dr. Stephen Nichols takes time to reflect on the legacy of the Reformation and how it shapes the task of the church today.

500 years ago today, it all started at the doors of the Castle Church in Wittenberg. Recorded on location, Dr. Stephen Nichols concludes his discussion on the significance of the Martin Luther's Ninety-Five Theses.

On today's episode, recorded on location at the Castle Church in Wittenberg, Germany, Dr. Stephen Nichols discusses Martin Luther's Theses against indulgences.

The Ninety-Five Theses were a call to debate. Recorded on location in Wittenberg, Dr. Stephen Nichols discusses Martin Luther's first thesis.

On this special Reformation month episode, Dr. Stephen Nichols is joined by Dr. R.C. Sproul. Listen as they discuss Martin Luther and anticipate the 500th anniversary of the Reformation.

There's more to Martin Luther's legacy than the act of posting the Ninety-Five Theses. Recorded on location in Germany, Dr. Stephen Nichols examines five points of Luther's legacy.

Martin Luther was born in Eisleben, and it was there that he died on February 18th, 1546. Recorded on location, Dr. Stephen Nichols considers how Luther clung to the Bible as his comfort in his death.

Martin Luther preached his final four sermons at St. Andreas Church in Eisleben. Recorded on location, listen as Dr. Stephen Nichols discusses the history and significance of this church.

What would Martin Luther have wanted us to know? Recorded on location in Wittenberg, Dr. Stephen Nichols discusses what we can learn from Luther's final month.

One of the most important people in Martin Luther's life was his wife, Katie. Recorded on location at the Luther's Wittenberg home, Dr. Stephen Nichols discusses how a former monk and a former nun helped redeem marriage.

When it comes to the Reformation, one of the most important topics to discuss is Martin Luther on Scripture. Recorded on location in Germany, Dr. Stephen Nichols looks at Luther's teaching on Scripture and his three steps for reading and studying the Bible.

On today's episode, Dr. Stephen Nichols is joined by Dr. W. Robert Godfrey on location in Wittenberg, Germany. Together they discuss Martin Luther's commentary on what he called "his own beloved psalm."

Martin Luther considered his treatise The Bondage of the Will "the centerpiece of the Reformation." Recorded on location in Wittenberg, Dr. Stephen Nichols discusses Luther's magnum opus.

Many conversations took place around Martin Luther's dinner table. These were later collected as a unique piece of literature known as Table Talk. Recorded on location in Wittenberg, Dr. Stephen Nichols discusses how these dinner table conversations give us insight into Luther as a theologian of the people.

Martin Luther believed that the church not only needed to reform its theology, it also needed to reform its music. Recorded on location in Germany, Dr. Stephen Nichols introduces the hymns of Luther.

At the end of his life, Martin Luther said, "You can burn all of my books except for two, The Bondage of the Will and the Small Catechism." Recorded on location in Germany, listen as Dr. Stephen Nichols discusses Luther's Small Catechism.