5 Minutes in Church History with Stephen Nichols

5 Minutes in Church History with Stephen Nichols

This weekly podcast provides an informal and informative look at church history. Join us each week as we take a brief break from the present to go exploring the past. Travel back in time as we look at the people, events, and even the places that have shaped the story of Christianity. Each episode offers an easily digestible glimpse of how the eternal, unchangeable God has worked in the church over prior generations and how this can encourage us today. This is our story—our family history.

Episodes

June 11, 2025 5 mins
Augustine’s legacy is well known, but what about his closest friend? Today, Stephen Nichols introduces us to Alypius, a faithful companion who walked alongside Augustine from their days as students to bishops in neighboring towns.

Read the transcript: https://ligonier.org/podcasts/5-minutes-in-church-history-with-stephen-nichols/augustines-friend/

A donor-supported outreach of Ligonier Ministries. Donate: https://donate.ligonier.or...

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Behind several well-known names in church history stand faithful brothers whose stories are often untold. Today, Stephen Nichols shares how these men, though less recognized, played meaningful roles in the life of the church.

Read the transcript: https://ligonier.org/podcasts/5-minutes-in-church-history-with-stephen-nichols/brothers-in-church-history/

A donor-supported outreach of Ligonier Ministries. Donate: https://donate.ligonie...

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May 28, 2025 5 mins
What was it like to grow up in a missionary home on the edge of the American frontier? Today, Stephen Nichols tells the story of Esther and Jonathan Edwards Jr., two of Jonathan Edwards’ children, and their unforgettable years in Stockbridge.

Read the transcript: https://ligonier.org/podcasts/5-minutes-in-church-history-with-stephen-nichols/missionary-kids-in-stockbridge/

A donor-supported outreach of Ligonier Ministries. Donate: h...

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May 21, 2025 5 mins
What was trending in the 18th century? Today, Stephen Nichols walks through five key developments that shaped the church, including revival, hymnody, and the early sparks of global missions.

Read the transcript: https://ligonier.org/podcasts/5-minutes-in-church-history-with-stephen-nichols/trending-in-the-18th-century/

A donor-supported outreach of Ligonier Ministries. Donate: https://donate.ligonier.org/

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John Witherspoon was an integral figure in American Presbyterianism. Today, Stephen Nichols and Kevin DeYoung explore this Scottish pastor’s legacy as a theologian, patriot, and president of Princeton University.

Read the transcript: https://ligonier.org/podcasts/5-minutes-in-church-history-with-stephen-nichols/what-everyone-needs-to-know-about-john-witherspoon/

A donor-supported outreach of Ligonier Ministries. Donate: https://don...

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What would you read on a deserted island? Today, Stephen Nichols is joined by Dr. Kevin DeYoung to discuss five of his most treasured books—each reflecting his love for theology, church history, and pastoral ministry.

Read the transcript: https://ligonier.org/podcasts/5-minutes-in-church-history-with-stephen-nichols/deserted-island-with-kevin-deyoung/

A donor-supported outreach of Ligonier Ministries. Donate: https://donate.ligonie...

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April 30, 2025 5 mins
Raymond Lull devoted his life to proclaiming the gospel to Muslims and Jews. Today, Stephen Nichols tells the story of this medieval missionary whose love for Christ led him to a ministry of study, debate, and bold witness.

Read the transcript: https://ligonier.org/podcasts/5-minutes-in-church-history-with-stephen-nichols/raymund-lull-medieval-missionary/

A donor-supported outreach of Ligonier Ministries. Donate: https://donate.lig...

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April 23, 2025 5 mins
Raised in India and trained in London, Dr. Paul Brand combined medical skill with gentle compassion. Today, Stephen Nichols explores how this missionary doctor’s care for leprosy patients reflected the heart of Christ.

Read the transcript: https://ligonier.org/podcasts/5-minutes-in-church-history-with-stephen-nichols/meet-dr-paul-brand/

A donor-supported outreach of Ligonier Ministries. Donate: https://donate.ligonier.org/

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April 16, 2025 5 mins
In the early days of the Reformation, not all voices were united. Today, Stephen Nichols tells the story of the Zwickau Prophets, a group of radical preachers whose mystical and apocalyptic teachings clashed with Martin Luther’s commitment to Scripture alone.

Read the transcript: https://ligonier.org/podcasts/5-minutes-in-church-history-with-stephen-nichols/the-zwickau-prophets/

A donor-supported outreach of Ligonier Ministries. Do...

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April 9, 2025 5 mins

On December 27, 1657, a group of Dutch colonists in New Netherland took a stand for religious liberty. Today, Stephen Nichols tells the story of the Flushing Remonstrance, one of the earliest American documents to defend religious freedom.

Read the transcript: https://ligonier.org/podcasts/5-minutes-in-church-history-with-stephen-nichols/the-flushing-remonstrance

A donor-supported outreach of Ligonier Ministries. Donate: https://do...

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April 2, 2025 5 mins

Isaac Watts’ influence extends far beyond the hymns he penned. Today, Stephen Nichols reflects on five powerful sayings from Watts, revealing his deep theological insight and enduring impact on Christian worship.

Read the transcript: https://ligonier.org/podcasts/5-minutes-in-church-history-with-stephen-nichols/isaac-watts-in-5-sayings

A donor-supported outreach of Ligonier Ministries. Donate: https://donate.ligonier.org/

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March 26, 2025 5 mins

What does it mean to seek true glory? Today, Stephen Nichols explores C.S. Lewis’ The Weight of Glory, reflecting on our deepest longings, the promise of eternity, and how the gospel shapes our view of others.

Read the transcript: https://ligonier.org/podcasts/5-minutes-in-church-history-with-stephen-nichols/the-weight-of-glory

A donor-supported outreach of Ligonier Ministries. Donate: https://donate.ligonier.org/

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March 19, 2025 5 mins

If you visit the Island of Rhodes, you’ll experience centuries of history. Today, Stephen Nichols explores this island’s rich past—from the towering Colossus of Rhodes to the influence of the Knights of St. John—and its connections to biblical and church history.

Read the transcript: https://ligonier.org/podcasts/5-minutes-in-church-history-with-stephen-nichols/rhodes-in-history/

A donor-supported outreach of Ligonier Ministries. D...

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March 12, 2025 5 mins

What is saving faith? Today, Stephen Nichols looks to Charles Hodge’s teaching on Galatians 2:20, exploring how true faith rests in Christ alone, trusts in His love, and clings to His atoning work for our salvation.

Read the transcript: https://ligonier.org/podcasts/5-minutes-in-church-history-with-stephen-nichols/charles-hodge-what-is-saving-faith/

A donor-supported outreach of Ligonier Ministries. Donate: https://donate.ligonier....

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What is systematic theology? Today, Stephen Nichols delves into Charles Hodge’s definition of theology as a science, reflecting on how Hodge arranged biblical truths in a harmonious system while emphasizing the necessity of the Holy Spirit.

Read the transcript: https://ligonier.org/podcasts/5-minutes-in-church-history-with-stephen-nichols/charles-hodge-what-is-systematic-theology/

A donor-supported outreach of Ligonier Ministries. ...

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February 26, 2025 5 mins

In the second century, Athenagoras of Athens defended the Christian faith before Emperor Marcus Aurelius. Today, Stephen Nichols explains how his treatise, A Plea for the Christians, reflects the early church's responses to persecution.

Read the transcript: https://ligonier.org/podcasts/5-minutes-in-church-history-with-stephen-nichols/athenagoras/

A donor-supported outreach of Ligonier Ministries. Donate: https://donate.ligonier.or...

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February 19, 2025 5 mins

Athens stands as a cornerstone of Western civilization, philosophy, and church history. Today, Stephen Nichols takes us to this ancient city, exploring its legacy as the home of democracy, Socratic thought, and Paul’s famous sermon on Mars Hill.

Read the transcript: https://ligonier.org/podcasts/5-minutes-in-church-history-with-stephen-nichols/athens-in-church-history/

A donor-supported outreach of Ligonier Ministries. Donate: http...

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February 12, 2025 5 mins

Constantine's first church in Constantinople, the Hagia Irene, played a significant role in the development of the Nicene Creed. Today, Stephen Nichols explores this church's rich history and its transformation through the centuries.

Read the transcript: https://ligonier.org/podcasts/5-minutes-in-church-history-with-stephen-nichols/istanbul-the-hagia-irene/

A donor-supported outreach of Ligonier Ministries. Donate: https://donate.l...

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February 5, 2025 5 mins

Emperor Justinian transformed the city of Constantinople by commissioning a magnificent church: the Hagia Sophia. Today, Stephen Nichols explores five key moments in the church's history.

Read the transcript: https://ligonier.org/podcasts/5-minutes-in-church-history-with-stephen-nichols/istanbul-the-hagia-sophia/

A donor-supported outreach of Ligonier Ministries. Donate: https://donate.ligonier.org/

Explore all of our podcasts: htt...

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January 29, 2025 5 mins

Who was Louis IX? Today, Stephen Nichols explores the remarkable life of this medieval French king, renowned for his piety, moral leadership, and role in the Crusades.

Read the transcript: https://ligonier.org/podcasts/5-minutes-in-church-history-with-stephen-nichols/louis-ix/

A donor-supported outreach of Ligonier Ministries. Donate: https://donate.ligonier.org/

Explore all of our podcasts: https://www.ligonier.org/podcasts

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