The Church History Project

A letter arrives at the door of a Roman intellectual, and what it says about the people called "Christians" is unlike anything he's heard before. Written by an unknown hand sometime in the second or third century, the Epistle to Diognetus offers one of the most beautiful portraits of early Christian life to survive from the ancient world: a people who look like everyone else, yet live as though they belong to another world entirely. In this Season 3 finale, we unpack what this mysterious letter reveals about the early Church's identity, their unapologetic defense of the faith, and a vision of the gospel so wondrous the author could only call it "the sweet exchange." If you've ever wondered what it looked like to follow Christ when the whole Roman world thought you were a dangerous fool, this episode is for you.Join the ConversationHead over to our ⁠⁠⁠⁠private Facebook community⁠⁠⁠⁠, where listeners discuss episodes, grapple with historical questions, and share insights on how these ancient stories shape our faith today. It's a place for genuine conversation with fellow church history enthusiasts, from seasoned scholars to curious newcomers.Get Episodes & More in Your InboxSubscribe to the free ⁠⁠⁠⁠Substack ⁠⁠⁠⁠and receive each podcast episode delivered directly to your email every week, complete with full transcripts. During off-weeks, you'll also receive a devotional blog post exploring spiritual themes connected to recent episodes—perfect for personal reflection or small group discussion.Buy Me a CoffeeWant to support the podcast with a one-time gift or ongoing contribution? Head to ⁠⁠⁠⁠Buy Me a Coffee⁠⁠⁠⁠, where you can encourage this work in whatever way makes sense for you. Every contribution helps cover production costs and makes future episodes possible. For any other questions or comments, please don't hesitate to contact Jared at [email protected]

When an 86-year-old bishop was dragged into a Roman arena, the proconsul offered him a simple choice: curse Christ and live, or refuse and burn. Polycarp's response—"Eighty-six years I have served Him, and He has done me no wrong"—would echo through two millennia of Christian history. This episode explores how one man's final hours in Smyrna became the template for Christian martyrdom, and what his unflinching witness reveals about the cost of faith when an empire demands your soul. Learn about the shocking details surrounding his arrest, the "supernatural" moments witnesses claimed to see in the flames, and why this elderly pastor's death became more powerful than his decades of life.Join the ConversationHead over to our ⁠⁠⁠private Facebook community⁠⁠⁠, where listeners discuss episodes, grapple with historical questions, and share insights on how these ancient stories shape our faith today. It's a place for genuine conversation with fellow church history enthusiasts, from seasoned scholars to curious newcomers.Get Episodes & More in Your InboxSubscribe to the free ⁠⁠⁠Substack ⁠⁠⁠and receive each podcast episode delivered directly to your email every week, complete with full transcripts. During off-weeks, you'll also receive a devotional blog post exploring spiritual themes connected to recent episodes—perfect for personal reflection or small group discussion.Buy Me a CoffeeWant to support the podcast with a one-time gift or ongoing contribution? Head to ⁠⁠⁠Buy Me a Coffee⁠⁠⁠, where you can encourage this work in whatever way makes sense for you. Every contribution helps cover production costs and makes future episodes possible. For any other questions or comments, please don't hesitate to contact Jared at [email protected].

When a Roman freedman claimed that angels showed him the Church as an unfinished tower, where cracked stones are cast out, and only one repentance is allowed after baptism, early Christians listened. The Shepherd of Hermas was so influential that some considered it Scripture; yet, its ambiguous teachings about Christ ultimately kept it from being included in the canon. In this episode, explore the visions, mandates, and parables that shaped the early Church's understanding of holiness, and discover why this forgotten masterpiece still asks the question every believer must answer: Will you be found fit for the building?Join the ConversationHead over to our ⁠⁠private Facebook community⁠⁠, where listeners discuss episodes, grapple with historical questions, and share insights on how these ancient stories shape our faith today. It's a place for genuine conversation with fellow church history enthusiasts, from seasoned scholars to curious newcomers.Get Episodes & More in Your InboxSubscribe to the free ⁠⁠Substack ⁠⁠and receive each podcast episode delivered directly to your email every week, complete with full transcripts. During off-weeks, you'll also receive a devotional blog post exploring spiritual themes connected to recent episodes—perfect for personal reflection or small group discussion.Buy Me a CoffeeWant to support the podcast with a one-time gift or ongoing contribution? Head to ⁠⁠Buy Me a Coffee⁠⁠, where you can encourage this work in whatever way makes sense for you. Every contribution helps cover production costs and makes future episodes possible. For any other questions or comments, please don't hesitate to contact Jared at [email protected].

The Jerusalem Temple lies in ruins, and a furious Christian writer is determined to answer one explosive question: Who are the true people of God? The anonymous author behind the Epistle of Barnabas doesn't pull punches; he declares that the covenant belongs to Christians, not Jews, and that Israel misunderstood their own Scriptures from the very beginning. His letter, once tucked into one of Christianity's oldest Bibles, reads circumcision as prophecy, interprets pigs into parables about hypocrisy, and reimagines the dietary laws as a secret moral code. But, beyond being an ancient polemic, it offers a glimpse into how the early Church wrestled with its identity in the shadow of Judaism. Tune in now to learn why this passionate, problematic letter captivated some and troubled others, and what it reveals about the messy process of defining Christian faith.Join the ConversationHead over to our ⁠private Facebook community⁠, where listeners discuss episodes, grapple with historical questions, and share insights on how these ancient stories shape our faith today. It's a place for genuine conversation with fellow church history enthusiasts, from seasoned scholars to curious newcomers.Get Episodes & More in Your InboxSubscribe to the free ⁠Substack ⁠and receive each podcast episode delivered directly to your email every week, complete with full transcripts. During off-weeks, you'll also receive a devotional blog post exploring spiritual themes connected to recent episodes—perfect for personal reflection or small group discussion.Unlock Premium ContentBecome a paid ⁠Substack⁠ subscriber to access devotional/historical study guides for each episode. Your subscription directly supports the creation of more episodes and helps keep church history accessible to everyone.Buy Me a CoffeeWant to support the podcast with a one-time gift or ongoing contribution? Head to ⁠Buy Me a Coffee⁠, where you can encourage this work in whatever way makes sense for you. Every contribution helps cover production costs and makes future episodes possible.For any other questions or comments, please don't hesitate to contact Jared at [email protected].

What if you could sit across from someone who spoke with those who walked with Jesus, but everything he told you sounded almost too strange to believe? Papias of Hierapolis claimed to preserve eyewitness testimony from the apostolic generation, including bizarre sayings of Jesus about supernatural vineyards and a grotesque account of Judas' death that will haunt you. This bishop's writings have vanished from history, leaving only fragments that raise an urgent question: Was he a faithful guardian of apostolic truth, or a well-meaning collector of legendary embellishments? Tune in now to learn why the early Church couldn't decide either, and why it matters for how we understand the Gospels today.Join the ConversationHead over to our ⁠private Facebook community⁠, where listeners discuss episodes, grapple with historical questions, and share insights on how these ancient stories shape our faith today. It's a place for genuine conversation with fellow church history enthusiasts, from seasoned scholars to curious newcomers.Get Episodes & More in Your InboxSubscribe to the free ⁠Substack ⁠and receive each podcast episode delivered directly to your email every week, complete with full transcripts. During off-weeks, you'll also receive a devotional blog post exploring spiritual themes connected to recent episodes—perfect for personal reflection or small group discussion.Unlock Premium ContentBecome a paid ⁠Substack⁠ subscriber to access devotional/historical study guides for each episode. Your subscription directly supports the creation of more episodes and helps keep church history accessible to everyone.Buy Me a CoffeeWant to support the podcast with a one-time gift or ongoing contribution? Head to ⁠Buy Me a Coffee⁠, where you can encourage this work in whatever way makes sense for you. Every contribution helps cover production costs and makes future episodes possible.For any other questions or comments, please don't hesitate to contact Jared at [email protected].

For nearly two millennia, Christianity's oldest instruction manual lay hidden in a dusty monastery until its explosive rediscovery in 1873 shocked the scholarly world. Written when some believers may have personally known the apostles, this lost text reveals how the earliest Christians prayed, worshiped, baptized, and protected their communities from infiltrators. What surprising practices did they observe that challenge our modern assumptions? And what urgent warning about Christ's return did they leave for us? Discover the ancient handbook that bridges the gap between the New Testament and the church we know today in this episode on The Didache. Connect & Go DeeperJoin the ConversationHead over to our ⁠private Facebook community⁠, where listeners discuss episodes, grapple with historical questions, and share insights on how these ancient stories shape our faith today. It's a place for genuine conversation with fellow church history enthusiasts, from seasoned scholars to curious newcomers.Get Episodes & More in Your InboxSubscribe to the free ⁠Substack ⁠and receive each podcast episode delivered directly to your email every week, complete with full transcripts. During off-weeks, you'll also receive a devotional blog post exploring spiritual themes connected to recent episodes—perfect for personal reflection or small group discussion.Unlock Premium ContentBecome a paid ⁠Substack⁠ subscriber to access devotional/historical study guides for each episode. Your subscription directly supports the creation of more episodes and helps keep church history accessible to everyone.Buy Me a CoffeeWant to support the podcast with a one-time gift or ongoing contribution? Head to ⁠Buy Me a Coffee⁠, where you can encourage this work in whatever way makes sense for you. Every contribution helps cover production costs and makes future episodes possible.For any other questions or comments, please feel free to reach out to Jared at [email protected].

What kind of pastor, arrested and chained for execution, spends his final journey not begging for mercy but writing letters to churches—urging them not to save him? Ignatius of Antioch embraced martyrdom with a strength that both inspires and challenges us today. In this episode, we follow his harrowing journey from arrest to the Roman Colosseum and explore the seven powerful letters he penned along the way. His story raises an uncomfortable question: what are we truly willing to sacrifice for Christ?Connect & Go DeeperJoin the ConversationHead over to our private Facebook community, where listeners discuss episodes, grapple with historical questions, and share insights on how these ancient stories shape our faith today. It's a place for genuine conversation with fellow church history enthusiasts, from seasoned scholars to curious newcomers.Get Episodes & More in Your InboxSubscribe to the free Substack and receive each podcast episode delivered directly to your email every week, complete with full transcripts. During off-weeks, you'll also receive a devotional blog post exploring spiritual themes connected to recent episodes—perfect for personal reflection or small group discussion.Unlock Premium ContentBecome a paid Substack subscriber to access devotional/historical study guides for each episode. Your subscription directly supports the creation of more episodes and helps keep church history accessible to everyone.Buy Me a CoffeeWant to support the podcast with a one-time gift or ongoing contribution? Head to Buy Me a Coffee, where you can encourage this work in whatever way makes sense for you. Every contribution helps cover production costs and makes future episodes possible.For any other questions or comments, please feel free to reach out to Jared at [email protected].

In this behind-the-scenes episode, I share where things stand with Season 3 of The Church History Project—what's already in the works, what's coming next, and what I’ve been learning along the way. From early research on Ignatius of Antioch to deep dives into the Didache, Papias, and the Epistle of Barnabas, this episode offers a sneak peek at what's ahead. I also talk about future plans for tighter season releases, give a quick update on the paused Season 1 devotional, and share how you can support the podcast through the podcast's Buy Me a Coffee profile. Thanks, as always, for your prayers and encouragement!

We're excited to announce the first episode of Season 3! Stay tuned in the months ahead as the remainder of the season (Lord willing) rolls out.In this episode, Jared explores the life and legacy of Clement of Rome, one of the influential Apostolic Fathers who bridged the gap between the apostolic age and the expanding church of the second century. Discover how Clement's letter to the Corinthians—written to address division and restore unity—continues to offer timeless wisdom for Christians facing similar challenges today.Join The Church History Project Facebook group to dive deeper into discussions about the episodes and explore intriguing stories from church history. Visit the group ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. If you'd like to support the show, you can do so through ⁠Buy Me a Coffee⁠. I truly appreciate your support! If you're on X, follow me there as well. For other questions and comments, feel free to reach out to Jared at [email protected]. For more content, visit the podcast ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠website ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠or wherever you find your podcasts.

Hi friends! It’s been a while, but I wanted to share an update with you about The Church History Project. Life has been a balancing act between family, work, and creative pursuits, which led to a short pause in episodes. In this update, I’ll explain the delay, share plans for upcoming episodes, and reveal ideas to enhance your listening experience.Plus, learn how you can connect with me, support the podcast on Buy Me a Coffee, and help spread the word. Your support means everything!Join me for this behind-the-scenes look at what’s next for the podcast, and thank you for your patience, encouragement, and prayers. New episodes are on the horizon, and I can’t wait to continue this journey through church history with you. God bless!