This lesson explores the first three centuries of the Church, the time before Christianity became a legal religion within the Roman Empire. This was a period when Christians were occasionally persecuted while also defending the faith against sometimes bizarre ideas on the edges. At the end of this period, Christianity had grown significantly in the Empire and would soon become a powerful force to be reckoned with.

This lesson aims to equip you to:

1. Express the origins and ongoing nature of the Church as both structured and charismatic.
2. Describe the beginnings of heresy in the church as well as how God used moments of controversy to refine the Church’s understanding.