5 Minutes In Church History With Stephen Nichols

On this episode of 5 Minutes in Church History, Dr. Stephen Nichols introduces us to Francis Schaeffer—the pastor, the missionary, and the political activist. Read the transcript.

When Columba traveled from Ireland to Scotland, he brought the gospel with him. On this episode of 5 Minutes in Church History, Dr. Stephen Nichols introduces us to this missionary, scribe, and hymn writer. Read the transcript. 

Many “Johns” helped spread the gospel in colonial New England. On this episode of 5 Minutes in Church History, Dr. Stephen Nichols introduces us to John Eliot, John Davenport, John Tennent, John Brainerd, and John Wauwaumpequunnaunt. Read the transcript.

When Susannah Thompson first heard Charles Spurgeon preach, she wasn’t that impressed. But eventually he won her over. On this episode of 5 Minutes in Church History, Dr. Stephen Nichols introduces us to Mrs. Spurgeon. Read the transcript.

What do you think are the most significant events in history? On this episode of 5 Minutes in Church History, Dr. Stephen Nichols takes us through the emergence of Christendom, the rise of Islam, the Reformation, the Enlightenment, and more. Read the transcript.

Jesus Christ came into this world for the purpose of redemption. On this episode of 5 Minutes in Church History, Dr. Stephen Nichols explains why Charles Spurgeon, Dietrich Bonhoeffer, and R.C. Sproul loved Christmas. Read the transcript.

Medieval manuscripts were often highly ornate—decorated with jewels and gold leaf—and prayer books were no exception. On this episode of 5 Minutes in Church History, Dr. Stephen Nichols introduces us to the famous “books of hours.” Read the transcript.

Who are your heroes? On this episode of 5 Minutes in Church History, Dr. Stephen Nichols introduces us to nine larger-than-life figures and the medieval tapestries that celebrate them. Read the transcript.

Jacobus Arminius challenged the bedrock doctrines of the Reformation—but the Reformed churches pushed back. On this episode of 5 Minutes in Church History, Dr. Stephen Nichols interviews Dr. W. Robert Godfrey on the Synod of Dort and why we still celebrate its anniversary 400 years later. Read the transcript.

Where did the five points of Calvinism come from? On this episode of 5 Minutes in Church History, Dr. Stephen Nichols takes us back 400 years to the Synod of Dort. Read the transcript.

On this episode of 5 Minutes in Church History, Dr. Stephen Nichols introduces us to Philip Schaff and explains why a library is named after him. Read the transcript.

On this episode of 5 Minutes in Church History, Dr. Stephen Nichols interviews Dr. Jonathan Gibson on the riches of studying Scripture in its original languages: Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek. Read the transcript.

What is “the anxious bench,” and why was John Williamson Nevin so critical of it? On this episode of 5 Minutes in Church History, Dr. Stephen Nichols looks at the life and legacy of this 19th-century theologian. Read the transcript.

Stained glass windows are not just beautiful works of art; they also teach us about our past. On this episode of 5 Minutes in Church History, Dr. Stephen Nichols looks at the windows inside Santee Chapel at Lancaster Theological Seminary. Read the transcript.

On this episode of 5 Minutes in Church History, Dr. Stephen Nichols looks at a variety of paintings in the Philadelphia Museum of Art. Read the transcript.

On this episode of 5 Minutes in Church History, Dr. Stephen Nichols returns to the Philadelphia Museum of Art and walks us through a series of tapestries depicting Constantine’s life. Read the transcript.

The story of how the gospel came to Scotland is shrouded in mystery. On this episode of 5 Minutes in Church History, Drs. Stephen Nichols and Sinclair Ferguson introduce us to two “monk-evangelists” who took the gospel from town to town. Read the transcript.

We can learn a great deal from our Christian friends and family members. But we can also learn by studying the lives of the saints who came before us. On this episode of 5 Minutes in Church History, Dr. Stephen Nichols interviews Dr. Sinclair Ferguson on his book In the Year of Our Lord. Read the transcript.

On this episode of 5 Minutes in Church History, Dr. Stephen Nichols walks us through the Philadelphia Museum of Art and its collection of medieval paintings, sculptures, and manuscripts. Read the transcript.

Who was the “Slovenian Martin Luther”? On this episode of 5 Minutes in Church History, Dr. Stephen Nichols takes us back to 1508 and introduces us to Primoz Trubar. Read the transcript.