It is about time for me to start reading about Christian church history, and this little book as title suggested, indeed made very easy for anyone to get a brief but essential view of events and people who shaped this history of Christianity. The book understandably tries to be as objective as possible therefore contains very little analysis (after all it has to be brief), however author did subtly hint the theme of authority of scripture as a key issue throughout the history. Every chapter contains key terms, events and names are very helpful for all beginners. Overall, would recommend to people with very little knowledge of church history and it triggers enough of interest in me to dig into it more.

This was enjoyable. It's impossible to cover everything in one volume, but I would have loved more on Eastern church history.

Written by a young pastor for his rural congregation, "Christian History Made Easy" aims to provide a basic overview for those new to the subject. To that end, this is a good book. Having already studied christian history, though years ago, this book was a good refresher. It brought back to the forefront people I wanted to know more about. Several of the quotes left me wanting to dig deeper in the originals. So, this book serves its purpose - whet the appetite for more.

The book points the reader to web sites where more information can be found on people and periods from christian history. And, there is a study guide/teachers' guide provided at the end of the book.

If you're looking for a basic introduction to this field, one that is intentionally skimming the surface, this is the book you're looking for.

This was an easy read -- I just didn't find it captivating or compelling.

It’s a good overview, but the author lets his own biases prevent him from providing enough details for the reader to form their own opinion- or even apply some of the information to the belief they already hold. Once the denominations starting splitting off, Jones skipped so much history and only picked them back up when he needed them, typically without any explanation of what happened since then.
This is more of a reference and an introduction than a complete summary of the basics.

Great book about Church History. The author presents the subject in a readable fashion. He inserts humorous quips throughout the book which helps to keep it interesting. Highly recommend this book.

I like History and and we are having a Sunday school class on this topic. So far, so good - easy reading with good information.

It was engaging, and a good introduction to church history. Didn't like the approach to the Crusades, but you can't always agree on everything.

"Simply put, the church's history is our family history." (Introduction)

Simply put, this book is excellent.

It is exactly what I wanted it to be as a "quick and colorful guide" to Church History. It is well written (light, even humorous at times); well organized (each chapter begins with a list of key events, people, and terms, and chapters are broken down into easy-to-read subsections); intellectually stimulating (there are neat "sidebar sections" such as "Did you know?" trivia, "Words from the ones who were there" quotes, "In case you're confused..." clarifications, and "Think about it..." points to consider); and visually interesting (with many photos, illustrations, etc., albeit I was surprised that there was only one map in the entire book).

At just 190 pages, it is meant to be engaging not exhaustive—and it does so successfully, especially with its focus on "stories" more than dates, without sacrificing clarity (e.g., it clearly differentiates between Catholic and Protestant) and without excluding or minimizing the Church's low points and failures. Depending on one's prior knowledge or intended depth of study, this book may not be sufficient (and I would also note the author's opinion/interpretation comes through at times, though nothing I ever disagreed with). But, it is exceptional as an introductory overview (or refresher) on Church History, and it would also serve very well as an outline for a class or further research.

Note there is some mature content, e.g., persecution. (It is not written for children, so parents or teachers should be mindful of young audiences.)

Timothy Paul Jones gives an excellent, brief overview of Christian history without putting too much personal doctrinal beliefs in the text. He also has a few comedic spots, which always helps when reading history.

Overall, a nice broad view of Church history. There is, of course, a Protestant bent but it is not dogmatically present throughout the book. Not only are specific events and controversies visited well, but the interconnectedness of these events is recognized as well.

I bought this book as a potential text for teaching a class at our church on church history. As the cover states, it is quite “basic”, but it is ideal for use as a beginner-level overview of the history of Christianity: exactly what I’d hoped it would be.

The twelve chapters — each of which covers the main events, names, and terms of a time period — read incredibly quickly, as each page contains colorful pictures, block quotes, and other graphics which present information in a variety of ways. The scope of the book is grand, covering the time of the apostles up through postmodernism and the Emergent Church, and everything in between. Obviously, nothing is covered in depth, but Jones provides readers with a “big picture” view of history, enough detail to have at least a basic familiarity with the most important aspects of church history, and resources for further study.

I was personally most appreciative of the author’s emphasis on the work of God in building the Church throughout history. He is honest about the many failings of the Church and its leaders, but highlights the ideas and contributions made during each era which ultimately led to the spread of the Gospel. This is most evident in Chapter 6 (“God Never Stops Working”), which covers the difficult period from 673-1295. Jones applies the words of Jesus in John 5:17 (“My father is always at his work“) to show how God worked through the monastics, the Scholastics, and the mystics to preserve the Bible and a remnant of believers even through the Dark Ages. Taking that view of history helps us to remain optimistic at times when it is difficult to see how God is working.

His final chapters are also helpful in introducing the various streams of Christian thinking in the world today. The book documents the rise of Dispensationalism, Christian liberalism, Pentecostalism, Fundamentalism, and the “Emergent” church. Jones sticks to the “facts” for the most part, describing what happened rather than making value statements about doctrinal differences within evangelicalism, but he does take time to point out the errors of liberalism and it’s later postmodern iteration (Readers should expect no less from a professor at The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary!). I should also note that from the Reformation onward, the focal point is on the history of the Protestant church, with very little discussion given to events taking place within Roman Catholicism — the Second Vatican Council being a notable exception.

This edition contains a 12-week detailed study guide so that using the book as a teaching tool or discussion starter is also “made easy”. While group leaders may not choose to follow the guide exactly — each session calls for 60-90 minutes of guided discussion, worship through song, and a “learning activity” which often requires some preparation and supplies from the leader — everything needed to use in nearly any group format is included. Leaders can simply adapt the provided materials to suit their needs.

If you’re looking for a good introduction to church history that doesn’t require a long commitment to deep study, this one will serve you well.