Like many career ministers, I too attended Bible school. I chose a two year program. I found classes like, “Basic Christian Doctrines” and “Church History” to be very interesting. I was further amazed to see how theology had been broken down into a complex system. Theologians had written books thicker than the Bible on subjects Jesus could explain with simple parables.

At home I had been taught what my mother and father believed. At church I learned what the pastor believed. In Bible school I was given a more broad view of Christian doctrines, traditions and history, as we examined various Christian belief systems. Some of those belief systems were labeled “orthodox,” with variations that could help determine one’s “denomination” or “sect.” Other belief systems were labeled “heretical.” It was at this time that I developed a tongue-in-cheek answer to the question, “How long have you been a Christian?”

I would answer, “Well, my Baptist aunt says I've been a Christian since I was a child, and therefore, I’ll always be a Christian. My Catholic boss would say I’m not a member of God’s Church, because I’m not Catholic. Then there’s my Pentecostal mother, who thinks I’ve been a Christian many times, and she’s quite certain I’m lost at the moment.”

That answer would always strike up a fun debate among Bible school students. But it should reveal to you, as it reveals to me, that my mind was trying to wrap itself around all the confusion. I had only walked in “the way” three and one half years by the time I started Bible school, and already I was becoming a bit cynical.

Although I was suspicious all along, it wasn’t until the spring of 2004 that I realized there was something missing from the “church history” I had learned in Bible school. You’ll never guess what it was! It was “the history of the Church!”

The history of the true Church Jesus established, by that I mean; a history of the supernatural organism established by God and made up of living stones, was, for the most part, not there. There was a recorded history of some severely messed up Christian leaders of dead denominational Christianity, fumbling their way from one bad choice to another, but there was very little of what I would consider real “Church history;” a history of the victorious lives, and supernatural exploits of true believers, as we see in the Book of Acts. Even when there were recorded events that could be attributed to the organism Jesus established, these events seemed to be treated with either denominational suspicion, or with a denominational “I told you so” attitude. That kind of thing is not found in the Book of Acts like it is in our history books. A miracle is a miracle in the Book of Acts. Being filled with the Holy Spirits is considered an obvious goal, and a much to be desired experience in the Book of Acts.

In other words, being like Jesus was considered the goal in the Book of Acts, and when one did the works of Jesus, they were never questioned by His people. The world-system questioned, and persecuted the people of God in the Book of Acts. Our so called, “Church History” is full of “Christians” persecuting each other because of their differences in theology!

This discovery came as I was leading an adult Bible study for my pastor on Sunday mornings. The subject matter was “The Book of Acts” verse by verse. We managed to work our way through a chapter a week. It was a light study, and revelatory in nature. I like to study that way. I read the text prayerfully, and whatever the Spirit of God draws to my attention, I make a point to mention.

The study energized my spirit-man, and strengthened my faith. I was once again reminded that the Church of Jesus Christ was birthed in power, and that the Church had been victorious in every way throughout the book of Acts. My Bible school Church history class had caused the exact opposite effect on me!

The contrast was just too much for me to bear. The church history I had learned in Bible school, and various publications, included: Christians hiding in Rome’s underground system of “catacombs” and Christians being eaten by lions. Eventually, pagan traditions were fused with Christianity, creating the early Roman Catholic Church. From there Christianity took on political power, which led to mass killings, all in the name of God! Eventually, Martin Luther rediscovered grace, which birthed the protestant movement. Many died, including Martin Luther over that one.

I don't doubt that these things happened, but this is not the history of overcoming, victorious Christianity. Somewhere, in the depths of God’s heart, there is a documented history of authentic, victorious Christianity from every generation up to this very moment, but men have not nor could they possibly keep such a history.