The only church that existed in New Testament times is the one that was:
- Built by Christ – Matthew 16.18
- Added to by the Lord – Acts 2.47
- Persecuted by Paul – Acts 8.3
- Given miraculous gifts – 1 Corinthians 12.28
- Purchased by the blood of Christ – Acts 20.28
- Headed by Christ – Ephesians 1.22
- Established to reveal the wisdom of God – Ephesians 3.10
When the New Testament refers to “churches” it is not referring to any of the denominations because they did not exist at that time. Rather it is referring to congregations of the Lord’s one church that met at a specific place. For example, the “churches of Galatia” (Galatians 1:2) were the congregations of the Lord’s one church that existed throughout the region called Galatia. When Paul said, “the churches of Christ salute you” (Romans 16:16), he was referring to all the congregations of the Lord’s one church that existed throughout the world. He was not referring to any denomination because they did not come about for the next 600-1900 years! So, how many “churches of Christ” are there? There is only one. The many “churches of Christ’ today are simply congregations of the Lord’s one church! Think about it!
Kevin Williams