church history

I've posted a couple of times (here, here) on why one should study Church history. Zach Nielsen references Don Sweeting on the matter:

I sometimes hear people talk about history as if it is the most impractical subject in the world. But that’s simply not true. On the contrary, church history is one of the most helpful studies in the preparation of Christian ministers. It gets us beyond our natural short sightedness, faddishness and pride. It becomes a source of warning, wisdom and encouragement. It provides spiritual sparks to awaken us and lift our eyes so that we might have renewed hope. And it gets us beyond our own American evangelical amnesia. This is all extremely useful. It is a study filled with blessing. Here are his reasons why:

• It reaffirms a Biblical value of looking to the past
• It tells us the rest of the story
• It frees us from faddishness
• It is an antidote to arrogance
• It exposes us to some of the issues faced by the church in every age
• It helps us see further than we naturally can on our own
• It gives us insight into our own culture
• It provides warnings about what to look out for and what not to do
• It can be used to spark a longing for awakening and revival
• It Implants hope in dark times
• It offers company and help in difficult seasons of ministry

Click over to read his explanations.