All history is a record of the great changes that human beings have -gone through in the past years. Church history educates us about the various events in which the church has participated or which have affected the church in one way or another. If we are to understand where we are, we have to understand where we are coming from (church history) and plan adequately for the future. Hence church history is relevant to us.     

General changes in the church.

In the early days of Christianity, the church was small, weak, insignificant and despised. However as time went on, more and more people were converted and the church became big. Hence a great change.

At first the church was restricted to a small geographical area- Jerusalem. But with time, the church expanded to the whole of the Roman Empire and at present the church has spread to all continents of the world. Hence a great change.

In the early days of Christianity, the gospel message was spread orally- by word of mouth. However, changes occurred later which 'facilitated the writing of the gospel.

The early church faced great persecution. Early Christians were greatly tortured, imprisoned, beheaded or even stoned to death. Early martyrs included St. Stephen, Peter, Paul, Peripetua and Felicity however, the church was relieved in A.D 311 when emperor Constantine made Christianity official. Hence a change from persecution to peace.

The gospel message was at first spread in two major languages- Greek and Latin. However with time, it was translated into the local languages of the people where the gospel was taken.

A t first, Christians were enslaved; Later Christians also started enslaving others. However, when it came to slave trading proper, Christianity could not tolerate it.

The early Church leaders including Bishops, monks, Hermits and nuns, practised renunciation in different forms. Some of them even went to the desert areas and lived a strict or restricted life in service of Jesus and their fellow men. Today the situation has changed.

At first the church was one- the universal church of Christ. But with time, certain things went wrong. For example, people were asked to pay money in order for their sins to be forgiven!

Rev. Fr. Luther Martin disagreed with this (he protested) and this led to the break up of the church. (The Roman Catholic Church and the Protestant Church). However later, other Christian leaders also started breaking away from the Protestant Church and formed theirs. These were great changes and are still going on!

At first, preachers used to walk long distances on foot while preaching the gospel e.g. St Paul and Banarbbas. Today, preachers use vehicles, aeroplanes, motorcycles etc.

The gospel does not change but requires change

This means that the gospel was, is and will be the same. The gospel message, is the same' today as it was long ago and it will be the same tomorrow and forever.

The written gospels  such as Mathew, Luke, Mark and John have the same message as that of the original oral gospel.

At first the gospel was written in Greek, later in Latin, French, English, Luganda etc. Though languages in which it is spread have changed, the message has remained the same - it doesn't change.

Methods of preaching the gospel call change, but the gospel doesn't change.

The way we worship can change but the gospel doesn't e.g. The way we praise, petition, confess, read the scriptures have been changing but the gospel hasn't

Preachers come and go (die) but 'what they preach (the gospel) remains intact it doesn't change.

The gospel requires change

This means that those who listen to the gospel message are called upon to change towards the likeness of Jesus Christ.

It means that the gospel requires a change of heart. After receiving the gospel, the old evil desires of the heart should be discarded.

It requires behavioural changes eg from theft to living a life of brotherhood and sisterhood (living as brothers and sisters of one father-God)

It requires a change of attitudes e.g forgiving others, sharing with members of other tribes, loving other and reconciliation.

It requires us to work for justice peace and unity.

It requires us to be agents of good changes e.g. to baptise (Mark 16: 15), preach the gospel, be job creators etc.

The gospel requires spiritual changes but it doesn't call for total change of one's culture, The gospel is preached to a certain people with an established culture. The mission of preachers should not be to erode the whole culture of a given people but to cause desirable spiritual and behavioural changes.

If the gospel is well preached in a spirit of love, the new converts will voluntarily change from the bad aspects of their culture without being forced.

Accordingly, missionaries to Africa are condemned for having jumped to wrong conclusions that all African culture was bad and evil. They asked Africans to change from their ways of singing, drumming and dancing. They taught us foreign songs. Even when foreign songs were the remained foreign.