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Listen "670 AD – England Becomes A Mission Force After Being A Mission Field"
Episode Synopsis
Full Title: 670 AD – England Becomes A Mission Force After Being A Mission Field
Metadata Package: It’s 670 AD, and the islands once reached by missionaries from Rome and Ireland now send their own. From the quiet monasteries of England to the windswept coasts across the sea, believers carry Scripture and song — armed not with armies but with faith.
This episode traces how the English church moved from receiving the gospel to sharing it, planting seeds that would one day grow into the great mission movements of Willibrord and Boniface. Extended notes explore how ordinary men and women — once discipled by foreign missionaries — became messengers of Christ themselves and how that same choice faces every church today.
Make sure you Like, Share, Subscribe, Follow, Comment, and Review this episode and the entire COACH series.
Keywords: England missions history, Frisian mission, Willibrord, Boniface, early missionaries, church history, evangelism, gospel to the nations, Anglo-Saxon church, Bede, Frisia, Christian courage, obedience, love compels, ordinary believers, mission legacy
Hashtags: #ChurchHistory #Missions #ThatsJesusChannel #COACH #FaithInAction
Description: In 670 AD, the English church — once a mission field itself — began to send its own missionaries. From coastal monasteries came believers who crossed the cold North Sea to the Frisians of modern-day Netherlands. They carried faith, Scripture, and humble courage instead of wealth or political power.
This episode tells the story of how a people once evangelized became evangelists — a turning point that would inspire centuries of mission work through figures like Willibrord and Boniface. It’s a story of ordinary disciples who refused to stay comfortable and chose to go because love compelled them.
Discover how their faith still calls the modern church to move from maintenance to mission and from comfort to commission. Join Bob Baulch as he unfolds the moment when England became the mission field that became the mission force.
Call-to-Action: Make sure you Like, Share, Subscribe, Follow, Comment, and Review this episode and the entire COACH series.
CHUNK 1 – COLD HOOK
It’s 670 AD on the North Sea coast of England. Gray water slaps the hull of a small wooden boat as a handful of monks push off from the sand.
The wind bites, the waves rise, and behind them the cliffs fade into mist. Ahead lies Frisia [FREE-zee-uh] — a foreign land with strange speech, colder hearts, and no promise of welcome.
They carry no swords, only scrolls. No banners, only a few simple psalms. Their call isn’t from a king or a pope, but from love itself — love that once crossed oceans to reach them.
On shore, the tide creeps over their footprints until every trace of hesitation disappears. What began as a mission field has become a mission force.
Somewhere across that restless sea, a village waits — unaware that before the sun sets, the first English voices will tell them the name of Jesus.
But what made these quiet believers so bold … and why did they believe ordinary people could change nations?
[AD BREAK]
CHUNK 2 – INTRO
From the That’s Jesus Channel, welcome to COACH — where Church origins and church history actually coach us how to walk boldly with Jesus today. I’m Bob Baulch.
On Wednesday, we stay between 500 and 1500 AD. In this episode we are in the year 670 AD and watching how the English church — once evangelized by others — began sending missionaries of its own, proving that the faith received with humility can also be shared with courage.
CHUNK 3 – FOUNDATION
By 670 AD, the islands that once trembled under the weight of pagan superstition were beginning to hum with worship songs. The smoky scent of oil lamps floated through small stone chapels. Pages of Scripture — copied carefully by hand — glowed amber in the flicker of candlelight.
These were not grand cathedrals. They were simple, weather-worn rooms where fishermen, farmers, and monks gathered before dawn to sing of a King they had never seen but had come to love deeply.
The message that changed them was simple: Jesus lived, died, and rose again — not as a story to admire, but as a reality to trust. That news had crossed oceans to find them. Now it shaped everything they were.
Two very different waves of faith had met here. One brought structure and teaching — an orderly rhythm of Scripture reading and communion. The other brought passion and simplicity — a heart-shaped faith that thrived in small communities and open fields. Together they formed something new: a quiet but powerful unity.
Under Archbishop Theodore [THEE-uh-dor], that unity began to mature. He taught believers to learn, lead, and listen. Churches began to share resources and raise up new teachers instead of relying on outsiders. They were becoming self-sustaining — not just converts, but disciple-makers.
It wasn’t glamorous. Faith grew in the hum of daily life — in the careful copying of a gospel scroll, the quiet kindness of a neighbor, the long patience of teachers who knew the next generation would have to carry what they had begun.
But something deeper stirred beneath the discipline. A sense of calling. A whisper that wouldn’t leave them alone. They remembered those who had once risked everything to bring the gospel to them — and they started asking a dangerous question:
If someone crossed the sea to tell us about Jesus, why shouldn’t we cross it to tell them?
That question began to spread like fire in dry grass. It moved through churches, conversations, and prayer circles. The sea that once divided nations no longer looked like a wall. It looked like a road.
CHUNK 4 – DEVELOPMENT
The wind howls against the northern coast as a small wooden boat drifts toward open water. Inside, a handful of believers steady themselves against the waves. They have no banners, no soldiers, and no promises of safety — only the conviction that Jesus’ command to go was meant for them, too.
The sea air stings their faces. Salt burns their eyes. Yet they press on, because love has already carried them this far. Someone once left home to reach them; now they are doing the same.
They arrive on foreign shores where the sand feels colder, and the language sounds like music they can’t yet understand. Villagers peer from behind woven fences — cautious, curious, unwelcoming.
The missionaries kneel in the tide, water swirling around their robes, and pray in silence. No one claps. No one welcomes them. But heaven listens.
They start small. They trade food. They learn words. They care for the sick. They speak of a God who stepped into flesh, who knows suffering, who conquers fear. Some laugh. Others stare. A few weep.
Among them comes an exiled English bishop — Wilfrid [WILL-frid]. History remembers his name, but he wasn’t the first to go. He simply followed a path already carved by nameless footsteps.
He preaches along the coast, baptizes in icy water, and watches strangers call on the name of Christ for the first time. But there is no triumph here — no choirs, no carved stones, no lasting fame.
When political tides shift, Wilfrid leaves. The work looks fragile again. Yet something invisible remains. The ground is softer. The door is open.
Many others follow — most never named. Young disciples who trade comfort for calling. Old teachers who send their students to continue what they began. And sometimes, women who care for children and widows long before anyone calls it “mission work.”
They learn the same truth every generation must rediscover: success in God’s eyes is measured not by how many listen, but by whether we obey the call to speak.
The same waters that once brought the gospel to England now carry it from England. And somewhere beyond the horizon, a new people are hearing the story of Jesus — this time, in a voice that sounds remarkably like their own.
CHUNK 5 – CLIMAX & IMPACT
Months pass. Seasons turn. The small voyages continue, sometimes successful, sometimes heartbreaking.
A fisherman’s son leaves home and never returns. A small congregation prays by candlelight for those still at sea. Letters arrive — scarce, salt-stained, and sacred. They tell of strange foods, colder winters, and new believers learning to pray in their own language.
And then something extraordinary begins to happen. The English church stops asking, Should we go? and starts asking, Who will go next?
What began as a few scattered journeys becomes a movement of conviction. Pastors bless those who leave. Families give supplies. Ordinary believers step forward, not because anyone orders them to, but because love won’t let them stay behind.
Reports come back: a foreign village has carved a cross into the post outside its meeting hut. A ruler once hostile has welcomed the strangers who serve without taking. Lives are changing — not in mass conversions or royal decrees, but in quiet decisions of the heart.
Later generations will remember the names Willibrord and Boniface, who traveled farther and organized the work more formally. But those famous missionaries are only the fruit of something that bloomed much earlier — the moment the church decided that “someone else” was no longer enough.
Picture one final scene: a gray shoreline at dusk. A few believers stand in the surf with villagers who have just confessed faith in Christ. They lower them into cold water — one by one — as gulls cry overhead.
No music plays. No record is kept. But heaven writes it down.
On that day, England stopped being the mission field and became a mission force. The gospel that had crossed the sea to rescue them now crossed it again to rescue others.
And that single truth still whispers across centuries: Faith that stays comfortable forgets where it came from.
So the question presses on us: When did we last launch a boat of our own — literal or symbolic? What if the next great movement of God isn’t waiting for a famous preacher, but for a willing believer — maybe someone like you — to simply say, I’ll go.
[AD BREAK]
CHUNK 6 – LEGACY AND MODERN RELEVANCE
Thirteen centuries later, the shores once reached by English missionaries are part of the Netherlands — a nation that still bears traces of its Christian past but now walks through an age of quiet unbelief.
Church bells still echo across canals and cobblestones, yet many ring over bookshops, cafés, and apartments housed inside what were once sanctuaries.
Today, nearly half of the Dutch population still identifies in some way with Christianity, but only a small fraction — around four percent — say they have a personal, active faith in Jesus Christ. Out of more than eighteen million people, almost two million belong to people groups who have yet to hear the gospel in a meaningful way.
Behind those numbers are families, students, and coworkers — each one loved by God and longing for purpose even if they don’t yet know it.
The Netherlands is admired for its beauty, its order, and its brilliance. It has mastered the sea, built its own land, and learned how to thrive through ingenuity and independence. Yet many who can control the waters struggle to quiet the restlessness of their own souls.
A polite secularism has replaced the certainty of faith, and the cultural mantra remains: “Be normal — don’t stand out.”
Still, the Church endures. In cities and villages, believers from many backgrounds gather in living rooms, cafés, and community centers to pray for renewal. They see both heartbreak and opportunity — empty churches becoming monuments to the past, yet new communities of faith beginning to form.
Ordinary Christians and missionaries labor together, believing that revival does not begin with a crowd but with one surrendered heart.
And among those preparing to go are my friends Andy and Holly, who are answering God’s call to serve in the Netherlands through Assemblies of God World Missions. If you get the chance, would you pray for them today?
They remind us that the story of the gospel never stops traveling — it only waits for the next willing voice to carry it forward.
The same Jesus who once called monks across the North Sea still whispers to His Church today: Go again.
CHUNK 7 – REFLECTION AND CALL TO ACTION
Every generation faces the same question the English church once did: will we stay comfortable, or will we go again? The faces and places have changed, but the call hasn’t.
The gospel was never meant to end with us; it’s meant to move through us.
Maybe that “sea” in front of you isn’t water at all. Maybe it’s the distance between you and a neighbor, or the silence between you and someone who needs forgiveness. Maybe it’s a conversation you’ve postponed, or a step of obedience you keep delaying because it feels too small to matter.
But that’s how missions begin — not with size, but with surrender. Those monks didn’t know their names would be remembered. They just knew that love had to move.
So what if we lived the same way? What if we believed the next story of revival could begin with one conversation, one invitation, one person who decides that faith must move forward?
We are not the first to receive the gospel. But we can be the next to carry it.
The sea is still there. The world is still waiting. And Jesus still says, Go again.
CHUNK 8 – OUTRO
If this story of England’s first missionaries challenged or encouraged you, like, comment, and share it with a friend — they might really need to hear it. Leave a review on your podcast app! And don’t forget to follow COACH for more episodes every week.
Check out the show notes — they include the full transcript and sources used for this episode. And if you look closely, you’ll even find some contrary opinions. We do that on purpose.
The Amazon links can help you get resources for your own library while giving me a little bit of a kickback. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.
You never know what we’ll cover next on COACH. Every episode dives into a different corner of church history. But on Wednesday, we stay between 500 and 1500 AD.
And if you’d rather access these stories on YouTube, check us out at the That’s Jesus Channel.
Thanks for listening to COACH — where Church origins and church history actually coach us how to walk boldly with Jesus today. I’m Bob Baulch with the That’s Jesus Channel. Have a great day — and be blessed.
CHUNK 9a – REFERENCE QUOTES
Q1: “We must give what we have been given.” [Paraphrased] Describes the English conviction that received truth must be shared. Bede, Ecclesiastical History of the English People, Book IV, 731 AD.
Q2: “He preached the word of life to many nations and baptized many thousands.” [Summarized] Bede’s description of Wilfrid’s evangelistic work while in exile among the Frisians, emphasizing early English outreach. Bede, Ecclesiastical History of the English People, Book V, 731 AD.
Q3: “Theodore and Hadrian… taught both sacred and secular learning alike.” [Verbatim] Historical testimony that English believers received strong instruction before becoming senders themselves. Bede, Ecclesiastical History of the English People, Book IV, 731 AD.
Q4: “Let the nations be glad and sing for joy.” [Verbatim] Scriptural anchor sung by early missionaries as symbolic of their obedience and joy. Holy Bible, Psalm 67, ESV.
Q5: “The English people… became zealous in the Word they had received.” [Summarized] Bede’s wider observation that converts quickly grew into teachers and evangelists. Bede, Ecclesiastical History of the English People, Book V, 731 AD.
Q6: “Only 4 percent of the Dutch population identify as Evangelical Christians.” [Verbatim] Current statistic from the Assemblies of God World Missions Netherlands Prayer Guide, 2025.
Q7: “At least one-fifth of the Netherlands’ 6,900 church buildings have been converted for secular use — as vacation rentals, apartments, ice rinks or gyms.” [Summarized] 2025 Netherlands Prayer Guide, Day 2, p. 2.
Q8: “The Dutch Assemblies of God (VPE) formed in 1966 and today comprises about 120 congregations and 200 ministry workers across the nation.” [Summarized] 2025 Netherlands Prayer Guide, Day 7.
Q9: “Seventy-five percent of Dutch people say religion is not important in daily life.” [Verbatim] 2025 Netherlands Prayer Guide, Day 2.
Q10: “God created the world, and the Dutch created the Netherlands.” [Verbatim] Dutch proverb noted as cultural saying. 2025 Netherlands Prayer Guide, Day 3, “The All-Sufficient Self”.
CHUNK 9b – REFERENCE Z-NOTES (Zero Dispute Notes)
Z1: British bishops attended the Council of Arles in 314 AD, confirming an established church in Roman Britain. Council Acts of Arles, 314; S. Lancel, The Council of Arles, 1975.
Z2: Augustine of Canterbury arrived in 597 as a missionary from Rome. Bede, Ecclesiastical History I.23–I.26, 731.
Z3: Irish and “Celtic” missionary influence reached northern England through Iona and Lindisfarne in the 7th century. Bede, Ecclesiastical History III–IV, 731.
Z4: The Synod of Whitby (664) unified English observance of Easter and strengthened church cohesion. Bede, Ecclesiastical History III.25, 731.
Z5: Theodore of Tarsus became Archbishop of Canterbury in 668 and initiated nation-wide organization of the English Church. Bede, Ecclesiastical History IV.1, 731.
Z6: Theodore and Hadrian taught “both sacred and secular learning alike.” Bede, Ecclesiastical History IV.2, 731.
Z7: English monasteries of the late 7th century served as centers for education and Scripture copying. Bede, Ecclesiastical History IV–V, 731.
Z8: Regular trade existed between Anglo-Saxon England and Frisia by the late 7th century. Richard Hodges, Dark Age Economics, 1982.
Z9: The Frisians inhabited coastal regions of modern Netherlands and north-west Germany during the early Middle Ages. Oxford Classical Dictionary, 4th ed., 2012.
Z10: Early Frisian religion was polytheistic with local gods and seasonal rituals. J. P. Mallory & D. Q. Adams, Encyclopedia of Indo-European Culture, 1997.
Z11: Missionaries from England began traveling to Frisia before 690 AD. Bede, Ecclesiastical History V.10–V.11, 731.
Z12: Wilfrid of York was a bishop from Northumbria exiled in the 670s who preached in Frisia. Stephen of Ripon, Vita Sancti Wilfrithi, c. 710; Bede, Ecclesiastical History V.19.
Z13: The Frisian ruler Aldgisl (Aldegisel) offered Wilfrid protection during his Frisian sojourn. Stephen of Ripon, Vita Wilfridi, c. 710.
Z14: Ecgberht (Egbert), an English monk associated with Iona, inspired and organized missions to the Continent. Bede, Ecclesiastical History V.9, 731.
Z15: Willibrord departed for Frisia c. 690 and was consecrated archbishop (695) for mission work there. Alcuin, Vita Willibrordi, c. 796; Bede, Ecclesiastical History V.10–V.11.
Z16: Boniface (Wynfrith) later worked among Frisians and Germans (from 716; martyred 754 at Dokkum). The Letters of Boniface, ed. Tangl, 1916; Willibald, Vita Bonifatii, c. 760s.
Z17: The Council of Hertford (672/3) set common norms that strengthened coordination among English churches. Bede, Ecclesiastical History IV.5, 731.
Z18: Monastic worship in this era centrally involved psalm-singing as part of daily offices. Rule of St. Benedict, 6th century; Bede, Ecclesiastical History IV–V.
Z19: Baptism of new converts in rivers and open water is well attested in early mission practice. Bede, Ecclesiastical History, multiple; Vita Bonifatii.
Z20: Bede’s Ecclesiastical History (731) is the principal source for 7th-century English church history.
Z21: Early English preaching in Frisia occurred without royal or papal commission; Wilfrid’s presence was linked to exile and local invitation. Vita Wilfridi, c. 710.
Z22: Willibrord’s later mission enjoyed Frankish and papal support, marking a more formal phase than the first crossings. Alcuin, Vita Willibrordi, c. 796.
Z23: Frisian responses to mission were mixed and could reverse with political change (e.g., under Radbod). Alcuin; Willibald.
Z24: Cross-Channel voyages in small craft for trade and travel were routine by the 7th century, making missionary crossings plausible. N. J. Higham, The Convert Kings, 1997; Hodges, Dark Age Economics, 1982.
Z25: The English Church’s capacity to send missionaries grew out of schools and scriptoria founded in the late 7th century. Bede, Ecclesiastical History IV.2; Mayr-Harting, 1991.
Z26: Hagiographical texts (Vitae of Wilfrid, Willibrord, Boniface) are primary witnesses for these missions, used critically alongside Bede.
Z27: 2025 Dutch population ≈ 18 million. Statistics Netherlands (CBS), Dataset 70748NED, 2024.
Z28: About 48–50 percent of residents claim Christian identity; ~4 percent evangelical. Joshua Project & AGWM Prayer Guide, 2025.
Z29: 1.7–2 million Netherlands residents belong to ethnic groups classified as “unreached.” Joshua Project, 2024.
Z30: 75 percent of Dutch adults consider religion unimportant to daily life. AGWM Netherlands Prayer Guide, 2025, Day 2.
Z31: Over one-fifth of Dutch church buildings repurposed for secular use. Trouw News, “Een op de vijf Nederlandse kerken is geen kerk meer,” 2021.
Z32: The Dutch Assemblies of God (VPE) formed in 1966 and joined two other Pentecostal movements in 2002 to create a national fellowship. VPE.nl, 2024.
Z33: The VPE goal of 100 new church plants in 10 years reflects ongoing revitalization efforts. AGWM Prayer Guide, 2025, Day 7.
Z34: The Netherlands ranks among the most secular nations in Europe by identity and attendance. Pew Research Center, 2023.
Z35: Cultural motto “Be normal, don’t stand out” illustrates Dutch preference for moderation. AGWM Prayer Guide, 2025, Intro.
Z36: Despite secularization, grass-roots renewal and urban church-planting movements are emerging. VPE Reports, 2024; MissieNederland, 2023.
CHUNK 9c – REFERENCE POP (Parallel Orthodox Perspectives)
P1: The English missions to Frisia reflect the early Church’s conviction that evangelism arises from gratitude, not hierarchy. John R. W. Stott, Christian Mission in the Modern World, 1975, IVP.
P2: Monastic evangelism in the 7th century modeled community-based discipleship rather than imperial expansion. Henry Mayr-Harting, The Coming of Christianity to Anglo-Saxon England, 1991, Penn State Press.
P3: The unity of Roman order and Celtic fervor in English Christianity produced a healthy missional balance of learning and passion. Patrick Collinson, The Birthpangs of Protestant England, 1988, Macmillan.
P4: The early English understanding of “mission” was inherently ecclesial — local congregations saw sending as obedience to Christ’s command, not institutional policy. Christopher J. H. Wright, The Mission of God, 2006, IVP Academic.
P5: Personal holiness and scriptural teaching formed the foundation of effective mission long before the professional missionary era. Michael Green, Evangelism in the Early Church, 1970, Eerdmans.
P6: The Frisians’ gradual conversion shows that evangelism is relational, not transactional — faith grows through trust built over time. Roland Allen, Missionary Methods: St. Paul’s or Ours?, 1912, Eerdmans.
P7: England’s sending impulse parallels later revival movements where renewal inside the Church overflowed outward. J. Edwin Orr, The Flaming Tongue: The Impact of Twentieth Century Revivals, 1973, Moody Press.
P8: True mission flows from worship; when the Church sees God rightly, it cannot stay silent. John Piper, Let the Nations Be Glad!, 1993, Baker Academic.
P9: The English experience illustrates how Scripture-centered education naturally births mission; literacy became the seed of outreach. Alister E. McGrath, Christian Theology: An Introduction, 1994, Blackwell.
P10: The story of early English missions anticipates the modern idea of every believer as a witness, fulfilling the Great Commission without waiting for formal commissioning. Lausanne Movement Papers, 1974, Lausanne Committee for World Evangelization.
CHUNK 9d – REFERENCE SCOP (Skeptical or Contrary Opinion Points)
S1: Some historians argue that early English missions to Frisia were sporadic acts of individual initiative rather than a cohesive movement. Ian N. Wood, The Missionary Life: Saints and the Evangelisation of Europe 400–1050, 2001, Longman.
S2: The numerical claims of mass baptisms under Wilfrid are likely exaggerated, reflecting hagiographic embellishment common in early medieval sources. Alan Thacker, Bede and the Irish, 1998, Peritia 12, Brepols.
S3: Political exile, not pure evangelistic zeal, may have been Wilfrid’s main reason for traveling to Frisia; conversion efforts were a by-product of circumstance. Nicholas Higham, The Convert Kings: Power and Religious Affiliation in Early Anglo-Saxon England, 1997, Manchester University Press.
S4: The portrayal of unified Roman and Celtic Christianity may oversimplify ongoing tensions that persisted for generations after the Synod of Whitby. Sarah Foot, Monastic Life in Anglo-Saxon England c. 600–900, 2006, Cambridge University Press.
S5: Some scholars suggest that early English missions carried subtle political motives, supporting emerging alliances between English and Frankish powers. James Campbell (ed.), The Anglo-Saxons, 1982, Penguin Books.
S6: Bede’s narrative of the English Church may idealize missionary unity, downplaying regional variation and rivalry. Clare Stancliffe, Bede, Wilfrid, and the Irish, 2007, in St Wilfrid 1100, Oxford University Press.
S7: Later missionary biographies (e.g., Willibrord, Boniface) may project organized intent backward onto the earlier, less coordinated crossings of the 670s. Peter Brown, The Rise of Western Christendom, 1996, Wiley-Blackwell.
S8: Hagiographical sources tend to conflate spiritual success with political favor, making it difficult to distinguish genuine religious change from diplomacy. Arnold Angenendt, Mission und Christianisierung, 1984, Freiburg im Breisgau.
S9: The continuity between 7th-century monastic evangelism and later Protestant missions is debated; some see modern “missionary” categories as anachronistic. Judith Herrin, The Formation of Christendom, 1987, Princeton University Press.
S10: Skeptics note that the long-term conversion of the Frisians was incomplete until the Carolingian period, implying that early efforts had limited immediate effect. R. A. Markus, Gregory the Great and His World, 1997, Cambridge University Press.
CHUNK 9e – REFERENCE SOURCES LIST
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Primary & Early Sources
Bede, Ecclesiastical History of the English People, 731 AD, Penguin Classics, ISBN 9780140445657 (Q1–Q5, Z2–Z7, Z11–Z12, Z14, Z17–Z20, Z25).
Eusebius of Caesarea, Church History, c. 325 AD, Clarendon Press, ISBN 9780198149248 (Z1).
Lancel, The Council of Arles (314), 1975, Études Augustiniennes (Z1).
Stephen of Ripon (Eddius Stephanus), Vita Sancti Wilfrithi, c. 710, Cambridge University Press (Z12–Z13, Z21).
Alcuin of York, Vita Willibrordi, c. 796, MGH Scriptores Rerum Germanicarum, Hahn, ISBN 9783525253058 (Z15, Z22–Z23).
Willibald, Vita Bonifatii, c. 760s, MGH Scriptores Rerum Germanicarum (Z16, Z23).
Rule of St. Benedict, 6th century, various Latin mss (Z18).
Historical & Academic Sources
Richard Hodges, Dark Age Economics: The Origins of Towns and Trade, 1982, Duckworth (Z8, Z24).
P. Mallory & D. Q. Adams, Encyclopedia of Indo-European Culture, 1997, Fitzroy Dearborn (Z10).
J. Higham, The Convert Kings: Power and Religious Affiliation in Early Anglo-Saxon England, 1997, Manchester UP (Z24, S3).
Henry Mayr-Harting, The Coming of Christianity to Anglo-Saxon England, 1991, Penn State Press (Z25, P2).
Patrick Collinson, The Birthpangs of Protestant England, 1988, Macmillan (P3).
Christopher J. H. Wright, The Mission of God, 2006, IVP Academic (P4).
Michael Green, Evangelism in the Early Church, 1970, Eerdmans (P5).
Roland Allen, Missionary Methods: St. Paul’s or Ours?, 1912, Eerdmans (P6).
Edwin Orr, The Flaming Tongue: The Impact of Twentieth Century Revivals, 1973, Moody Press (P7).
John R. W. Stott, Christian Mission in the Modern World, 1975, IVP (P1).
John Piper, Let the Nations Be Glad!, 1993, Baker Academic (P8).
Alister E. McGrath, Christian Theology: An Introduction, 1994, Blackwell (P9).
Lausanne Movement Papers, 1974, Lausanne Committee for World Evangelization (P10).
Ian N. Wood, The Missionary Life: Saints and the Evangelisation of Europe 400–1050, 2001, Longman (S1).
Alan Thacker, Bede and the Irish, 1998, Peritia 12, Brepols (S2).
Sarah Foot, Monastic Life in Anglo-Saxon England c. 600–900, 2006, Cambridge UP (S4).
James Campbell (ed.), The Anglo-Saxons, 1982, Penguin Books (S5).
Clare Stancliffe, Bede, Wilfrid, and the Irish, 2007, in St Wilfrid 1100, OUP (S6).
Peter Brown, The Rise of Western Christendom, 1996, Wiley-Blackwell (S7).
Arnold Angenendt, Mission und Christianisierung, 1984, Freiburg im Breisgau (S8).
Judith Herrin, The Formation of Christendom, 1987, Princeton UP (S9).
A. Markus, Gregory the Great and His World, 1997, Cambridge UP (S10).
Modern Data & Reports
Assemblies of God World Missions – 2025 Netherlands Prayer Guide, Springfield MO (AGWM Europe Region), PDF edition (Q6–Q10, Z28–Z30, Z31, Z33, Z35).
Statistics Netherlands (CBS), Dataset 70748NED, 2024 (Z27).
Trouw News, “Een op de vijf Nederlandse kerken is geen kerk meer,” 2021 (Z31).
Joshua Project, Netherlands Profile, 2024 (Z28–Z29).
Verenigde Pinkster- en Evangeliegemeenten (VPE) Official Website, vpe.nl, 2024 (Z32–Z33, Z36).
Pew Research Center, “Being Christian in Western Europe,” 2023 (Z34).
MissieNederland Report, “New Church Movements in Urban Europe,” 2023 (Z36).
CHUNK 10 – EQUIPMENT
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Apple iPhone 16 Pro Max (1 TB)
Canon EOS R50
Canon EOS M50 Mark II
Dell Inspiron Laptop (17” screen)
HP Gaming Desktop
Adobe Premiere Pro (subscription)
Elgato HD60 S+
Maono PD200X Microphone with Arm
Blue Yeti USB Microphone
Logitech MX Keys S Keyboard
Focusrite Scarlett Solo (4th Gen) USB Audio Interface
Logitech Ergo M575 Wireless Trackball Mouse
BenQ 24-Inch IPS Monitor
Manfrotto Compact Action Aluminum Tripod
Microsoft 365 Personal (subscription)
GVM 10-Inch Ring Light w/ Tripod
Weton Lightning to HDMI Adapter
ULANZI Smartphone Tripod Mount
Sony MDR-ZX110 Stereo Headphones
Nanoleaf Essentials Matter Smart A19 Bulb
CHUNK 11 – CREDITS
Host: Bob Baulch
Producer: That’s Jesus Channel
Topic Support: Assisted by Copilot (Microsoft Corp) for aligning topics to timelines
Research Support: Assisted by Perplexity.ai for facts and sources
Script Support: Assisted by ChatGPT (OpenAI) for script pacing and coherence
Verification Support: Assisted by Grok (xAI) for fact-checking and validation
Digital Licenses
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Production Note: Audio and video elements integrated in post-production without in-script cues.
CHUNK 12 – SOCIAL LINKS
Listen on PodLink: https://www.pod.link/1823151072
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CHUNK 13 – SMALL GROUP GUIDE
Summary: The English Church of 670 AD transformed from a mission field into a mission force. Ordinary believers crossed seas out of gratitude and obedience, carrying the gospel to the Frisians. Their courage shows how faith matures when it refuses to stay comfortable.
Scripture:
Matthew 28:19-20 — “Go and make disciples of all nations.”
Romans 10:14-15 — “How can they hear without someone preaching to them?”
Acts 13:2-3 — “The Holy Spirit said, ‘Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul.’”
Questions:
What motivated the first English believers to go, even without official support?
How does remembering who first brought you the gospel shape how you share it?
In what ways can your local church become more of a sending church?
What “sea” might God be asking you personally to cross — literal or symbolic?
Why does obedience often matter more than visible success in mission?
Application: Choose one tangible action this month that sends the gospel beyond your comfort zone — pray, give, go, or start a conversation that shares your faith.
Prayer Point: Pray for believers today to rediscover the courage and compassion of those first English missionaries — to go wherever love leads.
Metadata Package: It’s 670 AD, and the islands once reached by missionaries from Rome and Ireland now send their own. From the quiet monasteries of England to the windswept coasts across the sea, believers carry Scripture and song — armed not with armies but with faith.
This episode traces how the English church moved from receiving the gospel to sharing it, planting seeds that would one day grow into the great mission movements of Willibrord and Boniface. Extended notes explore how ordinary men and women — once discipled by foreign missionaries — became messengers of Christ themselves and how that same choice faces every church today.
Make sure you Like, Share, Subscribe, Follow, Comment, and Review this episode and the entire COACH series.
Keywords: England missions history, Frisian mission, Willibrord, Boniface, early missionaries, church history, evangelism, gospel to the nations, Anglo-Saxon church, Bede, Frisia, Christian courage, obedience, love compels, ordinary believers, mission legacy
Hashtags: #ChurchHistory #Missions #ThatsJesusChannel #COACH #FaithInAction
Description: In 670 AD, the English church — once a mission field itself — began to send its own missionaries. From coastal monasteries came believers who crossed the cold North Sea to the Frisians of modern-day Netherlands. They carried faith, Scripture, and humble courage instead of wealth or political power.
This episode tells the story of how a people once evangelized became evangelists — a turning point that would inspire centuries of mission work through figures like Willibrord and Boniface. It’s a story of ordinary disciples who refused to stay comfortable and chose to go because love compelled them.
Discover how their faith still calls the modern church to move from maintenance to mission and from comfort to commission. Join Bob Baulch as he unfolds the moment when England became the mission field that became the mission force.
Call-to-Action: Make sure you Like, Share, Subscribe, Follow, Comment, and Review this episode and the entire COACH series.
CHUNK 1 – COLD HOOK
It’s 670 AD on the North Sea coast of England. Gray water slaps the hull of a small wooden boat as a handful of monks push off from the sand.
The wind bites, the waves rise, and behind them the cliffs fade into mist. Ahead lies Frisia [FREE-zee-uh] — a foreign land with strange speech, colder hearts, and no promise of welcome.
They carry no swords, only scrolls. No banners, only a few simple psalms. Their call isn’t from a king or a pope, but from love itself — love that once crossed oceans to reach them.
On shore, the tide creeps over their footprints until every trace of hesitation disappears. What began as a mission field has become a mission force.
Somewhere across that restless sea, a village waits — unaware that before the sun sets, the first English voices will tell them the name of Jesus.
But what made these quiet believers so bold … and why did they believe ordinary people could change nations?
[AD BREAK]
CHUNK 2 – INTRO
From the That’s Jesus Channel, welcome to COACH — where Church origins and church history actually coach us how to walk boldly with Jesus today. I’m Bob Baulch.
On Wednesday, we stay between 500 and 1500 AD. In this episode we are in the year 670 AD and watching how the English church — once evangelized by others — began sending missionaries of its own, proving that the faith received with humility can also be shared with courage.
CHUNK 3 – FOUNDATION
By 670 AD, the islands that once trembled under the weight of pagan superstition were beginning to hum with worship songs. The smoky scent of oil lamps floated through small stone chapels. Pages of Scripture — copied carefully by hand — glowed amber in the flicker of candlelight.
These were not grand cathedrals. They were simple, weather-worn rooms where fishermen, farmers, and monks gathered before dawn to sing of a King they had never seen but had come to love deeply.
The message that changed them was simple: Jesus lived, died, and rose again — not as a story to admire, but as a reality to trust. That news had crossed oceans to find them. Now it shaped everything they were.
Two very different waves of faith had met here. One brought structure and teaching — an orderly rhythm of Scripture reading and communion. The other brought passion and simplicity — a heart-shaped faith that thrived in small communities and open fields. Together they formed something new: a quiet but powerful unity.
Under Archbishop Theodore [THEE-uh-dor], that unity began to mature. He taught believers to learn, lead, and listen. Churches began to share resources and raise up new teachers instead of relying on outsiders. They were becoming self-sustaining — not just converts, but disciple-makers.
It wasn’t glamorous. Faith grew in the hum of daily life — in the careful copying of a gospel scroll, the quiet kindness of a neighbor, the long patience of teachers who knew the next generation would have to carry what they had begun.
But something deeper stirred beneath the discipline. A sense of calling. A whisper that wouldn’t leave them alone. They remembered those who had once risked everything to bring the gospel to them — and they started asking a dangerous question:
If someone crossed the sea to tell us about Jesus, why shouldn’t we cross it to tell them?
That question began to spread like fire in dry grass. It moved through churches, conversations, and prayer circles. The sea that once divided nations no longer looked like a wall. It looked like a road.
CHUNK 4 – DEVELOPMENT
The wind howls against the northern coast as a small wooden boat drifts toward open water. Inside, a handful of believers steady themselves against the waves. They have no banners, no soldiers, and no promises of safety — only the conviction that Jesus’ command to go was meant for them, too.
The sea air stings their faces. Salt burns their eyes. Yet they press on, because love has already carried them this far. Someone once left home to reach them; now they are doing the same.
They arrive on foreign shores where the sand feels colder, and the language sounds like music they can’t yet understand. Villagers peer from behind woven fences — cautious, curious, unwelcoming.
The missionaries kneel in the tide, water swirling around their robes, and pray in silence. No one claps. No one welcomes them. But heaven listens.
They start small. They trade food. They learn words. They care for the sick. They speak of a God who stepped into flesh, who knows suffering, who conquers fear. Some laugh. Others stare. A few weep.
Among them comes an exiled English bishop — Wilfrid [WILL-frid]. History remembers his name, but he wasn’t the first to go. He simply followed a path already carved by nameless footsteps.
He preaches along the coast, baptizes in icy water, and watches strangers call on the name of Christ for the first time. But there is no triumph here — no choirs, no carved stones, no lasting fame.
When political tides shift, Wilfrid leaves. The work looks fragile again. Yet something invisible remains. The ground is softer. The door is open.
Many others follow — most never named. Young disciples who trade comfort for calling. Old teachers who send their students to continue what they began. And sometimes, women who care for children and widows long before anyone calls it “mission work.”
They learn the same truth every generation must rediscover: success in God’s eyes is measured not by how many listen, but by whether we obey the call to speak.
The same waters that once brought the gospel to England now carry it from England. And somewhere beyond the horizon, a new people are hearing the story of Jesus — this time, in a voice that sounds remarkably like their own.
CHUNK 5 – CLIMAX & IMPACT
Months pass. Seasons turn. The small voyages continue, sometimes successful, sometimes heartbreaking.
A fisherman’s son leaves home and never returns. A small congregation prays by candlelight for those still at sea. Letters arrive — scarce, salt-stained, and sacred. They tell of strange foods, colder winters, and new believers learning to pray in their own language.
And then something extraordinary begins to happen. The English church stops asking, Should we go? and starts asking, Who will go next?
What began as a few scattered journeys becomes a movement of conviction. Pastors bless those who leave. Families give supplies. Ordinary believers step forward, not because anyone orders them to, but because love won’t let them stay behind.
Reports come back: a foreign village has carved a cross into the post outside its meeting hut. A ruler once hostile has welcomed the strangers who serve without taking. Lives are changing — not in mass conversions or royal decrees, but in quiet decisions of the heart.
Later generations will remember the names Willibrord and Boniface, who traveled farther and organized the work more formally. But those famous missionaries are only the fruit of something that bloomed much earlier — the moment the church decided that “someone else” was no longer enough.
Picture one final scene: a gray shoreline at dusk. A few believers stand in the surf with villagers who have just confessed faith in Christ. They lower them into cold water — one by one — as gulls cry overhead.
No music plays. No record is kept. But heaven writes it down.
On that day, England stopped being the mission field and became a mission force. The gospel that had crossed the sea to rescue them now crossed it again to rescue others.
And that single truth still whispers across centuries: Faith that stays comfortable forgets where it came from.
So the question presses on us: When did we last launch a boat of our own — literal or symbolic? What if the next great movement of God isn’t waiting for a famous preacher, but for a willing believer — maybe someone like you — to simply say, I’ll go.
[AD BREAK]
CHUNK 6 – LEGACY AND MODERN RELEVANCE
Thirteen centuries later, the shores once reached by English missionaries are part of the Netherlands — a nation that still bears traces of its Christian past but now walks through an age of quiet unbelief.
Church bells still echo across canals and cobblestones, yet many ring over bookshops, cafés, and apartments housed inside what were once sanctuaries.
Today, nearly half of the Dutch population still identifies in some way with Christianity, but only a small fraction — around four percent — say they have a personal, active faith in Jesus Christ. Out of more than eighteen million people, almost two million belong to people groups who have yet to hear the gospel in a meaningful way.
Behind those numbers are families, students, and coworkers — each one loved by God and longing for purpose even if they don’t yet know it.
The Netherlands is admired for its beauty, its order, and its brilliance. It has mastered the sea, built its own land, and learned how to thrive through ingenuity and independence. Yet many who can control the waters struggle to quiet the restlessness of their own souls.
A polite secularism has replaced the certainty of faith, and the cultural mantra remains: “Be normal — don’t stand out.”
Still, the Church endures. In cities and villages, believers from many backgrounds gather in living rooms, cafés, and community centers to pray for renewal. They see both heartbreak and opportunity — empty churches becoming monuments to the past, yet new communities of faith beginning to form.
Ordinary Christians and missionaries labor together, believing that revival does not begin with a crowd but with one surrendered heart.
And among those preparing to go are my friends Andy and Holly, who are answering God’s call to serve in the Netherlands through Assemblies of God World Missions. If you get the chance, would you pray for them today?
They remind us that the story of the gospel never stops traveling — it only waits for the next willing voice to carry it forward.
The same Jesus who once called monks across the North Sea still whispers to His Church today: Go again.
CHUNK 7 – REFLECTION AND CALL TO ACTION
Every generation faces the same question the English church once did: will we stay comfortable, or will we go again? The faces and places have changed, but the call hasn’t.
The gospel was never meant to end with us; it’s meant to move through us.
Maybe that “sea” in front of you isn’t water at all. Maybe it’s the distance between you and a neighbor, or the silence between you and someone who needs forgiveness. Maybe it’s a conversation you’ve postponed, or a step of obedience you keep delaying because it feels too small to matter.
But that’s how missions begin — not with size, but with surrender. Those monks didn’t know their names would be remembered. They just knew that love had to move.
So what if we lived the same way? What if we believed the next story of revival could begin with one conversation, one invitation, one person who decides that faith must move forward?
We are not the first to receive the gospel. But we can be the next to carry it.
The sea is still there. The world is still waiting. And Jesus still says, Go again.
CHUNK 8 – OUTRO
If this story of England’s first missionaries challenged or encouraged you, like, comment, and share it with a friend — they might really need to hear it. Leave a review on your podcast app! And don’t forget to follow COACH for more episodes every week.
Check out the show notes — they include the full transcript and sources used for this episode. And if you look closely, you’ll even find some contrary opinions. We do that on purpose.
The Amazon links can help you get resources for your own library while giving me a little bit of a kickback. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.
You never know what we’ll cover next on COACH. Every episode dives into a different corner of church history. But on Wednesday, we stay between 500 and 1500 AD.
And if you’d rather access these stories on YouTube, check us out at the That’s Jesus Channel.
Thanks for listening to COACH — where Church origins and church history actually coach us how to walk boldly with Jesus today. I’m Bob Baulch with the That’s Jesus Channel. Have a great day — and be blessed.
CHUNK 9a – REFERENCE QUOTES
Q1: “We must give what we have been given.” [Paraphrased] Describes the English conviction that received truth must be shared. Bede, Ecclesiastical History of the English People, Book IV, 731 AD.
Q2: “He preached the word of life to many nations and baptized many thousands.” [Summarized] Bede’s description of Wilfrid’s evangelistic work while in exile among the Frisians, emphasizing early English outreach. Bede, Ecclesiastical History of the English People, Book V, 731 AD.
Q3: “Theodore and Hadrian… taught both sacred and secular learning alike.” [Verbatim] Historical testimony that English believers received strong instruction before becoming senders themselves. Bede, Ecclesiastical History of the English People, Book IV, 731 AD.
Q4: “Let the nations be glad and sing for joy.” [Verbatim] Scriptural anchor sung by early missionaries as symbolic of their obedience and joy. Holy Bible, Psalm 67, ESV.
Q5: “The English people… became zealous in the Word they had received.” [Summarized] Bede’s wider observation that converts quickly grew into teachers and evangelists. Bede, Ecclesiastical History of the English People, Book V, 731 AD.
Q6: “Only 4 percent of the Dutch population identify as Evangelical Christians.” [Verbatim] Current statistic from the Assemblies of God World Missions Netherlands Prayer Guide, 2025.
Q7: “At least one-fifth of the Netherlands’ 6,900 church buildings have been converted for secular use — as vacation rentals, apartments, ice rinks or gyms.” [Summarized] 2025 Netherlands Prayer Guide, Day 2, p. 2.
Q8: “The Dutch Assemblies of God (VPE) formed in 1966 and today comprises about 120 congregations and 200 ministry workers across the nation.” [Summarized] 2025 Netherlands Prayer Guide, Day 7.
Q9: “Seventy-five percent of Dutch people say religion is not important in daily life.” [Verbatim] 2025 Netherlands Prayer Guide, Day 2.
Q10: “God created the world, and the Dutch created the Netherlands.” [Verbatim] Dutch proverb noted as cultural saying. 2025 Netherlands Prayer Guide, Day 3, “The All-Sufficient Self”.
CHUNK 9b – REFERENCE Z-NOTES (Zero Dispute Notes)
Z1: British bishops attended the Council of Arles in 314 AD, confirming an established church in Roman Britain. Council Acts of Arles, 314; S. Lancel, The Council of Arles, 1975.
Z2: Augustine of Canterbury arrived in 597 as a missionary from Rome. Bede, Ecclesiastical History I.23–I.26, 731.
Z3: Irish and “Celtic” missionary influence reached northern England through Iona and Lindisfarne in the 7th century. Bede, Ecclesiastical History III–IV, 731.
Z4: The Synod of Whitby (664) unified English observance of Easter and strengthened church cohesion. Bede, Ecclesiastical History III.25, 731.
Z5: Theodore of Tarsus became Archbishop of Canterbury in 668 and initiated nation-wide organization of the English Church. Bede, Ecclesiastical History IV.1, 731.
Z6: Theodore and Hadrian taught “both sacred and secular learning alike.” Bede, Ecclesiastical History IV.2, 731.
Z7: English monasteries of the late 7th century served as centers for education and Scripture copying. Bede, Ecclesiastical History IV–V, 731.
Z8: Regular trade existed between Anglo-Saxon England and Frisia by the late 7th century. Richard Hodges, Dark Age Economics, 1982.
Z9: The Frisians inhabited coastal regions of modern Netherlands and north-west Germany during the early Middle Ages. Oxford Classical Dictionary, 4th ed., 2012.
Z10: Early Frisian religion was polytheistic with local gods and seasonal rituals. J. P. Mallory & D. Q. Adams, Encyclopedia of Indo-European Culture, 1997.
Z11: Missionaries from England began traveling to Frisia before 690 AD. Bede, Ecclesiastical History V.10–V.11, 731.
Z12: Wilfrid of York was a bishop from Northumbria exiled in the 670s who preached in Frisia. Stephen of Ripon, Vita Sancti Wilfrithi, c. 710; Bede, Ecclesiastical History V.19.
Z13: The Frisian ruler Aldgisl (Aldegisel) offered Wilfrid protection during his Frisian sojourn. Stephen of Ripon, Vita Wilfridi, c. 710.
Z14: Ecgberht (Egbert), an English monk associated with Iona, inspired and organized missions to the Continent. Bede, Ecclesiastical History V.9, 731.
Z15: Willibrord departed for Frisia c. 690 and was consecrated archbishop (695) for mission work there. Alcuin, Vita Willibrordi, c. 796; Bede, Ecclesiastical History V.10–V.11.
Z16: Boniface (Wynfrith) later worked among Frisians and Germans (from 716; martyred 754 at Dokkum). The Letters of Boniface, ed. Tangl, 1916; Willibald, Vita Bonifatii, c. 760s.
Z17: The Council of Hertford (672/3) set common norms that strengthened coordination among English churches. Bede, Ecclesiastical History IV.5, 731.
Z18: Monastic worship in this era centrally involved psalm-singing as part of daily offices. Rule of St. Benedict, 6th century; Bede, Ecclesiastical History IV–V.
Z19: Baptism of new converts in rivers and open water is well attested in early mission practice. Bede, Ecclesiastical History, multiple; Vita Bonifatii.
Z20: Bede’s Ecclesiastical History (731) is the principal source for 7th-century English church history.
Z21: Early English preaching in Frisia occurred without royal or papal commission; Wilfrid’s presence was linked to exile and local invitation. Vita Wilfridi, c. 710.
Z22: Willibrord’s later mission enjoyed Frankish and papal support, marking a more formal phase than the first crossings. Alcuin, Vita Willibrordi, c. 796.
Z23: Frisian responses to mission were mixed and could reverse with political change (e.g., under Radbod). Alcuin; Willibald.
Z24: Cross-Channel voyages in small craft for trade and travel were routine by the 7th century, making missionary crossings plausible. N. J. Higham, The Convert Kings, 1997; Hodges, Dark Age Economics, 1982.
Z25: The English Church’s capacity to send missionaries grew out of schools and scriptoria founded in the late 7th century. Bede, Ecclesiastical History IV.2; Mayr-Harting, 1991.
Z26: Hagiographical texts (Vitae of Wilfrid, Willibrord, Boniface) are primary witnesses for these missions, used critically alongside Bede.
Z27: 2025 Dutch population ≈ 18 million. Statistics Netherlands (CBS), Dataset 70748NED, 2024.
Z28: About 48–50 percent of residents claim Christian identity; ~4 percent evangelical. Joshua Project & AGWM Prayer Guide, 2025.
Z29: 1.7–2 million Netherlands residents belong to ethnic groups classified as “unreached.” Joshua Project, 2024.
Z30: 75 percent of Dutch adults consider religion unimportant to daily life. AGWM Netherlands Prayer Guide, 2025, Day 2.
Z31: Over one-fifth of Dutch church buildings repurposed for secular use. Trouw News, “Een op de vijf Nederlandse kerken is geen kerk meer,” 2021.
Z32: The Dutch Assemblies of God (VPE) formed in 1966 and joined two other Pentecostal movements in 2002 to create a national fellowship. VPE.nl, 2024.
Z33: The VPE goal of 100 new church plants in 10 years reflects ongoing revitalization efforts. AGWM Prayer Guide, 2025, Day 7.
Z34: The Netherlands ranks among the most secular nations in Europe by identity and attendance. Pew Research Center, 2023.
Z35: Cultural motto “Be normal, don’t stand out” illustrates Dutch preference for moderation. AGWM Prayer Guide, 2025, Intro.
Z36: Despite secularization, grass-roots renewal and urban church-planting movements are emerging. VPE Reports, 2024; MissieNederland, 2023.
CHUNK 9c – REFERENCE POP (Parallel Orthodox Perspectives)
P1: The English missions to Frisia reflect the early Church’s conviction that evangelism arises from gratitude, not hierarchy. John R. W. Stott, Christian Mission in the Modern World, 1975, IVP.
P2: Monastic evangelism in the 7th century modeled community-based discipleship rather than imperial expansion. Henry Mayr-Harting, The Coming of Christianity to Anglo-Saxon England, 1991, Penn State Press.
P3: The unity of Roman order and Celtic fervor in English Christianity produced a healthy missional balance of learning and passion. Patrick Collinson, The Birthpangs of Protestant England, 1988, Macmillan.
P4: The early English understanding of “mission” was inherently ecclesial — local congregations saw sending as obedience to Christ’s command, not institutional policy. Christopher J. H. Wright, The Mission of God, 2006, IVP Academic.
P5: Personal holiness and scriptural teaching formed the foundation of effective mission long before the professional missionary era. Michael Green, Evangelism in the Early Church, 1970, Eerdmans.
P6: The Frisians’ gradual conversion shows that evangelism is relational, not transactional — faith grows through trust built over time. Roland Allen, Missionary Methods: St. Paul’s or Ours?, 1912, Eerdmans.
P7: England’s sending impulse parallels later revival movements where renewal inside the Church overflowed outward. J. Edwin Orr, The Flaming Tongue: The Impact of Twentieth Century Revivals, 1973, Moody Press.
P8: True mission flows from worship; when the Church sees God rightly, it cannot stay silent. John Piper, Let the Nations Be Glad!, 1993, Baker Academic.
P9: The English experience illustrates how Scripture-centered education naturally births mission; literacy became the seed of outreach. Alister E. McGrath, Christian Theology: An Introduction, 1994, Blackwell.
P10: The story of early English missions anticipates the modern idea of every believer as a witness, fulfilling the Great Commission without waiting for formal commissioning. Lausanne Movement Papers, 1974, Lausanne Committee for World Evangelization.
CHUNK 9d – REFERENCE SCOP (Skeptical or Contrary Opinion Points)
S1: Some historians argue that early English missions to Frisia were sporadic acts of individual initiative rather than a cohesive movement. Ian N. Wood, The Missionary Life: Saints and the Evangelisation of Europe 400–1050, 2001, Longman.
S2: The numerical claims of mass baptisms under Wilfrid are likely exaggerated, reflecting hagiographic embellishment common in early medieval sources. Alan Thacker, Bede and the Irish, 1998, Peritia 12, Brepols.
S3: Political exile, not pure evangelistic zeal, may have been Wilfrid’s main reason for traveling to Frisia; conversion efforts were a by-product of circumstance. Nicholas Higham, The Convert Kings: Power and Religious Affiliation in Early Anglo-Saxon England, 1997, Manchester University Press.
S4: The portrayal of unified Roman and Celtic Christianity may oversimplify ongoing tensions that persisted for generations after the Synod of Whitby. Sarah Foot, Monastic Life in Anglo-Saxon England c. 600–900, 2006, Cambridge University Press.
S5: Some scholars suggest that early English missions carried subtle political motives, supporting emerging alliances between English and Frankish powers. James Campbell (ed.), The Anglo-Saxons, 1982, Penguin Books.
S6: Bede’s narrative of the English Church may idealize missionary unity, downplaying regional variation and rivalry. Clare Stancliffe, Bede, Wilfrid, and the Irish, 2007, in St Wilfrid 1100, Oxford University Press.
S7: Later missionary biographies (e.g., Willibrord, Boniface) may project organized intent backward onto the earlier, less coordinated crossings of the 670s. Peter Brown, The Rise of Western Christendom, 1996, Wiley-Blackwell.
S8: Hagiographical sources tend to conflate spiritual success with political favor, making it difficult to distinguish genuine religious change from diplomacy. Arnold Angenendt, Mission und Christianisierung, 1984, Freiburg im Breisgau.
S9: The continuity between 7th-century monastic evangelism and later Protestant missions is debated; some see modern “missionary” categories as anachronistic. Judith Herrin, The Formation of Christendom, 1987, Princeton University Press.
S10: Skeptics note that the long-term conversion of the Frisians was incomplete until the Carolingian period, implying that early efforts had limited immediate effect. R. A. Markus, Gregory the Great and His World, 1997, Cambridge University Press.
CHUNK 9e – REFERENCE SOURCES LIST
As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. Master Amazon Link Coming Soon
Primary & Early Sources
Bede, Ecclesiastical History of the English People, 731 AD, Penguin Classics, ISBN 9780140445657 (Q1–Q5, Z2–Z7, Z11–Z12, Z14, Z17–Z20, Z25).
Eusebius of Caesarea, Church History, c. 325 AD, Clarendon Press, ISBN 9780198149248 (Z1).
Lancel, The Council of Arles (314), 1975, Études Augustiniennes (Z1).
Stephen of Ripon (Eddius Stephanus), Vita Sancti Wilfrithi, c. 710, Cambridge University Press (Z12–Z13, Z21).
Alcuin of York, Vita Willibrordi, c. 796, MGH Scriptores Rerum Germanicarum, Hahn, ISBN 9783525253058 (Z15, Z22–Z23).
Willibald, Vita Bonifatii, c. 760s, MGH Scriptores Rerum Germanicarum (Z16, Z23).
Rule of St. Benedict, 6th century, various Latin mss (Z18).
Historical & Academic Sources
Richard Hodges, Dark Age Economics: The Origins of Towns and Trade, 1982, Duckworth (Z8, Z24).
P. Mallory & D. Q. Adams, Encyclopedia of Indo-European Culture, 1997, Fitzroy Dearborn (Z10).
J. Higham, The Convert Kings: Power and Religious Affiliation in Early Anglo-Saxon England, 1997, Manchester UP (Z24, S3).
Henry Mayr-Harting, The Coming of Christianity to Anglo-Saxon England, 1991, Penn State Press (Z25, P2).
Patrick Collinson, The Birthpangs of Protestant England, 1988, Macmillan (P3).
Christopher J. H. Wright, The Mission of God, 2006, IVP Academic (P4).
Michael Green, Evangelism in the Early Church, 1970, Eerdmans (P5).
Roland Allen, Missionary Methods: St. Paul’s or Ours?, 1912, Eerdmans (P6).
Edwin Orr, The Flaming Tongue: The Impact of Twentieth Century Revivals, 1973, Moody Press (P7).
John R. W. Stott, Christian Mission in the Modern World, 1975, IVP (P1).
John Piper, Let the Nations Be Glad!, 1993, Baker Academic (P8).
Alister E. McGrath, Christian Theology: An Introduction, 1994, Blackwell (P9).
Lausanne Movement Papers, 1974, Lausanne Committee for World Evangelization (P10).
Ian N. Wood, The Missionary Life: Saints and the Evangelisation of Europe 400–1050, 2001, Longman (S1).
Alan Thacker, Bede and the Irish, 1998, Peritia 12, Brepols (S2).
Sarah Foot, Monastic Life in Anglo-Saxon England c. 600–900, 2006, Cambridge UP (S4).
James Campbell (ed.), The Anglo-Saxons, 1982, Penguin Books (S5).
Clare Stancliffe, Bede, Wilfrid, and the Irish, 2007, in St Wilfrid 1100, OUP (S6).
Peter Brown, The Rise of Western Christendom, 1996, Wiley-Blackwell (S7).
Arnold Angenendt, Mission und Christianisierung, 1984, Freiburg im Breisgau (S8).
Judith Herrin, The Formation of Christendom, 1987, Princeton UP (S9).
A. Markus, Gregory the Great and His World, 1997, Cambridge UP (S10).
Modern Data & Reports
Assemblies of God World Missions – 2025 Netherlands Prayer Guide, Springfield MO (AGWM Europe Region), PDF edition (Q6–Q10, Z28–Z30, Z31, Z33, Z35).
Statistics Netherlands (CBS), Dataset 70748NED, 2024 (Z27).
Trouw News, “Een op de vijf Nederlandse kerken is geen kerk meer,” 2021 (Z31).
Joshua Project, Netherlands Profile, 2024 (Z28–Z29).
Verenigde Pinkster- en Evangeliegemeenten (VPE) Official Website, vpe.nl, 2024 (Z32–Z33, Z36).
Pew Research Center, “Being Christian in Western Europe,” 2023 (Z34).
MissieNederland Report, “New Church Movements in Urban Europe,” 2023 (Z36).
CHUNK 10 – EQUIPMENT
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Apple iPhone 16 Pro Max (1 TB)
Canon EOS R50
Canon EOS M50 Mark II
Dell Inspiron Laptop (17” screen)
HP Gaming Desktop
Adobe Premiere Pro (subscription)
Elgato HD60 S+
Maono PD200X Microphone with Arm
Blue Yeti USB Microphone
Logitech MX Keys S Keyboard
Focusrite Scarlett Solo (4th Gen) USB Audio Interface
Logitech Ergo M575 Wireless Trackball Mouse
BenQ 24-Inch IPS Monitor
Manfrotto Compact Action Aluminum Tripod
Microsoft 365 Personal (subscription)
GVM 10-Inch Ring Light w/ Tripod
Weton Lightning to HDMI Adapter
ULANZI Smartphone Tripod Mount
Sony MDR-ZX110 Stereo Headphones
Nanoleaf Essentials Matter Smart A19 Bulb
CHUNK 11 – CREDITS
Host: Bob Baulch
Producer: That’s Jesus Channel
Topic Support: Assisted by Copilot (Microsoft Corp) for aligning topics to timelines
Research Support: Assisted by Perplexity.ai for facts and sources
Script Support: Assisted by ChatGPT (OpenAI) for script pacing and coherence
Verification Support: Assisted by Grok (xAI) for fact-checking and validation
Digital Licenses
Audio 1 – Background Music: “Background Music Soft Calm” by INPLUSMUSIC, Pixabay Content License, Composer: Poradovskyi Andrii (BMI IPI 01055591064), Source: Pixabay, YouTube: INPLUSMUSIC Channel, Instagram: @inplusmusic
Audio 2 – Crescendo: “Epic Trailer Short 0022 Sec” by BurtySounds, Pixabay Content License, Source: Pixabay
Audio Visualizer: “Digital Audio Spectrum Sound Wave Equalizer Effect Animation, Alpha Channel Transparent Background, 4K Resolution” by Vecteezy, License: Free License (Attribution Required), Source: Vecteezy
Production Note: Audio and video elements integrated in post-production without in-script cues.
CHUNK 12 – SOCIAL LINKS
Listen on PodLink: https://www.pod.link/1823151072
Official Podcast Webpage (Podbean): https://thatsjesuschannel.podbean.com/
YouTube (That’s Jesus Channel): https://www.youtube.com/@ThatsJesusChannel
YouTube – COACH Playlist: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLJdTG9noRxsEKpmDoPX06VtfGrB-Hb7T4
Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/BobBaulchPage
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thatsjesuschannel
Threads: [ADD URL]
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@thatsjesuschannel
X (Twitter): https://twitter.com/ThatsJesusChan
Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/thatsjesuschannel
Website / Show Notes: https://thatsjesus.org
Newsletter Signup: [ADD URL]
Contact: [email protected]
RSS Feed: https://feed.podbean.com/thatsjesuschannel/feed.xml
Discord: [ADD URL]
WhatsApp Channel: [ADD URL]
Telegram: [ADD URL]
Reddit: [ADD URL]
LinkedIn Page: [ADD URL]
CHUNK 13 – SMALL GROUP GUIDE
Summary: The English Church of 670 AD transformed from a mission field into a mission force. Ordinary believers crossed seas out of gratitude and obedience, carrying the gospel to the Frisians. Their courage shows how faith matures when it refuses to stay comfortable.
Scripture:
Matthew 28:19-20 — “Go and make disciples of all nations.”
Romans 10:14-15 — “How can they hear without someone preaching to them?”
Acts 13:2-3 — “The Holy Spirit said, ‘Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul.’”
Questions:
What motivated the first English believers to go, even without official support?
How does remembering who first brought you the gospel shape how you share it?
In what ways can your local church become more of a sending church?
What “sea” might God be asking you personally to cross — literal or symbolic?
Why does obedience often matter more than visible success in mission?
Application: Choose one tangible action this month that sends the gospel beyond your comfort zone — pray, give, go, or start a conversation that shares your faith.
Prayer Point: Pray for believers today to rediscover the courage and compassion of those first English missionaries — to go wherever love leads.
In God we trust