The Growth and Development of the Church
From a small group of followers to a worldwide family of traditions. Explore Jesus as the Word of God, the Church as one body with many parts, and how the Church grew and branched into Catholic, Orthodox, Protestant and Pentecostal traditions.
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From a few to billions 🌍
Christianity began with the followers of Jesus, who taught them to love, forgive and serve others, and in the Gospel of Mark chapter 8 called them to take up their cross and follow him. Over two thousand years the Church grew into a worldwide family of around two billion people, branching into different **traditions**. This module traces how the Church grew, and why Christians belong to different traditions.
Words to know 🔑
Four ideas run through this topic:
The Word of God 📖
The opening of the Gospel of John gives Jesus a special title. Which is it?
- The Word of God
- A prophet and nothing more
- An angel sent to earth
- A king of one nation only
One body, many parts 🕊️
The letter to the Romans, chapter 12, and the first letter to the Corinthians, chapter 12, compare the Church to a single body. Just as a body has many parts with different jobs, the Church has many members with different gifts, all belonging together. This image teaches unity in diversity as the Church grows.
Follow the example ❤️
- Love
- Forgiveness
- Servanthood
- Social justice
- Caring for others, even those who are difficult
- Letting go of wrongs done to you
- Serving other people humbly, as Jesus did
- Working for fairness for the poor and the weak
The main traditions 🏛️
As the Church grew, it developed into several great traditions.
How the Church grew 🕰️
An interactive activity.
Name the traditions ✅
Which THREE are major Christian traditions?
- Catholic
- Orthodox
- Protestant
- Judaism
- Sikhism
Match the tradition 🔗
- Catholic
- Orthodox
- Protestant
- Pentecostal
- Led by the pope in Rome
- Led by patriarchs and known for icons
- Began with the Reformation
- Emphasises the gifts of the Holy Spirit
Complete the idea 🧩
The Gospel of John calls Jesus the _____ of God. Saint Paul compares the Church to one _____ with many parts, each with a different gift. As the Church grew it split: the Great Schism formed the Catholic and _____ Churches, and later the _____ began the Protestant traditions. A distinct branch of Christianity is called a _____.
True or not? 🖍️
An interactive activity.
The body of believers 🤝
Saint Paul compares the Church to a body. What does this image mainly teach?
- Many members with different gifts belong to one Church
- Everyone in the Church must be exactly the same
- Each Christian should worship alone
- Only the leader of the Church matters
Living it out 🧭
An interactive activity.
Trace the growth ✍️
An interactive activity.