“It has always been done this way.” Have you ever heard the phrase? I’ve heard it used countless times, especially in church settings… usually when someone has challenged a tradition. “Why do we sing from the red hymn book?” —answer— “It has always been done this way.” “Why do we dress up for church?” —answer— “It has always been done this way.” “Why do we use the King James Bible?” —answer— “It has always been done this way.”
When you hear someone use this phrase, chances are, it has not always been done that way.
In actuality, most of us don’t know how the capital “C” Church (the universal body of believers in Jesus Christ) has functioned over the span of its 2,000-year-history because we have a knowledge gap that generally is not filled in our schools (especially secular schools) or in our local churches. Christians who study the Bible have a good knowledge of the first-century Church, but what about all that happened between John the Apostle and John Piper? Between the final pages of Revelation and the present-day unfolds the rich treasure trove of Church history— and it matters!
1. Church history matters because it explains the present.
Does you take communion standing, sitting, or kneeling? Were you baptized as an infant (paedobaptism) or after you professed faith in Jesus (credobaptism)? We can better understand our Christian beliefs and practices when we have knowledge of their roots in the past.
2. Church history matters because it shows the Spirit of God in action.
God was and is and will be present in every moment of human history. His Spirit was active from the very beginning and has been at work shaping His Church from Pentecost to present day. Knowing Church history testifies to the God who “works all things according to the counsel of his will” (Ephesians 1:11-12), whose fingerprints are all over the past 2,000 years.
3. Church history matters because it offers inspiration and encouragement to the modern-day believer.
Hebrews 12: 1 says believers are “surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses,” referring to the men and women of the Old Testament whose lives testify to God’s faithfulness. Since then, the cloud of witnesses has continued to grow. We have 2,000 years of witnesses— martyrs, reformers, missionaries, church planters, teachers, and preachers— whose lives testify to God’s faithfulness and spur us on to persevere in our faith.
4. Church history matters because it serves as a guide for the future.
Although there are positive examples of faith and righteousness in the Christian church, there are also examples of controversy, heresy, pride, and foolishness. All humans— even Christians— sin; some have misinterpreted Scripture and twisted the Truth, leaving a trail of devastation in their faith community. Knowing history helps us avoid repeating it.
5. Church history matters because it reminds us that Christians are part of the same “family.”
The Bible tells believers that we are brothers and sisters, united by “one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all” (Ephesians 4:5-6), and Church history further reminds us that (despite our current liturgical differences) we are united by a common background. Whether you are Catholic or belong to one of the many Protestant denominations, we share at least 1,500 years of the same Church history.
Church history is worth knowing— after all, it’s your Christian heritage. So, I encourage you to take some time to study it. And next time you hear someone say, “It has always been done this way,” you can smile and gently correct them because you will know the truth.
First published Oct 12, 2025 on Substack.com/feliciacaidsmith
