Module 16: Current & Future Church
Hi everyone, and welcome back to the sixteenth and final module of the History of Christianity 2 Course. In this section, we'll review many of the lessons learned from the history of Christianity covered in this course and work through how we can put those lessons into practice in the current church and work toward a better future.
This module will help you to understand both the challenges and opportunities of the current church, based on all the historical forces that have brought us to this point in history. The student will be invited to evaluate the various challenges and prepare themselves to beware and avoid the dangers these challenges pose to faithfulness and success. And the student will also be invited to recognize the many opportunities to exercise wisdom and faithfulness in being a part of what God is doing in their own current situation. And the student will be invited to wisely evaluate and plan the possible futures based on current trends, as well as their own response to the challenges and opportunities of their own circumstances. The student will have opportunity to evaluate the projected outcomes based on the lessons and trends they have learned from history. This module will also aid the student to work through personal goals and action steps, based on the principles learned, and how these should be applied in their own life and ministry.
Introductory Scenario
Imagine that the internet and all libraries had just been destroyed and all historical information had been lost forever. Because you have completed this course, you have been asked to preserve and teach the lessons from history that had been lost. What are the most important lessons learned and how should they be applied? What lessons are most important in general for all humanity? What lessons are most important for the church and Christians in general? What lessons are most urgent for your own local church? What lessons are most important for you personally? Why are these lessons the most pressing and necessary? What should we do in response to these lessons learned? How should these lessons be applied in each of these contexts? Please consider these questions and be watching for material that will help you answer them as you work through this module.
Module Objectives and Outcomes
Upon successful completion of this module, the student will:
- Review and reflect on the history covered in this course and the principles and lessons learned from that history.
- Understand the current state of the worldwide church in light of a thoughtful review of the history that has brought the church to this point.
- Describe the current challenges that the church faces, both from inside the church, and from the surrounding culture, and the dangers that must be avoided from these challenges.
- Describe the current opportunities of the church in the present and immediate future and the strategies the church should use to meet those opportunities.
- Evaluate their own situation and formulate attitudes, goals, strategies, and action steps to best and most faithfully serve God and His purposes in their own situation.
- Review the history of Christianity and place the overall movements in a general chronology.
Instruction Guides
In this section, you'll find links to important instructional documents for this module. Click the following links to open each document. There is a set of instructions for individual study and a document for group study.
Supplemental Reading
The student will read the assigned secondary reading linked below. Think through the content of this articles and use the insights gained as part of your course material response and application reflection or discussion.
Lecture Content
In this section, you will find the video lectures for the Great Awakenings module. They are designed to be watched in order, but each video should make sense on its own. Click each banner to open access to each video. There are also links with each video if you prefer to watch on the Rumble or YouTube interface or download just the audio to listen offline.
Reviews
In this section, you will find the review slides from the course lectures for module 8. This is a convenient way to view and review the summaries for each lecture. Click the banner to open the slide show.
Click the prev.
and next
buttons (bottom right of the slide) to move through the slides. You can also click on any thumbnail to go directly to that slide.
Discussion/Reflection/Essay Questions
This section contains questions for further thought and discussion from Module 16. It is recommended that you take time to think through these issues in order to thoroughly grasp the significance and explore the application of the material you are learning. These questions can also be used as essay questions in a classroom setting exam. Below, you will find links to the Response and Application Reflection Instructions for Individuals, and the Response and Application Discussion Instructions for Groups. And you will find a link to the detailed question document for this module. Or Click the banner below to view the questions in a simplified format.
The following questions are for your thoughtful consideration and discussion:
- Describe the supplementary article. What is the problem & solution? Do you agree? How does this apply?
- What is the state of the current church? What strategies are appropriate? What will you do?
- What is/are your most urgent lesson(s) and application(s)? What is your most important principle? What will you do?
- What else did you learn? How does it apply?
(Optional) Timeline - Part 16
This section contains instructions for an optional Timeline activity to be constructed over all sixteen modules. Below is a link to the detailed instructions for this activity.
Step sixteen of the Timeline should include the following information:
- Any significant events, ideas and people from the current state of the church.
- Any tentative trends of what may happen, or those which ideally would happen in the future (marked as conjectural predictions, not actual history).
- Any short and/or long-term goals and strategies that the student has formed in response to the lessons learned from history, and what they intend to accomplish by these strategies.
(Optional) Principles Chart - Part 16
This section contains instructions for an optional Principles Chart activity to be constructed over all sixteen modules. Below is a link to the detailed instructions for this activity.
Step sixteen of the Principles chart will add any important principles noted from the current church and any projected future trends and goals, the current challenges to the church, the current opportunities for faithfulness, and how those principles can be applied.
It is suggested that the student begin this activity before watching the Guiding Principles
portion of the lecture. Then the student may supplement their work after learning additional insights from the Guiding Principles.
And because this is the last module, the student should review and revise their principles chart based on what they have learned throughout the entire course. And the student should organize all the principles on the chart in light of the entire course. For instance, the principles may be grouped together by common themes, such as: those principles dealing with personal life & devotion, those addressing church life, those addressing how we should deal with other Christians, deal with non-believers, etc., or whatever organizing scheme the student things most appropriate for the principles they have included.
Remember, the purpose of this chart is for the student to reflect on and apply the things they are learning from history. And this principles chart, if taken seriously and done thoughtfully, can be a resource that blesses and helps the student for the rest of their life.
(Optional) Term Project Finalizing & Presentation
The student will complete the writing and/or production of their term project on their chosen topic, demonstrating what they learned, as well as the principles they gained from the historical data, and how it applies to current life and ministry. Those students doing this course on their own may wish to present their project to those in their context who would benefit from its insights. For those students doing this course in a group, the group leader will communicate if, when, and how the students will share and/or present their projects for the benefit of the group.
Below is a link to detailed instructions for the entire project.
Primary Source Reading
This section contains instructions and resources for the Primary Source Reading activity. The student should read a minimum of 10-20 pages from a primary resource or resources discussed in this module's lecture and write or discuss a brief response to their reading. Below is a link to detailed instructions for the Primary Source Reading, which contain a list of recommended resources, by module. And click the banner below to access a list of recommended resources with links to where they may be found.
The following is a list of the recommended primary sources for this module. This list contains links to the resources in print and/or online format. These links may change, so feel free to search for other sources for these same titles. In addition, please do not feel you are limited only to this list. Feel free to choose from any primary source from the period and topic covered in this module:
Because this module concentrates on review and application of course material, there are no new primary sources introduced in this module. Therefore, for this module, the student has the opportunity to choose any resource from any of the prior modules they may wish to explore in more depth. There are an abundance of resources listed throughout this course, which the student will find listed in one place in the document above. Or the student may explore and find their own primary source documents from any of the periods and movements covered in this course.
Review Quiz
This section is a link to a review quiz to test your understanding of the objective material for Module 16. By clicking the banner, you will be taken to a series of questions, in random order. Answer each question and then push the Submit
button to check your answers. Every question must be answered before you can submit the quiz. At the end, you will be shown your score for the entire quiz. The quiz will be different each time, so feel free to take it more than once. Click the banner to begin the quiz.
Here is a review quiz for the material covered in this module's lectures. Click the button next to the best answer for each question, or drag each term to its best definition. Then press the button at the bottom to see if your answers are correct.
Final Exam
In this section, you will find the final exam, covering all the course material for the second half of this course (modules 9-16).
Below you will find the study guide for the final exam, which you should have been using throughout the course so far.
Below you will find the answer sheet for the Final Exam. You should have this answer sheet handy as you take the objective portion of the final exam (either on screen or by printing it out in physical form).
Below you will find the banner link to open the actual Final exam. By clicking this banner, you will be given a series of objective questions, then a series of essay questions, in random order.
Answer each objective question exactly as you see the correct answer on the Final Exam Answer Sheet. Answer each essay question as you see fit. Answer every question and then push the Check Answers
button to check your answers. Every question should be answered before you submit the exam. At the end, you will be shown your score for the objective section of the exam.
The exam will be different each time, so feel free to take it more than once.
Answer every question and then push the Check Answers
button to check your answers.
Objective Section
Answer each of the following questions with terms directly from the answer sheet. Make sure your answers are entered exactly as they appear on the answer sheet.
As you begin typing your answer, you will see a suggestion from the answer sheet. Feel free to click on the suggested answer you intend to help assure that the spelling is correct, and therefore it will be accurately graded.
Module Completed!
Congratulations, you have reached the end of the sixteenth module. I hope that you have found it rewarding and have noticed personal growth.
You have also reached the end of this course. Please be encouraged to explore any of the other courses offered on this site. And if you have found this course helpful, please consider telling others about this site and consider supporting this ministry.