The King's Hand in History

By Christopher VanDusen and Casey Hust

Two Christian history students briefly discuss the most powerful, provoking, and applicable events of our past. We bring you the true stories of our King's almighty hand accomplishing His purposes thr... more

· History

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FAQs about The King's Hand in History:

How many episodes does The King's Hand in History have?

The podcast currently has 46 episodes available.

The King's Hand in History episodes:

November 23, 2024 Christianity in 19th Century (Victorian) Great Britain (Ep. 25)
What made “Victorian Britain” “Victorian”? Was this society
mostly a bunch of self-righteous, polite, and refined hypocrites who liked to attend plays and get together for tea parties? Or was the Great Britain of the 1800s a complex nation of diverse types of people who were thoroughly influenced by the gospel of Jesus Christ, and by those who worshiped Him? In this discussion, you’ll learn the essential characteristics and some of the most important events and leaders of 19th century Britain and its vast empire, especially those qualities that were possessed by Bible-believing leaders, pew-sitters, churches, and organizations during this time.
Chris and Casey give a fly-over survey of the impact of
Christianity on 19th century Britain, as well as its general
condition. After discussing the religious, social, political, and economic conditions of the empire in the beginning of the century, they delve deeply into the major Christian influences in the nation. The topics include Christians in the British government; Christian charity organizations that reached out to the poor and needy; the development of the Church of England; the progress of other Protestant denominations; the influence of humanistic ideas and skepticism like evolution; the role of imperialism and Christian missionaries; and the conflicts between anti-Bible and anti-Christian movements both outside of and inside of some professing Christian groups. All in all, you’ll find that Victorian Great Britain was extremely fruitful in promoting the cause of the Lord Jesus and the expansion of His kingdom in the lives of sinners. However, you’ll also learn that, by the end of the century, large fire of Christian witness and living was largely being extinguished by moralism, liberalism, and scientism.
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If you have any deep comments or questions, you can contact
us at [email protected]
If you’re on Facebook, please consider joining The King’s
Hand in History Students group:
Please consider checking out Chris’s blog, bearingchrist.blog,
and his YouTube channel at:
www.youtube.com/@christophervandusen
...more
1h 8min
November 16, 2024 The Christian Leaders, Revivals, and Reconstruction Aftermath of the American Civil War (Ep. 24)
How can the Lord use division, war, hatred, and the worst of
human suffering to perfect His saints and bring salvation to thousands of people?
The American Civil War and its aftermath gives us a prime example of such glorious deeds.
In this episode, Chris and Casey discuss the most influential Christian leaders in the Civil War; their impact on those under
their leadership; the major spiritual revivals and awakenings during the war; and the key events of the war’s aftermath period, known as Reconstruction. We talk about the most devout Christian leaders on the Confederate side, such as
Jefferson Davis, Robert E. Lee, Thomas Jackson, and Patrick Cleburne (who led the most serious effort to allow slaves to serve as Confederate soldiers in exchange for their freedom). We also note a couple of the Union Christian leaders, including D.L. Moody. Then, we describe the main revivals during the war, and how they affected the soldiers and society both during and after the war.
Finally, Casey gives a brief overview of Reconstruction, and Chris shows that there were great instances of God’s grace and mercy during this dark period through the conversion of Ku Klux Klan leader Nathan Bedford Forrest.
As usual, we wrap up with some general and specific lessons
about dealing with division, calamity, and trials, and how the Lord uses all destructive activities of man to accomplish His work of spiritual healing, salvation, and the preparation of souls for eternity.
To contact us, feel free to either comment here, or shoot us
an email at [email protected]
If you’re on Facebook, check out The King’s Hand in History
Students group, where you can bring up more topics for discussion, and get to know the hosts and some of the followers:
https://www.facebook.com/share/g/1AiGoq79TF/
Also, please consider visiting Chris’s YouTube channel, Bearing Christwith Chris VanDusen at www.youtube.com/@christophervandusen
for many spiritual discussions and a weekly devotional Bible study!
Recommended Resources on This Topic:
Christ in the Camp: The True Story of the Great Revival
During the War Between the States
By J. William Jones
Christianity
and the Civil War: A Gallery of Fighters of Faith - Christianity Today
https://www.historyhit.com/key-moments-in-reconstruction/
“Religion in the Civil War” --
https://www.essentialcivilwarcurriculum.com/assets/files/pdf/ECWCTOPICReligionEssay.pdf
...more
1h 17min
November 03, 2024 The American Civil War: Over Rights, Not Race (Ep. 23)
How is it possible for a nation that shares the same language, history, foods, wars, and ancestries to become so divided that it splits into 2 opposing factions that seek to kill each other? By studying the American Civil War, you can find out. This important, world-changing, culture-shaping, and church-building conflict shows us how the Lord uses and disuses nations, governments, societies, tragedies, and sins to display His glory, to establish governments, to transform societies, and most importantly to expand His reign of salvation through His people.
In this discussion, Chris and Casey delve deeply into the complex issues that contributed to the secession of Southern states, the beginning of the war, and the continuation of it after it was shown that it would prove to be the bloodiest of modern conflicts up that point. They show that the war was waged, not simply over a conflict of opinions about slavery, but over a conflict of two very different societies, ways of life, and worldviews. Then, they give a fast-paced overview of the whole course of the war, from the first major battle, to the Confederate surrender at Appomatox Courthouse, to the assassination of Lincoln, and the establishment of Reconstruction. In the course of the discussion, they touch on the major religious differences between the two sides, the main spiritual revival that happened in both sides in 1863, and the spiritual and moral lessons that we as believers and westerners can learn from the war as a whole.
Lord willing, next time, we'll be discussing the Christian revivals and awakenings that happened in the midst of the war.
To contact us:
[email protected] or
on Facebook to Christopher VanDusen
Recommended Resources:
"Slavery, Abolitionists, and the Civil War w Jon Harris from Conversations that Matter":
https://youtu.be/Qs_y3uTppRM?si=_mC3Iz-JY3_w3cWt
Recollections and Letters of Robert E. Lee by His Son by Robert E. Lee, Jr.
"Great Revival in the Confederate Armies" by John Weaver: https://www.sermonaudio.com/sermons/81232051423777
The Red Badge of Courage by Stephen Crane
The Battle Cry of Freedom by James M. McPherson

...more
1h 15min
October 27, 2024 The Power of Protestantism in the 1800s (Ep. 22)
Can biblical Protestantism overcome and conquer the anti-Christian forces of this trans-humanistic, AI, and pagan world in which we live? If you look at the 1800s, you'll see that believers faced similar enemies as we do today, and yet this century could arguably be called the "golden age" of Protestant Christianity, with the 2nd Great Awakening and the resulting benefits of that outpouring of God's Spirit.
As we come to yet another anniversary of Martin Luther's publication of the 95 Theses, Chris takes you through another detailed survey of the entire 19th century, showing how the core tenets of the Protestant Reformation were used by the Lord to bring about great revival and reformation both in His body, and in western and eastern societies in general. Throughout, he notes the enemies that believers faced, and fell prey to, as they sought to preach, live, and defend the gospel. Beginning with the deceived and compromised condition of much of Protestantism in the late 1700s, to the awakening that rolled through from then until the mid-1800s, and then concluding with the downgrade, backsliding, and apostasy of many of the denominations in the turn of the 20th century, he highlights both the successes and failures of the Protestant faith in the U.S., Great Britain, central Europe, and the lands that were assaulted by gospel missionaries in this time. From this study, we can see that the Lord blessed the preaching and application of the pillars of the Reformation, but that we need to learn from the failures of Protestants to take the biblical principles of that great turning point to their fullest applications, in order to semper reformanda, or keep on reforming in alignment with the apostles' teachings.
Contact us at:
[email protected]
If you're on Facebook, please consider joining The King's Hand in History Students group.
Recommended Resources:
Revival & Revivalism by Iain H. Murray
The Five Solas by A. Blake White
Why We're Protestant by Nate Pickowicz
...more
55min
October 19, 2024 The 2nd and BETTER Great Awakening in America (Ep. 21)
Westerners live in a largely humanistic, naturalistic, secular, and paganizing society that is increasingly hostile to the gospel, Christianity, the Bible, and those who are live according to them. Surprisingly enough, similar conditions dominated the U.S. shortly after the Revolution, and when it was being established as a sovereign nation. Once Christian colleges were now largely liberal, society was increasingly debauched, and humanistic, deistic, and atheistic beliefs were increasingly being embraced by the elites, and the masses in general. During the mid-1790s, things began to change, however, with outpourings of the Holy Spirit at Yale College, and among frontier churches and communities in the Kentucky region. From that point, up until the 1850s, spiritual revivals and awakenings regularly ignited across the U.S., saving thousands, forming churches, establishing Christian organizations, sparking modern missions efforts, and making American society more Christianly than it had ever been. In spite of the many errors and abuses that were committed by many revival leaders during the long period of 1800-1858, most of the major results promoted the salvation of souls, the glory of the Lord Jesus, and the good of mankind in general.
In this discussion, Chris and Casey talk about how the U.S. was temporarily rescued from the dark ages we now live in of secular humanism, and the divine and human instruments that were used to awaken God's people, and masses of sinners. Beginning from the historical context and the origins of the awakening at Yale and Kentucky, they highlight the key periods of the awakening, tracing the story from the frontier and college revivals, to the revivals in the northeast through Nettleton and Finney, and closing with the final revivals through the circuit riders, and the prayerful awakening of 1858 that stretched across both sides of the Atlantic. They conclude the discussion with a consideration of the positive and negative results, along with important lessons that believers today can learn from this epic event in history, which formed the character of the U.S., the character of American evangelicalism, and spurred on the preaching of the gospel to foreign lands all across the globe.
Contact us at:
[email protected]
If you're on Facebook, please consider joining The King's Hand in History Students group:
https://www.facebook.com/share/g/RYZYYKS5ZsQ3rtwx/
Recommended Resources:
Revival & Revivalism by Iain H. Murray
"The Second Great Awakening (Pt 1)" by Brian Borgman:
The Second Great Awakening (Pt 1)
"The Second Great Awakening in America in the 1st part of the 1800s" by Thomas Sullivan:
https://www.sermonaudio.com/sermons/101323250455308
...more
1h 13min
October 12, 2024 The Christian-Dominated American Revolution (Ep. 20)
(Note: audio quality has been improved since last episode)
Why is the American Revolution, and the founding of the United States, such an unusual and beneficial event in world history? What makes this revolution and national birth unique among all others? Was the United States a Christian nation when it began? Were the founders Christian? Most importantly, what role did believers in general play in this monumental event? And what can we learn from it today?
All these and other questions will be answered in this discussion between Chris and Casey, who give their biblically-minded view of the American efforts for independence from Great Britain. Beginning with the Great Awakening and its influence on the Revolutionary Americans and their society, they discuss the big causes, events, characters, and results of the Revolution. Particular attention is given to the role that Christianity, Christians, and Bible preachers and pastors had in this fight for freedom. Also, they talk about the major battles, happenings, and leaders during the fighting itself. All told, you'll see that the Revolution, and the early nation, was way more Christian than most Americans and westerners believe.
Contact us at:
[email protected]
If you're on Facebook, please consider joining The King's Hand in History Students group, where you can get into historical and spiritual discussions:
https://www.facebook.com/share/g/mPL9uD7FkofKXkE8/
Recommended Resources:
By the Hand of Providence by Rod Gragg
The Black-Robed Regiment - How the 18th century church stood for liberty (sermonaudio.com) by Generations Radio
Black Robed Regiment (sermonaudio.com) from the Jefferson Davis Conference
...more
1h 15min
October 05, 2024 The Resolutions and Rigor of Jonathan Edwards (Ep. 19)
Do you have the resolve it takes to be a growing and abounding follower of the Lord Jesus? Do you have a set of personal rules that you've determined to be the Lord's will for you to obey Him as much as possible?
The influential and ingenious theologian and Bible-teacher of the New England Great Awakening, Jonathan Edwards, compiled such a list when he was 18 and 19 years old. These "Resolutions" served as his personal code of conduct for the rest of his life, and steered him on a course of extraordinary thinking, writing, preaching, and serving. In his extremely productive life, he served as the overseer of a congregation for over 20 years, was used to bring revival to entire towns, defended the Great Awakening, wrote several profound philosophical and theological works, served as a missionary overseer in the frontier, and served as president of the infant Princeton College.
Chris and Casey highlight the most important of Edwards' Resolutions, and expound on how many of them can be applied in believers' lives today. They also give some biblical support for resolutions, describe Edwards' historical context, and point out some glaring faults with his Resolutions. This study was very encouraging to us, so we hope it will be the same for you!
New for this episode -- we broke it up into a part 1 and a part 2, with an advertisement in between.
Feel free to contact us at [email protected]
If you're on Facebook, consider joining The King's Hand in History Students group:
https://www.facebook.com/share/g/pQqzDefXEs1YbJXD/
Recommended reading:
A Narrative of Surprising Conversions by Jonathan Edwards
A Jonathan Edwards Reader, published by Yale University Press
The God-Centered Life: Insights from Jonathan Edwards for Today by Josh Moody

...more
1h 14min
September 22, 2024 The 1st Great Awakening of the mid-1700s in America and Britain (Ep. 18)
In the late 1730s to the late 1760s, a general Christian spiritual revival blazed across the American colonies and Great Britain, transforming both British and American societies, churches, and governments through its heart-changing power. Enlightenment-influenced immorality and debauchery was crushed, slavery was assaulted, the impoverished masses of England were helped, and new thriving congregations and Christian denominations were formed. Best of all, the Lord Jesus was exalted through the salvation of tens of thousands of men, women, and children.
Chris and Casey discuss the background, key figures, major movements, results, and lessons of this amazing work of the Spirit of Jesus during a time when His name was largely blasphemed, His Word despised, and His people beset with glaring weaknesses and apathy. Among the men they highlight during this period are John and Charles Wesley, Howell Harris, George Whitefield, Gilbert and William Tennent, Jonathan Edwards, and Whitefield's friend Benjamin Franklin. Throughout, they note lessons from the movement that believers today can learn and put into practice, and explain why an awakening is just as needed today as it was then, and how we can promote such a work of the Holy Spirit.
Contact us at [email protected]
If you're on Facebook, please consider joining the King's Hand in History Students group:
https://www.facebook.com/share/g/Gn6Hm16PNSw6mFMB/
Recommended Resources on this topic:
The Great Awakening by Joseph Tracy
George Whitefield: God's Anointed Servant in the Great Revival of the Eighteenth Century by Arnold A. Dallimore
"A Narrative of Surprising Conversions" by Jonathan Edwards
"An Account of the Revival of Religion in Northhampton 1740-1742" by Jonathan Edwards
"John Wesley and The First Great Awakening of the 18th "Century" at
John Wesley and The First Great Awakening | FOSTER History & Collective Memory
...more
1h 8min
September 15, 2024 The First Colonial American Baptists Featuring the Preacher Obadiah Holmes (Ep. 17)
Believers in the western world are living in an increasingly
hostile society, and under increasingly oppressive governments. Also, most of our Bible-believing “churches” are compromised, deceived, and thoroughly bewitched worldly ideas and behaviors. This was much the case for the first Baptists in the American colonies, who were living in an ostensibly free society, and yet were severely suppressed and mistreated by the so-called “Christian” governments over them. Much can be learned by today’s western believers from their zeal, courage, love, and wisdom.
In this episode, Chris does his best to narrate the history
of the first Baptists in New England, during the mid- to late- 1600s. He starts with the Baptists’ origin in Holland and England, and then focuses on the exemplary life of a Baptist believer named Obadiah Holmes. Although he didn’t plant the first Baptist assembly in America, nor found a colony, like Roger Williams, Holmes was one of the most influential and persecuted Baptists in New England during the mid 1600s. An uneducated tradesman like John Bunyan, he grew up in a Puritan context, fled to New England to escape the Anglican government, but then came to the convictions of believer’s baptism, believers’ membership of the church, and the separation of church and state. He did much preaching of the gospel in the New England area, suffered at the hands of Puritan authorities, and for more than 20 years served as an overseer of an assembly in Rhode Island. Much can be learned from his and his Baptist friends’ lives, as well as from his Testimony about his Faith, and about his congregation, written several years before his death. His zeal, love, courage, and boldness serve as an example for all believers today, especially those who hold to Baptistic beliefs derived from the New Testament.
You can contact Chris or Casey at [email protected]
If you’re on Facebook, please consider joining The King’s
Hand in History Students group, where you can get into deeper discussions about
history and our response to it.
Recommended resources:
Baptist Piety: The Last Will and Testimony of Obadiah
Holmes by Edwin S. Gaustad
Early Baptists: A Comparative Study of the Anabaptist and
English Baptist Movements by Dan Nelson
Faith of Our Fathers: Scenes from American Church History,
ed. Mark Sidwell
...more
1h 6min
September 08, 2024 The Colonization of English America (Ep. 16)
Chris and Casey give a general overview of the exploration, settlement, and establishment of the American colonies that would later become the United States. After giving some background for the motivations and means of settling in the New World, they highlight the major settlements of America. These include Jamestown, New Plymouth, Rhode Island, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, Maryland, the Carolinas, and Georgia. Some important topics include religious liberty, government structure, indentured servitude, and slavery. They conclude with some practical lessons for Christians and non-Christians about following your convictions, taking risks, loving the brethren, and considering how your actions will unintentionally affect others.
Contact us: [email protected]
If you're on Facebook, consider joining The King's Hand in History Students group:
https://www.facebook.com/share/g/wm27qk9cgoLLhQR1/
Recommended resources:
Of Plymouth Plantation by William Bradford
Faith of Our Fathers: Scenes from American Church History
A Patriot's History of the United States
...more
1h 8min

FAQs about The King's Hand in History:

How many episodes does The King's Hand in History have?

The podcast currently has 46 episodes available.