Just as Christians are joined to Christ in their Baptism, they are joined to a family of believers who have gone before them. In Journey through Church History, readers will discover men and women from church history who witnessed to Jesus Christ—martyrs, historians, apologists, theologians, translators, and more. Students and teachers can now order the curriculum on the Concordia Publishing House website to dig in and uncover their family trees rooted in Christ.

“In this book, we are going to learn about people who are part of your church family but who lived a long time ago,” writes Petzold. “These people are important because what they did, what they experienced, and the letters and books they wrote have shaped the culture of our church family. . . .We remember them and honor them in the church not because they were perfect but because they studied God’s Word carefully and taught it faithfully, even when they were persecuted (threatened, hurt, or killed) for doing so.”

Navigable yet rich in information, the Student Book is for everyone from elementary-age children to adults who want to learn more about church history. The Leader Guide gives teachers the tools they need to facilitate their students’ journeys. For each chapter, the Leader Guide includes the following:

  • A Study Page to guide your lesson time
  • A Teacher Page with practical details, vocabulary, discussions, and answer keys
  • A reproducible Student Page to check for understanding
  • A reproducible Coloring Page

“Introducing your family, your family of faith!” says Timothy Maschke, professor of theology, emeritus, at Concordia University Wisconsin. “That’s what Christa Petzold does in this wonderfully engaging volume of Christian history. . . . This is an indispensable resource for all twenty-first century Christian parents and teachers.”

Visit cph.org/churchhistory for more information. Contact Erica Sontag to schedule an interview with the author.


Praise for Journey through Church History

Introducing your family, your family of faith! That’s what Christa Petzold does in this wonderfully engaging volume of Christian history. This essential resource for Lutheran families interested in communicating the faith to future generations surveys two millennia of Christianity through the lives and times of three dozen Christian leaders from James, the brother of Jesus, to the founders of the LCMS. Encouraging critical thinking through Bible study and discussion questions with applications for life, this overview of the Christian Church is invaluable for parents and teachers of grade-schoolers. The author occasionally uses important technical theological vocabulary and then gives clear and simple explanations, making the text readily readable. As a mother, homeschooler, and pastor’s wife, Christa boldly presents “a soft apologetic” for confessional Lutheran children. This is an indispensable resource for all twenty-first century Christian parents and teachers.

Rev. Dr. Timothy Maschke, professor of theology, emeritus, Concordia University Wisconsin

Root your children in the essentials of their history. In Journey through Church History, Christa returns all Christians to the roots of our family tree in a way that nourishes and grounds us in the living faith. The history of the church reminds us that God’s kingdom endures forever, and since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, we are emboldened to persevere. Parents have the important task of passing down the faith and training their children in resilience. Christa’s curriculum will undoubtedly aid in both.

Stephanie Neugebauer, pastor’s wife and mom of three

Journey through Church History provides a useful tool for any Christian school. I wish I could have used this book while I homeschooled my children. Author Christa Petzold has transformed a potentially dry and confusing subject into a clear and fascinating study. She gives familiar names like Ignatius, Justin Martyr, Jerome, Augustine, Luther, and Walther a place on a time line and helps readers understand their significance to the Body of Christ. Even if you are no longer a kid or teaching kids, you will appreciate this lively book on church history.

Sharla Fritz, author of several titles, including Measured by Grace: How God Defines Success and God’s Relentless Love: A Study of Hosea

Journey through Church History spans James, the brother of Jesus, through Walther and today, highlighting individuals we can honor and emulate without pretending they were without faults. A lively, conversational tone guides students through theologically significant concepts, like martyrdom and heresy, and churchly developments, like the creeds and liturgy, with Lutheran discretion and grace. The Leader Guide offers educators accompanying Bible studies, vocabulary, and review activities to solidify each lesson. Forthright and sensitive, Petzold has written a candid resource to help us raise our children and students in the faith and continuity of the Christian Church. It’s definitely homeschool- and school-friendly.

Deaconess Mary J. Moerbe, mother of six; lower school dean and fifth-grade teacher at Memorial Lutheran School in Houston, Texas; founder of LutheranHomeschool.com

This could be used as a children’s book, but its impact will be felt far beyond childhood. This is the kind of book I wish I had when my children were younger when they were beginning to learn who they were as Christians. In an increasingly unchurched society, young Christians often grow up and find themselves in an identity crisis. Knowing their history (and His story) more fully and deeply at an early age can help them know who they are later on. That’s what Christa Petzold sets out to do in this very kid-friendly and incredibly helpful book on church history. For the first time in a long time, church history is made accessible to young Christians.

Rev. Dr. Glenn Fluegge, Concordia University Irvine

About the Author

Christa Petzold lives with her husband and four children in northern Illinois. She has an MA in theology from Concordia University Irvine, a BA in mathematics and Lutheran secondary education from Concordia University Wisconsin, and she is currently pursuing a PhD in history of exegesis from Concordia Seminary, St. Louis. She is a coauthor of Male and Female: Embracing Your Role in God’s Designand author of Gathered by Christ: The Overlooked Gift of Church as well as of Journey through Church History. She spends her time homeschooling, teaching theology, writing, and learning as much as she can about church history.