While the first 500 hundred years of the church enjoyed a plethora of famous preachers, theologians, pastors, and martyrs, the next half millennium did not produce nearly as many giants of the faith. But the gospel continued to advance from AD 500-1000—the first half of what is poorly entitled the “Dark Ages”.
The success in Christianity grew in part due to the missionary efforts of Patrick of Ireland, a godly former slave, missionary, and bishop that ignored the evil that was done to him in his youth by responding to his enemies with forgiveness and love. Today, he is known as the Apostle to the Irish.