COACH: Church Origins and Church History courtesy of the That’s Jesus Channel

1797 AD – Wilberforce’s Manifesto: When a Parliamentarian Called Britain Back to “Real Christianity” Description: In 1797, as Britain fought revolutionary France and watched its neighbor experiment with “Temples of Reason,” a different kind of revolution quietly appeared on London bookshop counters. William Wilberforce, already known for his exhausting campaign to end the British slave trade, rele...

Episode 17: 62 AD – The Echo of the Book of Ephesians Description: In 62 AD, the Apostle Paul was under house arrest in Rome, yet he managed to write a letter that changed the world. This episode explores the powerful story of the Book of Ephesians and how it provided a "soaring vision" for the early church. We look at the main conflict of that time, where believers faced false teachings and neede...

0106 - 1355 - The Tavern Brawl and Saint Scholastica Day Riot When Clerical Privilege Turned a University City Violent Chunk 00: Title, Website, YT, POD, FB, Summary, Keywords, Hashtags, CTA Title: 1355 AD - The St. Scholastica's Day Riot: When Clerical Privilege Turned a University City Violent Website/YT/POD/FB Description: On February 10, 1355, a complaint about bad wine at Oxford's Swindlestoc...

BONUS DAY 25: Modern Fasting – Recovery or Distortion? Description: Is the modern church recovering biblical fasting, or are we just baptizing diet culture? In this final bonus episode, Bob Baulch tackles the biggest controversies surrounding the modern fasting movement. We ask the hard questions: Is "Intermittent Fasting" (16:8) a spiritual discipline or just a weight-loss trend? Is a "Technology...

Title: Deep Dive: 410 AD – Augustine and the Sack of Rome (Revisiting Ep 16) Description: In 410 AD, the invincible city of Rome was sacked by the Visigoths, shocking the ancient world and causing a massive crisis of faith. This episode explores how Augustine of Hippo responded to the panic when pagan leaders began blaming Christians for the disaster. We discuss the terror of the invasion after 80...

BONUS DAY 24: Inside the Monastery – Monastic Fasting Through the Ages Description: For 1,500 years, monks have been the "special forces" of Christian fasting. In Bonus Day 24, we go inside the monastery to examine the detailed fasting rules of the Benedictines, Cistercians, and the ultra-strict Carthusians (who eat one meal a day and maintain near-total silence). We explore why men and women thro...

0104 – 65 BC - Honi the Circle Maker - Bold Prayer, Ancient Jewish Legend, and Christian Discernment Who was Honi the Circle Maker, and why does his story still divide believers today? In this episode, we explore the ancient Jewish figure known for praying rain into a drought, drawing a circle in the dust, and boldly confronting God with persistent prayer. Using the Mishnah, the Babylonian and Jer...

BONUS DAY 23: Fasting Around the World – Orthodox & Coptic Traditions Description: While Western Christianity largely abandoned fasting after the Reformation, Eastern Christianity never did. In Bonus Day 23, we explore the rigorous, ancient traditions of the Eastern Orthodox and Coptic churches. Did you know Coptic Christians in Egypt fast for over 210 days a year? Or that "fasting" for them m...

BONUS DAY 22: The Complete Fasting Recap + What We Missed Description: You made it through the 21 days! But we aren't done yet. In this special bonus episode, Bob Baulch provides a rapid-fire recap of the entire journey—from the shocking truth that God only commanded one fast (Day 1) to the hilarious medieval loopholes of beaver tails and barnacle geese (Day 14). We consolidate 2,000 years of hist...

FASTING DAY 21: Fasting Today – Bringing Ancient Wisdom into Modern Practice Description: You have made it. After 21 days of denying your flesh and seeking God, how do you carry this discipline forward? In this season finale, Bob Baulch synthesizes 2,000 years of fasting history into a practical roadmap for the future. We revisit the "Real Rule" of Isaiah 58—that true fasting must result in compas...

FASTING DAY 20: How to Fast Safely – Avoiding the Hospital Description: Fasting can be spiritually powerful, but it can also be medically dangerous if done incorrectly. As we approach the end of the 21 days, we must talk about safety. In Day 20, Bob Baulch covers the critical medical wisdom every faster needs. We discuss who should NEVER fast—including children, pregnant women, diabetics, and thos...

FASTING DAY 19: Fasting from SEX and the 4 Biblical Types of Fasting – Which Are You Doing? Description: Not all fasts are created equal. The Bible describes at least four different types of fasting, and understanding the difference is key to finishing your 21 days strong. In Day 19, we break down the "taxonomy" of fasting so you can identify which one fits your spiritual season and physical needs...

FASTING DAY 18: Does Fasting Cast Out Demons? (The Truth About Mark 9:29) Description: Does fasting give you special power over demons? Many Christians quote Mark 9:29—"This kind comes out only by prayer and fasting"—as proof. But did you know the words "and fasting" don't appear in the earliest biblical manuscripts? In Day 18, we tackle the controversy of fasting and spiritual warfare. We examine...

Deep Dive: 304 AD – Crispina Defies Persecution – A North African Mother Stands Against Rome and Seals Her Faith With Martyrdom (Revisiting Ep 15) Description: In 304 AD, a wealthy noblewoman named Crispina faced a terrifying choice during the harsh persecutions of Emperor Diocletian. Living in the North African city of Thagora, she was arrested and ordered to offer incense to the Roman gods. The...

Title: FASTING DAY 17: The Reformers – Why Luther Hated Mandatory Fasting Description: By the 1500s, the Catholic Church taught that fasting was required to avoid sin and earn merit, a claiming Martin Luther rejected as "godless" and "tyrannical." In Day 17 of our history series, we trace the Protestant Reformation's complex battle over fasting. We see how leaders like Luther and Calvin fought to...

FASTING DAY 16: Extreme Fasters – When Devotion Becomes Dangerous Description: Simeon Stylites lived on top of a 50-foot pillar for 47 years. Every Lent, he reportedly fasted 40 days without food or water. Catherine of Siena, a Doctor of the Church, eventually ate nothing but the daily Eucharist until she died of starvation at age 33. In Day 16, we explore the dark side of fasting history: "anorex...

COACH Ep 0102: Clement's Letter to Corinth: How to Destroy a Church (96 AD) Description: In 96 AD, the church at Corinth removed its own elders from leadership—not because of heresy or moral failure, but due to pride and internal division. This episode explores the crisis that prompted Clement of Rome to write one of the earliest documents outside the New Testament, addressing a congregation that...

Title: FASTING DAY 15: Does Chocolate Break a Fast? (The 100-Year Debate) Description: When chocolate arrived in Europe from the Americas in the 1500s, it caused a massive theological crisis for the Catholic Church that lasted over a century. At the time, Christians faced over 100 mandatory fast days a year where solid food was forbidden, but liquids were allowed [Source 8: 48, 361]. This led to a...

Deep Dive: Susanna and Purity and Defiance (Revisiting Ep 14) Description: This COACH Deep Dive explores the fascinating backstory of Episode 14, where early Christians in 190 AD painted the story of Susanna on their catacomb walls. While the original episode focused on Susanna’s defiant refusal to sin, this discussion uncovers the complex and often ironic reality of the church during the reign of...

FASTING DAY 14: Beaver Tails & Barnacle Geese – The Medieval Art of Loopholes Description: By the Middle Ages, the Catholic Church mandated fasting for over 100 days a year. Meat was forbidden during these times, but fish was allowed. This led to some of the most creative (and ridiculous) biology in history as people tried to find loopholes in the rules [Source 8: 44, 343-345]. In Day 14 of ou...

FASTING DAY 13: A Weapon for the Valiant – Fasting as Spiritual Warfare Description: While yesterday we looked at fasting as internal cleansing, today we look at fasting as external combat. The early church did not view fasting as a passive activity; they saw it as aggressive spiritual warfare. In Day 13 of our history series, we explore why early leaders like St. Basil called fasting "a weapon fo...

0100 - 1529 AD – The Start of Protestantism Has an Odd Beginning CHUNK 00 — TITLE, SUMMARY, KEYWORDS, HASHTAGS, CTA Description: On April 19, 1529, at the Imperial Diet in Speyer, Germany, six Lutheran princes and representatives from fourteen free cities faced a devastating decision. The majority voted to revoke the religious toleration granted three years earlier and to enforce the Edict of Worm...

Deep Dive: 144 AD – Marcion's Dangerous Version of the Bible (Revisiting Ep 13) Description: In 144 AD, a wealthy shipowner named Marcion of Sinope challenged the early church by rejecting the Old Testament and creating his own edited version of the Bible. This COACH Deep Dive is an AI-generated discussion that revisits the research behind Episode 13 to explore Marcion’s "dangerous edit" and the c...

FASTING DAY 12: "You Eat Your Brother" – The Church Fathers on Hypocrisy Description: If you stop eating food but keep attacking people with your words, are you actually fasting? In Day 12 of our history series, we explore the stinging critiques from early church leaders who believed that "real" fasting is about changing your heart, not just your diet. We look at why the most respected teachers in...

0098 - 1377 AD - Pope Gregory XI Returns to Rome from Avignon - Choosing Spiritual Maturity Over Comfort Description: For nearly seventy years, the popes lived in Avignon, France, leaving Rome to fall into ruin and neglect. This period, known to some as the Babylonian Captivity, disconnected the leadership of the church from its historic roots. Pope Gregory XI, a scholar who preferred peace to con...