ecclesiastical history as an academic discipline studies the history of Christianity and the way the Christian Church has developed since its inception.

1. Church History:
The Beginning

2. The early New Testament Church of God spread across the Roman
Empire.
Jesus Christ said that He would build His Church
(Matthew 16:18).

3. Jesus Calls the Apostles
• Call and Mission
• “fishers of men”
• Vision of Jesus – He wanted them to become …
• His companions
• Partners in His mission
• “Call” and “Follow”
• The message (call) requires a receiver (someone who
will follow the call).
• Following –indicates a positive response and is bound
to the “accomplishment of a certain goal or project.

4. Jesus calls the Apostles
•Apostles
•One who is sent (became the Foundation of the
Church).
•Who are these 12 Apostles?
• Not a Scholar or a Rabbi
• Had no extraordinary skills
• Ordinary folks – just like You and Me

5. The Twelve Apostles

6. The Commissioning of the Apostles
•Specific responsibilities that Jesus gave the
apostles were to:
• Make disciples of all nations
• Baptize in the name of the Father, and of
the Son, and of the Holy Spirit
• Teach all that Jesus had commanded

7. Apostolic Succession
• Jesus gave the Apostles his message and
the authority to begin the church
•Catholics believe that the tradition from
the Apostles has been handed down the
church through the Pope and the
Bishops. This is known as the Apostolic
succession.
• the method whereby the ministry of
the Christian Church is held to be derived from
the apostles by a continuous succession

8. Jesus wants to preserve the
Church
• This is all Jesus puts into place to preserve His
Church until He comes again:
• PAPACY Succession
• Holy Orders

9. Apostolic Succession
•When Jesus began His Public Ministry He called
12 men, to share His ministry with them
•Jesus entrusted the Apostle with a very
important mission: “To preach Jesus’ message
to everyone

10. • Apostle: from the Greek word that means Emisary
Emisary is a person who is sent on a mission from
someone else
• Again Jesus said, “Peace be with you! As the Father has sent
me, I am sending you.” (John 20:21)

11. Sacraments of the Holy Orders
•Jesus ordained the Apostles as
the first priests and bishops of
the church
•Then the Apostles ordained
more men to be priests and
bishops
•Until today, our Bishop was
ordained by another Bishop,
and all whom have received this
power from Christ.