Crises and the Church: Lessons from History

by Michael T. Cooper, Matt Till

This little yet profound book considers the impact of plagues and persecutions on the early church. By looking specifically at the first century persecutions, the first century “global” famine, and two later plagues – Antonine and Cyprian – we will draw the conclusion that the church was prepared to stay on mission during these difficulties and emerged on the other side without changing her mission trajectory from when she entered the crises. The challenge for the global church today is to wrestle with the question of what trajectory have we been on and where might we emerge on the other side of COVID-19? That trajectory does not look positive. With the global decline of Christianity largely due to population growth as well as several other salient factors, Christianity will be outpaced by Islam in the 2050s. Nevertheless, if we make mission critical adjustments now, empowered by the Holy Spirit, and equip the saints for works of ministry then we can impact the future growth of the church.

59 pages, Kindle Edition

Published May 18, 2020

About the author

Dr. Michael T. Cooper is the author of First Christian Voices: Practices of the Apostolic Fathers (Samuel Morris, 2023), Ephesiology: The Study of the Ephesian Movement (William Carey Publishers, 2020), Unwrapping the First Christmas (Ephesiology Press, 2019), Contemporary Druidry: A Historical and Ethnographic Study (Sacred Tribes Press, 2010) and co-editor of Social Injustice (The Timothy Center Press, 2011) and The Peaceable Christian (The Timothy Center Press, 2011) and Perspectives on Post-Christendom Spiritualities (Moorling Press, 2010).

Michael has contributed numerous academic articles in the Journal of the Evangelical Missiological Society, Nova Religio, Pomegranate, Journal of Nature, Religion and Culture, Sacred Tribes Journal, Common Ground Journal, Missiology, Evangelical Missions Quarterly and he has presented academic papers at the University of Utah, London School of Economics, University of Bordeaux, University of Craiova and other universities and seminaries around the world.

Dr. Cooper holds a PhD from Trinity Evangelical Divinity School, a MA from Columbia International University, and a BED from Texas A&M University.